Handling and Trust

[New Ekkie Mom]

I have had my 4 1/2 month old Eclectus boy for just over a month now. He is very friendly and social, and he will readily step up for me and come to me for attention, but he really doesn't like much physical handling/manipulation. I would love to have a relationship with him where I can lay him on his back in my lap or let him hang upside down from my hand...just generally handle him any which way and have him enjoy it as playtime. CindyQ posted a thread on the macaw forum titled "Update on Harlow & a few ?'s" on 12/4/08. (I apologize for being rather computer illiterate, otherwise I would have attached a link.) This thread got me thinking...should I just be patient and eventually Cyrano will trust me enough to roll over for me, hang upside down, etc. on his own? Or should I be using this time now as a baby to try to train him to allow this kind of handling? I don't want to push him to do things he's not ready for, but I don't want to miss my window of opportunity to get him used to that kind of manipulation. If your birds let you have that kind of interaction with them, is it because you have built up the necessary trust over a long period of time, or is it because they've been handled that way from the get go and are used to it?

Thanks for your help!

Danielle

[MicahEspudo]

It may be possible, but if he wasn't raised that way, then it will take a lot more work.
Some birds even if well socialized from a young age will never be like this.
It's just like humans some are people persons and others are not.
I think you should just enjoy your ekkie, let him be himself and open up to you in his own time. Who knows, maybe he will be like this once you have build up some trust.
Just don't plan on it happening.
I think it is really going to be hard for you to train him to do those things now. That is the breeders job, they should socialize their babies properly.
But like I said above sometimes it's not the breeders fault and the bird just isn't a social bird... but thats okay!



... Just enjoy your ekkie for who HE is, not what you want him to be!

[New Ekkie Mom]

I never meant to imply that I wasn't happy with him now. My breeder did an excellent job socializing him. From the day I brought him home, he has been calm, inquisitive, and tolerant of everyone in the family, including my 3 kids (ages 17 months to 7 yrs). He will allow me and others to pet him and scratch him, although it is obvious he enjoys it sometimes more than others. He would probably let me lay him on his back and such now too, but I want him to enjoy it, not just tolerate it. If he never does these things, I will be perfectly content to let him sit on my shoulder/arm while I watch tv or sit at the computer, which he already loves to do.

I didn't realize it was a bad thing to always look forward to the next step. Part of the fun I have when training my dog, or my kids for that matter, is looking ahead and saying, "Man, that was great! Where can we go from here? What else can we do?" I guess I was thinking the same thing with building my relationship with my Ekkie. I apologize if I am misunderstanding the nature of building a relationship with our birds. :(

[alwaysontimneh]

Please do not apologize there is nothing wrong with wanting to build your relationship. I was told plenty of times that my TAG would never cuddle and never hang upside down or lay on his back for us. Well guess what at 7 months now he will hang up side with no problem and loves to be cuddled and held even when he gets his nails clipped they found out he his much calmer if he his held close right before. It takes time and working with them slowly. They need to be able to trust you fully and with a bird that is not going to happen quickly like it would with a dog. Just like when training your dog it is consistency that is key but just remember to go at their pace.

[MicahEspudo]

Originally Posted by New Ekkie Mom

I didn't realize it was a bad thing to always look forward to the next step. Part of the fun I have when training my dog, or my kids for that matter, is looking ahead and saying, "Man, that was great! Where can we go from here? What else can we do?" I guess I was thinking the same thing with building my relationship with my Ekkie. I apologize if I am misunderstanding the nature of building a relationship with our birds. :(

That is not what I was implying at all! But I wouldn't compare my bird to my dog. Of course I love them both the same, but dogs are domesticated, which means that they are sorta "programed" to love you... they need human interaction. Where as birds don't crave human interaction from birth. It takes a lot of work and effort for them to become social to us. I was just saying, not to get all mad if he doesn't become this idea of the perfect bird that you have.
As far as actually training your bird to lay on his back... Go slowly, it could take minutes... it could take years... It could never happen. Start by touching his back a lot, let him get comfortable with you and go from there. Take more steps when you see he is comfortable with you. Training him to lay on his back is about trust, it isn't like teaching him to roll over, he has to trust you unconditionally to lay on his back. Because when a bird is on their back they are at their most vulnerable.

[New Ekkie Mom]

Thanks, Micah. :) I think you're right. Remembering parrots aren't dogs has been and is going to be my biggest battle. The training methods for both birds and dogs are so similar (clicker training, positive reinforcement, etc.), that I always find myself forgetting that their basic psychology and the way they view the world around them is incredibly different.

[New Ekkie Mom]

Maggie, thank you to you too. I really appreciate the encouragement, and I will definitely go at his pace. I am going to focus on building a trusting relationship, and let him tell me what to try or not try.

[SPTN]

I understand that a usually easy method of conditioning/training a young bird to roll over/lay on its back is to cuddle with the bird close to your chest, and placing one hand on its back while doing so, and perhaps scritching the head/neck with the other hand. You do this exercise repeatedly until the bird gets more and more comfortable. Then, gradually begin to lean over while cuddling the bird in this manner. Gradually, with time and practice, lean over more. Then...try moving the bird away from your body while doing this exercise. The idea is that eventually, you'll be able to hold the bird in your hand while its on its back. Gradually, you should be able to translate this to having the bird on its back while in your lap, perhaps next to you on a sofa/bed, etc. I don't guess it's natural for a parrot to assume this position/posture on its own, and will involve a great deal of trust with its companion. Good luck!

[xafsmom]

Originally Posted by SPTN

I don't guess it's natural for a parrot to assume this position/posture on its own, and will involve a great deal of trust with its companion. Good luck!

Unless it's a Sun Conure who are on their backs even as young chicks! LOL Goofy birds.