Wanted: Bird OFF head

[perchingbird]

... soooo.

There are a number of us that have these adorable little balls of feathers that just seem to love being on top of a human head.

I personally am not fond of wearing hair accessories, even a living parrot. Although a lot of bird species wouldn't have had such hard times back in the day if people used living parrots in their hats instead of rare bird plumage.

I have no idea how to redirect/discourage this behavior!

It's especially prevalent in the evenings. Kit will climb my hair onto my head. I remove her and place her back on my shoulder. Kit climbs onto head. I remove her to my shoulder. Kit climbs onto head. I put her on her playgym. Kit jumps off playgym and climbs onto head. Repeat until I give up and put her to bed.

Tonight, she's cuddling at the moment under my hair. I little bit earlier, though, she was doing the "I WANT TO GO THERE!" dance-- crouched down, head extended, wings slightly out... to GET ON MY HEAD.

What's with my head!!! WHY oh WHY, Kit, do you love to muss up the hairs, slide down the side and stare me in one eye! How can I get you to do... anything else! ARG!

...

I should have seen this coming. The first time she climbed on me, she climbed onto my head. ><

[Dusty73085]

It must be your shampoo. Your hair just smells so yummy!

O, I also just wanted to say how much I love Kitsune's name. It's so unique and adorable...just like she is! Where did you come up with it. (sorry, I know mega off topic!)

[perchingbird]

:D

My fiancee and I watch Anime, and he's a fan of Japanese culture and the like. Kitsune are traditionally fox spirits that tend to play pranks.

...

I don't think she's going to stop jumping on my head is she. :D

[NotEnoughTime]

You can train "off head" but it is somewhat difficult once they develop a taste for hair... It is fun stuff to preen - good to nest in and a generally comfortable place. So one has to make things "more comfortable" elsewhere...

The first thing I would do is work on training "come" and "stay." Using a regular perch tell the bird to stay and then reward her (with a treat) if she comes on command. Once she understands this from a perch - then work on it from other locations... When the behaviour becomes generalized to many different locations then tell her to stay on your shoulder (Oh I teach a general behaviour "OK" too - which means if you are staying because I've told you - but you really *want* to go somewhere - then when I say "OK" you can do what you want.). Then I would say "OK" to release from the shoulder to let her do what she wants (play in the hair). Gradually increase the time between shoulder stays and hair plays... So she comes to know that if she stays on your shoulder you will let her play in your hair - sometimes...

It works - but it takes a couple of weeks of short training sessions. If you are finding yourself frusterated with training then go back a couple of steps and have some fun doing what the bird knows... Then try again...

Green cheeks are like kitsune, arn't they?

[chapala]

My re-homed Parrotlet came here as a head-lander, and I wasn't crazy about it either. Each time he landed, I removed him and put him on my shoulder or held him on my hand. I also simply would brush him off my head (he's flighted). He soon learned to land on my shoulder which is much better for me. Consistency is what will allow them to learn acceptable behaviors.

[perchingbird]

Thanks both of you! I'll try the "come" and "stay" and see if that helps her catch on faster.

I just took her off my head again 5 minutes ago. ><

[NotEnoughTime]

"Come" and "stay" will help with all sorts of things - well worth teaching anyway... It is very nice to have the bird stay until called - although I can't say my girl is 100% yet... But it works most of the time and makes life much easier for many things.

[jaded1313]

Zoey LOVES to sit on my head (and she's BIG)- she mostly likes to get up there when she's insecure- its her way of saying "look how big I am now! Let's show them how tough we are mom!" I kind of picture her like the rat in "Ratatouille"- trying to dictate my every move from my head. She is generally content to stay on my arm but if something scares her she clamors up to my head to- a) be closer to mom, and b) higher up and farther away. It is the birdie equivent to hiding behind mom's legs when meeting a stranger. Well, at least for Zoey.

[perchingbird]

><

I had to cut Kitsune OUT of my hair this morning.

!*($#*)(*@&$)!!!

::grumble:: Bad Parrot. She's obliviously tearing apart her playgym. Turd.

... but she's still SO CUTE.

[dmiller91]

Nope. Hate it. Hate the poop too :)

I peel off bird, place on shoulder. Back on head, peel off bird, place on shoulder. third time, to a different perch.

Try again in a few minutes, rinse, repeat.

It's gotten better <wipes glob of poop off hair>

Must be a conure thing. My pois don't do that.