Help with Dooby please.

2384 Views 14 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Rosie, Sep 4, 2007

Plukie

Discussion Starter · Sep 1, 2007

Dooby is a little darling, she will sit on my shoulder, head, feet, wherever she wants really, but I've noticed that she seems to be afraid of my hands. Therefore, I am having trouble with getting her to step up. She doesn't seem to like to be touch either, but she will fly to my hands with no bother at all if there is millet there. Obviously, I don't want to have to bribe her everytime and I'd love to be able to give her head scritches, but at the moment, she doesn't seem to want that. How would you go about trying to get her a little bit more at ease with hands and fingers? I've got a feeling that she was grabbed each time they wanted to put her in the cage, because that is what they did when we went to collect her, so really it's hardly surprising that she has a slight fear of hands. To get her in her cage now, I just get a piece of millet, she jumps onto my hand and I can very easily put her in without holding her or grabbing her. I am hoping that in time, she will realise that I won't grab her or hold her against her will, which is probably what has happened in the past. Really, I want this for Dooby, I don't want her to feel fear when my hands go near her, that's just not nice.

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Bea

· #2 · Sep 1, 2007

I think you're going about it the right way as you are.

The millet will make hands a good place, and i think she'll get over her fear pretty quickly. I suppose you would look at it like finger taming any new bird, and just be patient, even though it's a little backwards that she's already tame just not *hand* tame.

Laura

· #3 · Sep 1, 2007

I agree with Bea keep doing what your doing, she will quickly realize that your hands will not hurt her or grab her, I have a similar problem with Georgie she doesn't like to step up either she will put her head right down to avoid having to do it but I just continue to make her do it I know it sounds mean but its not I just keep my finger there and keep saying step up once she realizes my finger is not moving she gets on and then I praise her big time.

Bea

· #4 · Sep 1, 2007

laurago said:
I have a similar problem with Georgie she doesn't like to step up either she will put her head right down to avoid having to do it

She's not begging a head scratch is she.

Cookie used to do that, where i would offer her my finger to get her to step up and right away her head went down for a scratch.

I think disliking hands but liking people is a pretty common thing in birds. For example, my aviary birds will often happily fly to my shoulder and chew my clothes, but if i get my hands too close they fly off scared. Hands must just have that scary look about them.

Plukie

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 1, 2007

LOL!! Well, I would have thought my face would have been the most scariest thing about me, but Dooby seems to land on my glasses ok. LOL!!!

Thanks for the advice, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing then. Just one thing, when it's time for her to come out of her cage, do you think I should make her get on my finger to come out, rather than just open the door and let her come out when she's ready? Now, I've typed that, it sounds pretty logical really that that is what I should do. Doh!

Laura

· #6 · Sep 1, 2007

I thought she was doing that but I am not so sure, if i try to make her step up she will hiss and bluff bite me

and run away...lol or put her head down I think she is going through a grumpy period seems the older she gets the grumpier she is but I love her anyways.

Plukie said:
Dooby seems to land on my glasses ok. LOL!!!

Both my tiels LOVE my glasses...lol Ollie likes to sit and look at himself and Georgie loves to chew on them

Plukie

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 1, 2007

LOL!!! It's a little bit off putting though isn't it, when you're sitting typing at the computer and you have a Tiel perched on your glasses. LOL!!!

Laura

· #8 · Sep 1, 2007

LOL it really is when your trying to do something and there they are hanging all over your glasses...hehe when they look right in the lens and see themselves I keep thinking there going to think its another tiel and try and get at it

Bea

· #9 · Sep 1, 2007

Plukie said:
Just one thing, when it's time for her to come out of her cage, do you think I should make her get on my finger to come out, rather than just open the door and let her come out when she's ready? Now, I've typed that, it sounds pretty logical really that that is what I should do. Doh!

Sounds like a plan!

I think most birds love glasses, Bailee is usually scared of new people, but my grandpa visited the other week and Bailee went right over and started licking his glasses.

They probably think they're a special tiel toy you've put on your face for their playing pleasure.

birdieness

· #10 · Sep 1, 2007

Hugs will grab onto my glasses any chance he gets. Its cute but you get pretty dizzy trying to watch him when he is that close up.

Plukie

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 2, 2007

Well, I've persevered with Dooby today, she has been a bit better and has actually stood on my finger for a split second a couple of times. She's still very nervous of them, but it's early days. I think with a bit of patience and a lot of millet, we'll get there. She's so good otherwise.

Laura

· #12 · Sep 2, 2007

good to hear she is making progress

birdieness

· #13 · Sep 2, 2007

Your going great. With in time you will have a sweet little baby

Bea

· #14 · Sep 3, 2007

That's great, any progress is great!

Rosie

· #15 · Sep 4, 2007

Well done, slow and steady wins the race!

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