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Avoiding a bite and petting

annoellyn

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Jupiter is always bowing her head to me like she wants me to pet her and making little chirpy noises. Kissy noises, we do kissy noises back and forth. But whenever I put a finger close to her head she opens her beak and I am unsure if she will bite me. If I put my finger closer then she makes a really small movement to my finger with little open close of her beak. It's not a lunge by any means but I am hesitant to bring it closer cause I don't want to start the biting again. There was a period where she really enjoyed being pet a lot but then we moved her cage and she got super bitey and moved her cage back and she never really went back to enjoying pets after that, so we just chill together, eat together, etc. If she's on my head, I can reach up and blindly pet her and my roommate says she has her eyes closed and seems to enjoy it, she never bites me then.
Just her body language doesn't seem quite as though she's really sure if she wants to be pet.
Should I just go for it or go with my instincts and not pet her?
 

expressmailtome

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Bump.
 

AkasyaEllric

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When I first got Slade and I didn't now him and he didn't know me, I actually used a popsicle stick to pet him. He seemed ok with it and I moved slow and it got us both more comfortable with the idea of touch. If you nervous about being bit I would suggest maybe trying that and seeing how she responds to the stick. Just go slow and learn to read each other again :)
 

Hawk12237

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That's a good idea, I will try that. I think I saw a video of a bird enjoying being pet with a qtip lol.
Even their own feathers too.. I used to save the molted feathers , some were long, and use to pet their heads. They enjoyed that.
Always ask before reaching... Can I pet your head... My grey understand the term..., " can I pet your hair" ...hair he understood.
Hated his beak touched, but if I rub my nose, and say, daddy pet his beak.... Can daddy pet your beak? And he lets me.
My zon, if I approach silent, I get bit, or rather a nip. But if I say, can I touch your feet, she'll watch her feet as I pet them...
Some times it's a case of monkey see monkey do.
 

annoellyn

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Even their own feathers too.. I used to save the molted feathers , some were long, and use to pet their heads. They enjoyed that.
Always ask before reaching... Can I pet your head... My grey understand the term..., " can I pet your hair" ...hair he understood.
Hated his beak touched, but if I rub my nose, and say, daddy pet his beak.... Can daddy pet your beak? And he lets me.
My zon, if I approach silent, I get bit, or rather a nip. But if I say, can I touch your feet, she'll watch her feet as I pet them...
Some times it's a case of monkey see monkey do.
That's a good idea to. I've been kind of doing that but not consistent. Like I'll put my finger near her and she will click here beak so I'll go "I'm just trying to give you a scritchy, can I give you a scritchy?" And try again but still she clicks her beak. But she chirps a little and will kiss at me so maybe it's kind of a game to her. Haha.
 

Monica

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I also wriggle my finger towards them to see if they are interested in scritches. I have 2 1/2 birds who enjoy them! ;) (from a human)
 

Ribbit21

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I offer Josie a closed hand as a test before a finger. Sometimes she will act like she wants to be pet, but when the finger comes out the beak opens. If I go with closed hand first and she nuzzles up to it then I know a pet is okay.
 

Ripshod

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I offer Josie a closed hand as a test before a finger. Sometimes she will act like she wants to be pet, but when the finger comes out the beak opens. If I go with closed hand first and she nuzzles up to it then I know a pet is okay.
That's some good communication right there.
 

annoellyn

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Someone's in :heart:!
Or wants to do a really big art project! Someone here made some pretty Dangle Earrings w/ Feathers. I found the link

http://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/avian-avenue-artists.167550/page-35
I will check it out!

I also wriggle my finger towards them to see if they are interested in scritches. I have 2 1/2 birds who enjoy them! ;) (from a human)
Yeah that's what I do. I mime a scritchy motion with my finger while talking and she opens her beak haha.
I offer Josie a closed hand as a test before a finger. Sometimes she will act like she wants to be pet, but when the finger comes out the beak opens. If I go with closed hand first and she nuzzles up to it then I know a pet is okay.
I tried it but for now she just moved away from me like what the heck are you doing? Lol.

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For now I do the finger wiggle occasionally and ask if she wants skritchies, see what transpires. Even when she did enjoy being pet it came about really suddenly, she flew to my chest as I was reclined on my chair and she climbed up to my neck and snuggled up under my chin. It was really unexpected and I just started petting her and ever after that, she was always asking for pets. Then we moved her cage which she hated and she no longer likes pets after that.
But I'm thinking of moving my chair. Before my chair was right beside her cage and she liked climbing from the cage onto me. But now my chair is across her cage so maybe I'll try that next.
I mean, even if she stays a little aloof birdy I'm okay with it if that's what she wants. She likes flying to me, riding on me, eating with me, and I can physically handle her without fear of biting so that's all good. I feel like we have a good bond building. And I haven't even had her a year, we've got like 30 plus more to go.
 

Rain Bow

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I will check it out!


Yeah that's what I do. I mime a scritchy motion with my finger while talking and she opens her beak haha.


I tried it but for now she just moved away from me like what the heck are you doing? Lol.

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For now I do the finger wiggle occasionally and ask if she wants skritchies, see what transpires. Even when she did enjoy being pet it came about really suddenly, she flew to my chest as I was reclined on my chair and she climbed up to my neck and snuggled up under my chin. It was really unexpected and I just started petting her and ever after that, she was always asking for pets. Then we moved her cage which she hated and she no longer likes pets after that.
But I'm thinking of moving my chair. Before my chair was right beside her cage and she liked climbing from the cage onto me. But now my chair is across her cage so maybe I'll try that next.
I mean, even if she stays a little aloof birdy I'm okay with it if that's what she wants. She likes flying to me, riding on me, eating with me, and I can physically handle her without fear of biting so that's all good. I feel like we have a good bond building. And I haven't even had her a year, we've got like 30 plus more to go.

It sounds like she loves & trusts you very much! Maybe the movement of the furniture has her a little aloof. Most birds are a little taken aback w/ change of the normal that they have accepted. Just like how they get a little cranky after you move some things around in their cage the same can be true for their general (your) living area. Let us know how it continues pls!
 

annoellyn

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Well today I was on my phone and Jupiter flew over, landing on my phone and biting my case. She really likes biting my phone case cause it lifts up a bit lol. I just started petting her and she enjoyed it quite a bit, closing her eyes. Then off and on I gave her scritchies while she was on my phone. She did the comfy one leg tucked up under her and beak grinding while I awkwardly tried to hold my phone in the same position.
Now she's giving me side eye from her perch Haha.
IMG_20190905_011545.jpg
 

Rain Bow

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Well today I was on my phone and Jupiter flew over, landing on my phone and biting my case. She really likes biting my phone case cause it lifts up a bit lol. I just started petting her and she enjoyed it quite a bit, closing her eyes. Then off and on I gave her scritchies while she was on my phone. She did the comfy one leg tucked up under her and beak grinding while I awkwardly tried to hold my phone in the same position.
Now she's giving me side eye from her perch Haha.
View attachment 314509
What a sweet little thing! Buddy used to get my gel type of phone case all the time... They're like drawn to them I think.

Maybe your more nervous of that finger getting bit then you think :scared5:

It's my personal feeling that they know & sense our emotional states better & faster than even ourselves recognize. If your upset or nervous (they know), I'm not sure if it has to do w/ how much that they watch us, or if we have an aura that they can read w/ their special eye site, all I know is that they know, or sense all about us regarding mood.

It sounds to me while you were sitting & tapping away or reading on your phone you were nice & relaxed. Your fid knew & it was a good experience for you both! :dance5:

As you continue to have these good experience's you will both gain confidence in each other. Give things a little more time & then please update us to how your making out.:bighug:
 

Peachfaced

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When I would notice Rupert scratching himself with his foot, I'd grab a popsicle stick or one of those lollipop sticks and scratch my cheek with it, then offer it to him. After a while, he understood what it meant and I'd rub my fingers together before going to scratch him. If he lowered his head and poofed his feathers up, or scratched himself with his foot, I took that as "yes please!". If he ignored me, I took it as a "no thank you".
 
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