How many people have hands off birds?

[Thugluvgrl187]

With Squeeky it is an interesting situation . He loves to land on peoples heads, shoulders, arms, and hands/fingers. He doesn't have a problem stepping up, giving kisses or hanging out with people either. But when it comes to scritches he is very particular and usually will only let me do it. Now if I am giving him scritches sometimes he will allow some one else to join but not always.

 

[allison]

Kei is actually my only hands on bird. Harper and Toady will step up but do not really enjoy my company. Beau is pretty scared of me but will land on me to get food.

 

[Gen120]

I have a few hands off birds. Chief and Piper are hands off most of the time. The tiels choose sometimes they want me to leave them alone, other times they want me to pet/cuddle them. The conures are hands on birds but like their space too. Sammy is totally hands on but only with me. Kiwi has recently started being hands on too

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

Rocky quaker is a hands off bird he would bite you then ask questions

Little General g2 likes his foot / leg touched but you can not step up him because he will run to your shoulder and bite your ear

Baby nanday conure will ocasionaly be petted once or twice a year but likes a shoulder to scream on does not bite your ear
Percy g2 is a hands on bird and Shammy only some times

 

[Anne & Gang]

• our two canaries...Terrible Tweets and Charlotte are wild as can be,...no approaching them....Little Alice and Jacqueline are less wild but tame no....you can at least put your hand in their cage and Little Alice will stand on your hand, but only in the cage, outside is a big scary no no...Mitch is a hands off birdie, only now getting used to scritches but that is once in a blue moon...

 

[birdlady]

Max is hands off with me, but will take kisses from John, B&C are hands off and only want eachother , Tiki is usually hands off, but once in a while will like his tickles. He does step up on a hand though when on the floor or away from his cage. Chopper is ok with tickles, especially from John, and will step up usually when away from his cage.

I am working with Maya...but she is still new. Once in your hands, she is fine, but stepping up is not going so well! lol THe others are all hands on.

 

[CrashSmAshley]

Simon likes to be held and be around me as much as possible - but only occasionally does he give me permission to give him scritches

 

[Skyler]

My sun is a velcro bird but generally doesn't like to be scritched.

My giardia infected tiel Maxie used to be a shoulder bird but once again no scritches( could have been her skin already). Now she's shy and frightened of hands(but she will occasionally run up to the shoulder).

Dusty the rehome was terrorized by small boys in his last home.It took him 6 months to whistle and forget stepping up although he was handraised. He will call endlessly for Dad and I if we leave the room-but no touching. WE hope one day he will allow a scritch but we never push contact on him.

The budgies are mixed. Holly the handraised female will step up once in a great while. And if she is on my finger then Skyler will hop on the opposite digit. Then both decide to chew on me!!! Neither will sit still for a scritch.


My late beloved tiel Fritzie was the scritch addict. I miss her little beak grabbing my finger to put it at the correct spot. And I swear when I found the good spot her eyes closed and she tiel purred.

 

[Djuna]

I wish we had hands off birds

All 3 of ours are velcro birds, especially the Sun Conure. The CAG likes shoulders, especially my husbands, not so much mine because my shoulders are taken by the 2 little birds.

 

[Brigidt36]

Larry, my Blue Crown Conure, is mostly a hands off bird. He came to me cage bound and terrified of hands. I've had him for about 17 years and it's only been in the last two years that he will venture out of his cage and step up on my arm. His first 7 years of life were really horrible for him with abuse, neglect and many different homes. When he came to me I promised him that I would never hurt him or force him to do anything, except in emergency situations, and he would live out the rest of his life being loved and safe. He's come a long way and I love this guy so much.

 

[MollyMouse]

Gus is strictly a hands off (former avairy) bird and he has a finely sharpened needle beak. Lucky is semi tame and will nip but not really bite hard.

 

[MollyMouse]

Larry, my Blue Crown Conure, is mostly a hands off bird. He came to me cage bound and terrified of hands. I've had him for about 17 years and it's only been in the last two years that he will venture out of his cage and step up on my arm. His first 7 years of life were really horrible for him with abuse, neglect and many different homes. When he came to me I promised him that I would never hurt him or force him to do anything, except in emergency situations, and he would live out the rest of his life being loved and safe. He's come a long way and I love this guy so much.

 

[Renae]

All of my Budgies are hands-off, though one of them (Reiko) will sit on your hand/finger, just as long as you DON’T touch him, he is happy otherwise.

I have 2 foster Cockatiels coming here, and they are also both hands-off, but one of them you can have sit on your arm or shoulder.

I think they are the only ones, all my other birds are hand-raised and big sooks.. you can give ’em scritches and pat them and do whatever.

 

[thejoie]

My cockatiels are hands off and the parakeets too. They are TERRIFIED of hands. Hate me with all there is.
Bernard and Gus are SEMI- hands off. They're hesitant. They'll step up when they fly to the floor but independently they won't do it. Unless I'm baiting them

Remy, Elle, Mia, Capri are my hands on birdies...

 

[Chicklette]

Chiquita is a hands off bird, she will come to me, step up, sit on me, sit on my head, shoulder but I can’t pet her. Boomer lets me hold him actually. He’s a snuggle bug.

 

[Willow]

I think Mulberry is my only 100% hands off bird, and when his wings were clipped, he would step up, but was clearly fearful doing so. Cypress and Maple have their moments . . . but will both take scritches if the timing is right. Aspen and Willow are the most hands on . . . Willow in particular. <3

 

[love4birds]

Kermit is my only really hands-off bird. He will step up if he is away from his cage, but very hesitantly. He's jumped on my shoulder a couple times when I stand with my back towards his cage and stay very, very still.

Peaches is semi hands-off. She likes to hang out on shoulders and chew on clothing, but she doesn't like hands unless they're holding food. She'll step on hands/arms, but is a bit nervous about it yet. She is getting a lot better though

 

[Jally]

I only have 2 out of my 12 that are hands on with me. My 2 lovies, Peanut and Kiwi. The rest are hands off. Evie will sometimes let me scratch her, but she is a moody girl! And I can usually get her to step up on my hand but only when she wants to. This sweet girl never bites but she definitely lets you know that she doesn't want to be bothered.

Dusty, Buddy, Gibby, and Daisy, I can not pick anyone of those up. Nor can I scratch them, love on them, touch in anyway. Especially Gibby. He is very aggressive towards everyone in the house except my husband.

Buddy is very aggressive when he is around his cage. He will fly and dive-bomb anyone he deems unworthy if that person gets too close to his cage. However I can clean his cage with him on it. He throws a little tantrum then flies off to sit somewhere else until I'm done. Wish Gibby was that well behaved!

Knowing how my birds are, mostly hands off birds, had me worried about what I would do if I ever had an emergency. How would I get the birds to step up for me. So we have worked with our birds to step up on a perch. Even the budgies will step up on a perch.

Recently, Peaches got bit on the toe and I was able to get her to step up onto a perch and take her to the bathroom where I could take a better look at her toe. She allowed me to wash it off and to put a small dab of antibiotic cream on it. I think that is awesome that she trusted me that much!

Since hubby has been working such long hours, the birds are more or less been my responsibility. What would I do if Gibby, Mr I-hate-everyone-that-isn't-daddy, got hurt. I'd try not to be nervous, and grin and bear it and do what I'd have to do. Maybe he would have a different, better respect for me...

 

[Rose NY]

I have to admit, my blue front amazon Jericho is a complete birdy jerk!... He does not like to be handled except for the occasional head scritch but thats it. He is more happy flying around and causing mayhem, much like he did yesterday when he got out of his cage and tried to cause a ruckus with my M2 Loki, who even though the poor guy is a bazilion times bigger, jumped off the cage to come find me when the green chicken monster got out....lmao...

No one can handle him but me either. But thats ok we have our things we do, we play peekaboo, he calls me and I say hello. He will sit on my lap and eat or play with toys but I cannot really hold him, snuggle etc, not anymore now that he is older going on 5 yrs now.

But its ok, I have a biiiiiiiiiiiiig cuddly too, so I have the best of both worlds.

 

[Willow]

But its ok, I have a biiiiiiiiiiiiig cuddly too, so I have the best of both worlds.

That's a great attitude to have, Rose!