KLJ
Checking out the neighborhood
- Joined
- 6/1/16
- Messages
- 3
hello everyone! I could really use some help with my cockatiel, Sid's behavior.
Background: Sid lived with his owner, myself and two other roommates. We're all very close friends. His owner moved and took him, naturally. The owner joined the military and the other roommates (dating) took him. With them, he lived in two different locations. Now the others are moving very far and Sid has joined my furry (and now feathery) family!
Sid has hung out with me plenty in the past, but this is a new environment with other pets and naturally it's been a long road to build up trust. We've made a lot of progress, even in the last week. He will fly to my over the other pets, and just hang on my shoulder while i do whatever it is im doing. And he's hopping off me to inspect the couch and surrounding. So I feel good about our progress within the last month or so. --
But he hates my skin. He does not like it at all. Any of it. If he's on my shoulder and gets bothered, he will "attack" the skin on my neck. I have to have a scarf or other fabric on my hands and arm for him to perch on me. When there's no skin showing, everything is fine. But he gets nervous and starts biting at my hands and arms when out. If I am wearing short sleeves, he will not walk on the part of my arm that's showing / the same with shorts.
I've been working with him eating treats from my hands and he's been willing to do that. But he's still very afraid of my bare hands and will bite pretty hard (for a cockatiel.)'
Any advice? I can't wear sweaters and gloves all summer!! (Also he likes to serenade me as you can see. Very sweet guy)
Thank you!
k
Background: Sid lived with his owner, myself and two other roommates. We're all very close friends. His owner moved and took him, naturally. The owner joined the military and the other roommates (dating) took him. With them, he lived in two different locations. Now the others are moving very far and Sid has joined my furry (and now feathery) family!
Sid has hung out with me plenty in the past, but this is a new environment with other pets and naturally it's been a long road to build up trust. We've made a lot of progress, even in the last week. He will fly to my over the other pets, and just hang on my shoulder while i do whatever it is im doing. And he's hopping off me to inspect the couch and surrounding. So I feel good about our progress within the last month or so. --
But he hates my skin. He does not like it at all. Any of it. If he's on my shoulder and gets bothered, he will "attack" the skin on my neck. I have to have a scarf or other fabric on my hands and arm for him to perch on me. When there's no skin showing, everything is fine. But he gets nervous and starts biting at my hands and arms when out. If I am wearing short sleeves, he will not walk on the part of my arm that's showing / the same with shorts.
I've been working with him eating treats from my hands and he's been willing to do that. But he's still very afraid of my bare hands and will bite pretty hard (for a cockatiel.)'
Any advice? I can't wear sweaters and gloves all summer!! (Also he likes to serenade me as you can see. Very sweet guy)
Thank you!
k
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