Bird Beginner with questions

[BirdNooblet]

I hope I am earning his trust somewhat even though I did try to pet him a few times a few days ago which caused him to bite. I am able to get him to eat out of my hand and he'll hop down ontop my hand, sometimes to eat the food and sometimes just to hop on and off. He doesn't seem to be too keen on stepping up on my finger, nor does he really like to go on a perch I am holding. I guess I still need to take it slow and just let him eat out of my hand. He doesn't seem to be scared of my hand in the cage which is good. He preens himself a lot and scratches quite a bit so I keep thinking I can alleviate an itch. But I'll take it slow.

What other things can I do to earn his trust?

 

[BirdNooblet]

Most of the day he is calm and quiet, but then he goes through periods of being excited and happy, head bobbing and picking at his toys. Is this normal?

I have no idea if I am gaining his trust or not, he is able to eat out of my hand but now if I place my hand next to him, he will walk on it and bite it. There is no reason to that I can see, my hand is completely still, even when he is biting it. I have no idea what the next step is now. I guess to get him to trust my hand more? I thought since he was eating out of it that he did trust me somewhat.

He also sometimes panics in his cage and flies from perch to perch, chirping and screeching. Maybe I'll just stop completely and let him get more comfortable. Tomorrow we would have him two weeks. I just don't know what to do since I am getting mixed signals from him. =/

 

[Anneka]

I'm wondering if he is telling you when he bites your hand that he is not ready yet for this step. He is ok when your hand brings food/treat, and that is very good.
I'd slow down and continue for another week offering him a treat every time your hand is close to him. Then gently try again what he does when there is no treat.
If he bites again, continue another week with a treat. Maybe he will be "stuck" at this taming step for several weeks or months even.
Also, sometimes birds prefer a certain time of a day to have taming sessions. Maybe try that too.

Two weeks is a short time. Don't worry.

The most important is your patience and going at HIS speed.

 

[BirdNooblet]

Yeah I want to go at his speed. So have my hand close to him then give him some millet? Do I continue to let him eat seed and millet out of my hand like usual? Or just give him treats when my hand is close to him and he doesn't bite?

 

[Anneka]

I'd do treats only and try several very short sessions instead of few longer ones.

When you place a tiny bit of millet spray in the middle of your palm, does he hop!onto your hand and eats or does he start biting?

 

[BirdNooblet]

I'll try that.

Normally he'll try to get to my hand so I'll stick out a finger or move my hand closer so he can perch on it. Then he'll eat. It's if I have my hand in the cage on a perch, he'll come over to it and stand on it before biting. That's when I have nothing in my hand. He'll just edge over to my hand and just start biting it.

In the first week, I do admit to trying to pet him and that's when the biting first happened. But I haven't tried to touch him at all and he will just try to bite my hand.

So am I placing the millet in my hand for a short time or placing my hand near him and if he doesn't bite, then give him a treat?