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I need help catching Themba!

Jan M

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Hi guys. Themba is a wonderful Maxi Pionus parrot who is 5 and 1/2 months old. I bought him 3 and 1/2 months ago. We have a great relationship with one exception. He is still afraid of my hand and will not allow me to touch him. He runs away or flies away as best he can. (His wings were clipped before I bought him). He refuses to step up. There are times when I need to transport him from one area to another area and it’s an ordeal. I’ve been using a soft paint brush to coax him from place to place. This can take a considerable amount of time and there are occasions when I need to transport him quickly.

I’ve taken your advice and remained patient, but I’m at my wits end. I am thinking of buying a small animal catch net. Would this be too traumatic to use? I found this one on Amazon: George Garden Animal Catch Net
  • Aluminum Alloy Pole
  • 0.2 inch diameter mesh
  • 67” - 100”
  • Handle adjustable 43"- 78"
  • 20" Net Opening. Net depth 24”
1738098049175.png
 

MommyBird

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Definitely DO NOT use a net!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you tried clicker training aka positive reinforcement to teach stepup?
Our localparrot rescue finds it easiest to teach birds to stepup onto a small towel draped over your hand and arm so they don't see any skin.
Give that a try too, or try getting a T-stick for them to step onto.
 

April

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Oh gosh yes please don't use a net that would be so traumatic for him. @Mizzely can advise you she's had/has several hands off birds.
 

Mizzely

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My main question would be: where does Themba go, and why does he need to be transported quickly? Can that situation be avoided by altering routine or the environment around him?

I don't let the hands off birds out unless I have several hours before they need to be in their cage again. I remove food an hour or two before I need them in the cage, then serve a meal with a sprinkle of seed on top as an incentive to move to the cage.

I use curtains hung up with tacks or pressure mounted rods to keep them away from areas they shouldn't go.

For Ripley, my basically flightless bird, I use lots of ropes to give him access to different areas so I don't have to manually move him.

I absolutely wouldn't use a net unless it was an actual emergency. I have had to towel Quibble and Bosco before due to unforseen circumstances, but so far that's been a couple times for Bosco and once for Quibble.
 

Jan M

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Themba goes with me outside to get sunlight, shopping at the natural food store, rides with me on errands. But it takes 1/2 to 3/4 hour I to get him into the carrier cage. I have to wait until he feels like going inside the carrier. Basically, he is in control of the schedule, not I. Ok, I won’t use a net. I will resort to his favorite treat, pomegranate, to bribe him to move where I need him to move.
 

Jan M

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It’s easy to take him around town, once I have him in a small carrier cage and put the cage on top of a wagon. He seems to enjoy it and I love it because it engages him in activities we can do together. What is hard is getting him inside the carrier cage.
 

Jan M

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I appreciate your input.

Mommy Bird, I read your response again and I think perhaps I am not devoting enough time to clicker training, positive reinforcement, to teach step up. I will invest more time at this and get back to you.
 

rocky'smom

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i get that you want to bond well with Themba, and not sure where you are??? JMHO here because of all the places reporting avian influenza, I would be very leery of taking my pet bird any place. for me too much of a chance/ risk of exposure and possible contamination.
 

sunnysmom

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Have you tried target training? There are some good you tube videos on how to do it.
 

greys4u

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You mentioned a paint brush that you use for him. Do you think he might associate it with your hands?
 

BrianB

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Towels are a great option. There are a few cockatoos at the store who are terrified of hands and arms, but if you drape a towel over your arm, they will jump right onto it. This can help to build trust if the bird is afraid of your hand.
 

Jan M

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i get that you want to bond well with Themba, and not sure where you are??? JMHO here because of all the places reporting avian influenza, I would be very leery of taking my pet bird any place. for me too much of a chance/ risk of exposure and possible contamination.
Thanks Rocky’sMom for the tip about avian influenza. I was not aware.
 

Jan M

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Have you tried target training? There are some good you tube videos on how to do it.
Hey Sunnysmom. I have been slack on doing target training lately. I will start doing more.
 

Jan M

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Towels are a great option. There are a few cockatoos at the store who are terrified of hands and arms, but if you drape a towel over your arm, they will jump right onto it. This can help to build trust if the bird is afraid of your hand.
Hi Brian. Thanks so much. I will try draping a towel over my arm.
 

tka

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Definitely more target training.

See whether he'll step up onto a looped rope perch or a stick. We have a stick that we use to retrieve the girls when they're on top of something they shouldn't be, and they're pretty good about stepping onto that.

He may not enjoy going into the carrier even if he likes going outside, so, if every time you ask him to step up, he ends up in the carrier, he may be reluctant to step up. So just try asking him to step up, give him a reward, and put him down again. Ask him to step up, reward him, put him down on a different perch. Just do this often throughout the day. Lower the stakes with stepping up.
 

Jan M

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Definitely more target training.

See whether he'll step up onto a looped rope perch or a stick. We have a stick that we use to retrieve the girls when they're on top of something they shouldn't be, and they're pretty good about stepping onto that.

He may not enjoy going into the carrier even if he likes going outside, so, if every time you ask him to step up, he ends up in the carrier, he may be reluctant to step up. So just try asking him to step up, give him a reward, and put him down again. Ask him to step up, reward him, put him down on a different perch. Just do this often throughout the day. Lower the stakes with stepping up.

Hi TKA. I’m not sure this is what you referred to, but I bought this a while ago. I tried using it today with pumpkin seed treats. He ignored it for a while, then tentatively stepped up on it. I will try again tomorrow. 1738223686895.png
 

Shezbug

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Hey Sunnysmom. I have been slack on doing target training lately. I will start doing more.
Make it short sessions, set him up for success every time, you end the training session before he does and seriously always keep them short (like 5 mins)
 

Jan M

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Shezbug, will do. Thanks so much.
 
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