So I see why they were afraid...

[ortegah]

Of this new Hahn's Macaw we just got the other night.

So tonight after I came home from my agility class, I let everyone out. Immediately Jellybean jumps to my shoulder. I mean I had less than a split second. And you can't get him off without him nipping. I brought him into the living room with us and he was super cute, but wants to get in your face and snuggle one second, nip the next. After getting bit through the lip by the U2 we had briefly, you can imagine I was pretty hesitant to let him near my face After a while he settled on my chest and I was able to scritch him as he quietly mumbled "scratch scratch scratch" But sure enough when you least expect it, he turns around and nips. I say "no bite" and he goes back to being his sweet self. He does have a ton of pin feathers in right now so I understand he may just be nipping out of hitting a sore spot. Now the difficult part is getting him back on his cage so I can get changed into my PJs. Once again he's up on my shoulder and I can't get him down without him biting. I bring out the stick which unfortunately he's afraid of and then he flies off, we retrieve and I can't tack his feet down fast enough before he's back up on my shoulder again. Wash, rinse, repeat...You get my point.

Ok, so I'm used to the more docile greys and even my conures. He's a bit more hardheaded and thinks he's running the show, which apparently he is! How do I show him that I'm in control without losing a finger?

He's super intelligent and you can tell he truly understands what you say and even answers in kind. I think that just makes it more difficult

 

[waterfaller1]

Wow, he sounds like a little knothead. I would try to set some boundaries. And don't show fear. He is testing you. Good luck with him. Where are the pics?

 

[ortegah]

I can't take pics cuz he's always on my shoulder!

Yeah he definitely needs boundaries. He's so used to having control.

 

[Anne & Gang]

well sure sounds like you have your hands full there

 

[ortegah]

I'm sure he'll come around with a bit of consistency and not letting him get away with intimidation. It'll take time I'm sure.

 

[J*M*L]

What a stinker!!

 

[piercesdesigns]

Target training! Do you have an area with a T stand or even the back of a chair will do. Find his most favorite treat and only offer it when training.

I hate to admit I have used teeny pieces of organic animal crackers because those seem to be prized above all else. LOL

 

[ortegah]

Ok, I'll work on that today! Thanks! Their favorite treat is string cheese.

 

[birdlvr466]

Heather I bet he will settle right in, once he knows the do's and dont's and see's what you expect of him. It takes time to undo bad behavior's.

 

[ortegah]

Sure enough this morning I got woke them up and he flew right over to my shoulder saying "good morning!" I put my hand up and told him step up. He did nip at my hand but I continued to hold my hand into his chest and he stepped up. I told him he was a good boy and put him in his cage to eat

 

[Sadieladie1994]

Of this new Hahn's Macaw we just got the other night.

So tonight after I came home from my agility class, I let everyone out. Immediately Jellybean jumps to my shoulder. I mean I had less than a split second. And you can't get him off without him nipping. I brought him into the living room with us and he was super cute, but wants to get in your face and snuggle one second, nip the next. After getting bit through the lip by the U2 we had briefly, you can imagine I was pretty hesitant to let him near my face After a while he settled on my chest and I was able to scritch him as he quietly mumbled "scratch scratch scratch" But sure enough when you least expect it, he turns around and nips. I say "no bite" and he goes back to being his sweet self. He does have a ton of pin feathers in right now so I understand he may just be nipping out of hitting a sore spot. Now the difficult part is getting him back on his cage so I can get changed into my PJs. Once again he's up on my shoulder and I can't get him down without him biting. I bring out the stick which unfortunately he's afraid of and then he flies off, we retrieve and I can't tack his feet down fast enough before he's back up on my shoulder again. Wash, rinse, repeat...You get my point.

Ok, so I'm used to the more docile greys and even my conures. He's a bit more hardheaded and thinks he's running the show, which apparently he is! How do I show him that I'm in control without losing a finger?

He's super intelligent and you can tell he truly understands what you say and even answers in kind. I think that just makes it more difficult

A way to change a behavior is to extinguish it OR....put it on command! If you do agility you most certainly understand putting something on command. As he heads to shoulder give command shoulder....better yet put him there and praise. Have him practice sitting on knee, hand foot etc and make it a fun game. My large macaws have a shoulder command. Place your bird on a piece of furniture and play ball or another game. Him having more things to do in other places will build his confidence just like some people use agility to build confidence in their dogs.

I also live alone so that bird that hid between the shoulder blades was hard to get to. Now, I was working on the behaviors in training but what do I do in between. So I wore a shirt over my tshirt....they got up and the shirt came off with them... Now, I didn't scare them and I made it a game. They then associated command of shoulder and coming off when not approved.

Peggy

 

[ortegah]

Thanks for the advice! I'm currently at home by myself and trying to get him to step up off of me....

 

[Sadieladie1994]

Thanks for the advice! I'm currently at home by myself and trying to get him to step up off of me....

Ok, go get a shirt and put it on. Go slow, he will scurry out so he is not covered. Make it a game like peek a boo. Ask "what happened, where did you go. I continue all my acitivities...get dressed, take a shower etc. I have even taken a shower with some clothes still on and asked if they were ready. They did have an option to climb on something else.

Put a favorite treat by the cage or somewhere you can snuggle up to and let him step off to get the treat....AND PRAISE HIM WHEN HE DOES IT. Practice this often with praise then give it a command. He will then understand what you want.

This is where I also suggest to respect the bird. I don't like doing things all the time and it is nice to have choices. Let him have choices when possible.

I ladder my birds....repetitive step ups. But, it is for fun. Big praise, we count, I may even sing a song as they do it. this is a foundation activity for them. What I mean as a foundation activity is one that they know, is fun and they are always successful at. As you see with dogs, when you are training them, they may go off to smell something, turn around etc....this is avoidance behavior and birds also have avoidance behavior especially with learning something new. So I have an exercise that is always fun and they are always successful at. My dogs loved turning around on command or we would see how quick they can sit or lay. We did a few fun things then returned to the new training. Birds are the same way.

Good luck. I am sure you will do very well.

Peggy

 

[TikiBird]

My Hahns still nips sometimes when we ask him to step up off somewhere he wants to be. He has gotten much better about not nipping when we put him on his playstand or cage but still does it occasionally. He grabs ahold of shoulders with his death grip and doesn't want to budge sometimes.

I think it's just a hahns thing and will go away with lots of time and persistence. They are clingy birds!

 

[ortegah]

Ok, go get a shirt and put it on. Go slow, he will scurry out so he is not covered. Make it a game like peek a boo. Ask "what happened, where did you go. I continue all my acitivities...get dressed, take a shower etc. I have even taken a shower with some clothes still on and asked if they were ready. They did have an option to climb on something else.

Put a favorite treat by the cage or somewhere you can snuggle up to and let him step off to get the treat....AND PRAISE HIM WHEN HE DOES IT. Practice this often with praise then give it a command. He will then understand what you want.

This is where I also suggest to respect the bird. I don't like doing things all the time and it is nice to have choices. Let him have choices when possible.

I ladder my birds....repetitive step ups. But, it is for fun. Big praise, we count, I may even sing a song as they do it. this is a foundation activity for them. What I mean as a foundation activity is one that they know, is fun and they are always successful at. As you see with dogs, when you are training them, they may go off to smell something, turn around etc....this is avoidance behavior and birds also have avoidance behavior especially with learning something new. So I have an exercise that is always fun and they are always successful at. My dogs loved turning around on command or we would see how quick they can sit or lay. We did a few fun things then returned to the new training. Birds are the same way.

Good luck. I am sure you will do very well.

Peggy

Ok, so he wouldn't step up off of my shoulder and kept biting me so I just took off my sweater and he was hanging from it just looking at me Then he got a shower which he seemed to like and now he's drying off in his cage.

 

[ortegah]

My Hahns still nips sometimes when we ask him to step up off somewhere he wants to be. He has gotten much better about not nipping when we put him on his playstand or cage but still does it occasionally. He grabs ahold of shoulders with his death grip and doesn't want to budge sometimes.

I think it's just a hahns thing and will go away with lots of time and persistence. They are clingy birds!

Well we're having a big talk about all this! He's super sweet, but he just can't be in control. That beak is way too sharp for that

 

[Archiesmom]

See? That's wonderful progress! Jellybean seems to be pretty used to being in charge, hehe. I think with some positive reinforcement and redirection, he'll be a sweety cuddlebug

 

[ortegah]

We just did some step up practice. At this point I'm only offering my arm, not my fingers. When he would bite I'd say "no bite" and when he would step up I'd exclaim "Good Boy!!!" and he repeats it back and gets excited. I'm sure we'll get this down pat quickly Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Of this new Hahn's Macaw we just got the other night.

So tonight after I came home from my agility class, I let everyone out. Immediately Jellybean jumps to my shoulder. I mean I had less than a split second. And you can't get him off without him nipping. I brought him into the living room with us and he was super cute, but wants to get in your face and snuggle one second, nip the next. After getting bit through the lip by the U2 we had briefly, you can imagine I was pretty hesitant to let him near my face After a while he settled on my chest and I was able to scritch him as he quietly mumbled "scratch scratch scratch" But sure enough when you least expect it, he turns around and nips. I say "no bite" and he goes back to being his sweet self. He does have a ton of pin feathers in right now so I understand he may just be nipping out of hitting a sore spot. Now the difficult part is getting him back on his cage so I can get changed into my PJs. Once again he's up on my shoulder and I can't get him down without him biting. I bring out the stick which unfortunately he's afraid of and then he flies off, we retrieve and I can't tack his feet down fast enough before he's back up on my shoulder again. Wash, rinse, repeat...You get my point.

Ok, so I'm used to the more docile greys and even my conures. He's a bit more hardheaded and thinks he's running the show, which apparently he is! How do I show him that I'm in control without losing a finger?

He's super intelligent and you can tell he truly understands what you say and even answers in kind. I think that just makes it more difficult

I would desensitize him to the stick and for now only get him out on that. You can put the stick through a plastic container (like a soup container or a tupperware) with a hold drilled through so it makes a little shield so he can't get to your hand or up your shoulder.

 

[MommyBird]

Yes, we went thru a phase where I was disrobing with my Hahns in the middle of my back also!
I learned in Susan Friedman's behavior class that a common chain of events is that you ask the bird to step up, he does, you put him in the cage, and you leave.
So, the bird is not rewarded for stepping up.
When I started staying for a minute or two and talking to Jimi after putting him in his cage he became much less of a backache to get in.