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Lauren_sim

Moving in
Joined
10/6/20
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7
Real Name
Lauren-Simone
I want to work on step up training but I’m worried it’s too soon, chilli is a parent reared Hahns macaw, who I’ve had a little over a month now. He’s target trained and on a pellet diet (still working on veggies). He’ll take treats from my hand in and out of the cage, however, if there’s no treat and my hand approaches (only done while he’s in the cage) he’ll somewhat lung with an open beak usually beaking the cage bars.
before getting chilli I was bitten decently badly by a dog and have noticed I get nervous of being bitten by him, hence only approaching without a treat through cage bars. I’m wondering if there’s a way to phase out the fear/aggression response to my hand when I don’t have a treat so I can move onto stepping up, also where to go from here. As well as if my nerves could be playing a part.
Thank you guys in advance.
 

Arin

Walking the driveway
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5/1/20
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163
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UK
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Arin
I want to work on step up training but I’m worried it’s too soon, chilli is a parent reared Hahns macaw, who I’ve had a little over a month now. He’s target trained and on a pellet diet (still working on veggies). He’ll take treats from my hand in and out of the cage, however, if there’s no treat and my hand approaches (only done while he’s in the cage) he’ll somewhat lung with an open beak usually beaking the cage bars.
before getting chilli I was bitten decently badly by a dog and have noticed I get nervous of being bitten by him, hence only approaching without a treat through cage bars. I’m wondering if there’s a way to phase out the fear/aggression response to my hand when I don’t have a treat so I can move onto stepping up, also where to go from here. As well as if my nerves could be playing a part.
Thank you guys in advance.
I am not too experienced in macaw's but it sounds he is a little territorial of his cage. Does he only bite you when he is in the cage or if he is outside. Also does he try and bite when you change out his food and water?
 

Lauren_sim

Moving in
Joined
10/6/20
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7
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Lauren-Simone
I am not too experienced in macaw's but it sounds he is a little territorial of his cage. Does he only bite you when he is in the cage or if he is outside. Also does he try and bite when you change out his food and water?
He’s started doing it less when approaching through cage bars with me I started to reward him when my hand was close and he had a non reaction/appeared calm. he’s gotten pretty good about me changing his food and water and goes to the other side of the cage for a treat when I’m doing it, doesn’t pay much attention to me. We let him out yesterday and he’s clearly interested in us, he’ll take treats from our hands gently but if our hands aren’t giving his food he tends to lunge at them with an open beak. So it’s become and out of cage issue. (Sorry this was so late i didn’t get an email notif of a reply)
 

Shezbug

ASK ME FOR PICTURES OF MY MACAW!
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Has he managed to connect when he lunges or is he doing it to make you react and keep you at a safer distance?
 

Lauren_sim

Moving in
Joined
10/6/20
Messages
7
Real Name
Lauren-Simone
Has he managed to connect when he lunges or is he doing it to make you react and keep you at a safer distance?
He’s yet to actually bite through lunging at our hands, mainly because we move them away before hand. For example though he can be on a long perch and will “run” over to our hands to lunge, when he was far away previously. He does this more so with my boyfriend than myself. Not sure if that helps.
 
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