So those of you who have checked out my threads know about Slade and how when I adopted him he mauled my thumb and I still took him home. I saw a traumatized bird who had been through 3 homes till me, who was afraid of hands because of the infamous earthquake method to get a bird to stop biting. It's been almost a year and a half of me slowly and surely earning his trust. We are only JUST at the point where he steps up for me without any hesitation or worry.
Well, I've slowly been getting him use to moving around the house with me. He isn't clipped, but he doesn't fly. He prefers his magnificent waddle that I love. The current routine is to get his water, see if he would like to step up (he always does), and go to the kitchen with him to get water. I set him on the back of one of the chairs and do his water, he steps up and we go back in and then hang out in our normal spot. Tonight however. . .just
We were out in the kitchen doing our thing and my dad walked in. My dad is the kind of person who just. . .he does what he wants. He walked over to Slade as soon as he saw him. We live together, he knows his history. I told him, you have to go slow with him to earn his trust. You have to offer treats, A LOT, you have to pet with something he doesn't see as threatening, like a popsicle stick. What does he do? Put his arm right up to him. Slade warns, he beak bops him. My dad said oh, no big deal. Does it again. Slade beak bops again. He then puts his stomach right up to Slade. Slade puts his beak against him but is pinning like heck. He then AGAIN puts his arm to him with me saying you're going to get bit.
Guess what? He got bit. He got bit 5 TIMES. Not only that. Slade latches when he bites and grinds. I'm trying to pull him off of him, but my dad isn't moving when I get him off, so he's biting again. My dad is freaking out telling me to get off of him. He then starts hitting his arm off the table. Oh h e double hockey sticks no. Not my baby, not this bird who owns my heart. I KNEW I would get bitten and I still put my wrist up to him, got pulled his beak up so he would let go, pushed my wrist into him and he stepped up.
He latched on immediately but as soon as I got him to stop I calmly said "Slade, it's me" and he stopped. I then calmly put him back on the chair and finished what I was doing. I then confidently asked him to step up to go back into the living room and he did, no issues He did however, immediately climb to my shoulder, put his butt towards my ear and went into watch dog mode. FYI, he's never ridden on my shoulder before tonight. He's finally calmed down after about 30 minutes of being on watch and actively trying to get to the floor to waddle out to the kitchen and attack my dad some more.
I'm not happy, at all. But, he is ok, and my dad got what he deserved. Hopefully he doesn't try again. Pictures below of my bite compared to my Dad's, and how Slade was for most of the last 30 minutes while on alert. He also dropped 2 feathers in the process, my mom just brought them to me.
My bite:
My dad's bites:
How he spent most of the past 30 minutes:
How he is now:
TLDR; LISTEN TO THE PERSON WHO KNOWS THE BIRD SO YOU DON'T GET MAULED!!!!!
Well, I've slowly been getting him use to moving around the house with me. He isn't clipped, but he doesn't fly. He prefers his magnificent waddle that I love. The current routine is to get his water, see if he would like to step up (he always does), and go to the kitchen with him to get water. I set him on the back of one of the chairs and do his water, he steps up and we go back in and then hang out in our normal spot. Tonight however. . .just
We were out in the kitchen doing our thing and my dad walked in. My dad is the kind of person who just. . .he does what he wants. He walked over to Slade as soon as he saw him. We live together, he knows his history. I told him, you have to go slow with him to earn his trust. You have to offer treats, A LOT, you have to pet with something he doesn't see as threatening, like a popsicle stick. What does he do? Put his arm right up to him. Slade warns, he beak bops him. My dad said oh, no big deal. Does it again. Slade beak bops again. He then puts his stomach right up to Slade. Slade puts his beak against him but is pinning like heck. He then AGAIN puts his arm to him with me saying you're going to get bit.
Guess what? He got bit. He got bit 5 TIMES. Not only that. Slade latches when he bites and grinds. I'm trying to pull him off of him, but my dad isn't moving when I get him off, so he's biting again. My dad is freaking out telling me to get off of him. He then starts hitting his arm off the table. Oh h e double hockey sticks no. Not my baby, not this bird who owns my heart. I KNEW I would get bitten and I still put my wrist up to him, got pulled his beak up so he would let go, pushed my wrist into him and he stepped up.
He latched on immediately but as soon as I got him to stop I calmly said "Slade, it's me" and he stopped. I then calmly put him back on the chair and finished what I was doing. I then confidently asked him to step up to go back into the living room and he did, no issues He did however, immediately climb to my shoulder, put his butt towards my ear and went into watch dog mode. FYI, he's never ridden on my shoulder before tonight. He's finally calmed down after about 30 minutes of being on watch and actively trying to get to the floor to waddle out to the kitchen and attack my dad some more.
I'm not happy, at all. But, he is ok, and my dad got what he deserved. Hopefully he doesn't try again. Pictures below of my bite compared to my Dad's, and how Slade was for most of the last 30 minutes while on alert. He also dropped 2 feathers in the process, my mom just brought them to me.
My bite:
My dad's bites:
How he spent most of the past 30 minutes:
How he is now:
TLDR; LISTEN TO THE PERSON WHO KNOWS THE BIRD SO YOU DON'T GET MAULED!!!!!
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