sweetpea updates

[maryandsweetpea]

hey all
so I've had sweet pea for around 3 months now and she's slowly becoming more comfortable around me. she now learned to play with her toys and how to step up. she also comes out of her cage- but only a few steps onto her playground. I've managed to get her on my shoulder once, but not again after that.
I was wondering if any of you have any tips for training her to be more comfortable around me and perhaps getting her on my shoulder again. also- when she arrived her wings were clipped and she couldn't fly at all, and now some feathers have grown back in but she still hasn't flown. Is it possible she doesn't know how to fly? Is there any way I can help her with this? I leave her cage door open all day but she never flys out.
lastly- I recently painted my nails and she is super scared around my hands now. will she get used to it or should I remove it?
thank you!

[ozzie3860]

Make the outside of the cage look a bit like the inside. Stuff like perches and coop cups with treats, water. Give her a reason to hang out and perch on the outside of the cage. With Jules I used rope perches on the inside and outside. this makes the difference between in and out less of a "thing" for her.

The next thing is eat with her. Stuff like walnuts, almonds, broccoli, also you can pretend eat things. If she has a treat you know about she will risk much for then use that. Eat some, offer her some of what you are eating (just not the stuff that actually touched your mouth) Birds are flock animals, they find security with the flock, comfort with the flock, eat with the flock. You want her to think of you as part of her flock.

[JackieRTP]

It is common that when someone paints their nails, their pet bird tends to be scared of their fingers or hands. Some birds get over it, but some people simply elect to remove the nail polish.

You may want to use long stalks of miller or another treat when you are around her, since most are food motivated.

[Rubydoo252]

My first bird, a cockatiel, NEVER allowed me to have nail polish on. While it might be something that you overcome in the future, since you are still trying to convince sweet pea that your fingers are friends it might be easiest to simply remove the nail polish. Then, once you have a strong relationship, you can revisit the issue. Tumi lets me have neutral polish, but after 17 years of my cockatiel, I pretty much never wear nail polish.