[rizzie5022]

Hi everyone, happy holidays to all.

I just realized something. I think sunshine thinks he is supposed to do fly bys as a way to interact with me. He does this every day chirping happily. He will mimic with me different sounds. He hangs off the cage looking at me for a while chirping the he does his fly by. He flies in front turns and flies back right next to my face. I can feel the air and sometimes his wing on my face.

If I move my hand out so he has a landing platform he walks back into his cage.

Any ideas on what to do? Ive tried telling him how much fun we could have if he landed on me but he just looks at me.

 

[ginziputzi]

Well that’s adorable. He obviously wants that interaction with you but maybe freaks himself out a little to actually do it. Am I right that he lands on your hand as a platform and then walks into his cage off your hand? I am wondering if you could gradually move that hand back toward your body, or lower it to your leg depending on your positioning, to encourage him to be on other parts of your body. He doesn’t land on your body at all?

 

[Anya]

Happy Holidays, Lin! I would say that Sunshine is definitely showing signs of being bonded with you! If he is flying all around you like that, he is showing off and having some fun with you. This is his way of getting near you and bonding with you in a way he is comfortable with. The same with him singing to you. When a bird vocalizes, talks or sings directly to you like that, there is a bonding thing going on. It may not be as much as you want, but he is just a shy little guy about some things. What have you tried so far to get him on you?

 

[ozzie3860]

Hi everyone, happy holidays to all.

I just realized something. I think sunshine thinks he is supposed to do fly bys as a way to interact with me. He does this every day chirping happily. He will mimic with me different sounds. He hangs off the cage looking at me for a while chirping the he does his fly by. He flies in front turns and flies back right next to my face. I can feel the air and sometimes his wing on my face.

If I move my hand out so he has a landing platform he walks back into his cage.

Any ideas on what to do? Ive tried telling him how much fun we could have if he landed on me but he just looks at me.

I think he is getting there. Sounds to me like he is playing with you in his way. Hopefully he will figure it out.

Something I did with my rescues (Bo & Jules) is spent a lot of time putting my hands in their cage. Both doing stuff and just getting close to them. They would shy away and to a degree I would pursue. The key is not to scare them but making them a bit uncomfortable for a while. The point is to get them used to distance and closeness.

 

[rizzie5022]

Well that’s adorable. He obviously wants that interaction with you but maybe freaks himself out a little to actually do it. Am I right that he lands on your hand as a platform and then walks into his cage off your hand? I am wondering if you could gradually move that hand back toward your body, or lower it to your leg depending on your positioning, to encourage him to be on other parts of your body. He doesn’t land on your body at all?

Hi no he doenst go on my hand at all, Ive tried putting my hand inside his cage up to him but he just flies to the other side. He hangs off the side of the cage stretching towards me, but if I move he climbs back into his cage. I also sit with my hand out when he is doing the fly bys, he ignores it

 

[rizzie5022]

Happy Holidays, Lin! I would say that Sunshine is definitely showing signs of being bonded with you! If he is flying all around you like that, he is showing off and having some fun with you. This is his way of getting near you and bonding with you in a way he is comfortable with. The same with him singing to you. When a bird vocalizes, talks or sings directly to you like that, there is a bonding thing going on. It may not be as much as you want, but he is just a shy little guy about some things. What have you tried so far to get him on you?

I absolutely think he thinks this is what we are supposed to do. Ive tried to get him on my finger in the cage but he flies to the other side. If he is on the ground I can scoop him up and he doesnt bite but when I open my hand he flies away.

 

[rizzie5022]

I think he is getting there. Sounds to me like he is playing with you in his way. Hopefully he will figure it out.

Something I did with my rescues (Bo & Jules) is spent a lot of time putting my hands in their cage. Both doing stuff and just getting close to them. They would shy away and to a degree I would pursue. The key is not to scare them but making them a bit uncomfortable for a while. The point is to get them used to distance and closeness.

I do that, he does not seem scared, he just flies to the other side. Im always fixing his toys and putting in the water dish, every night I put my finger towards him slowly saying up, up when I get close he flies away.

 

[kirstenmae]

Cirrus loves to do fly-bys, too! He's young (9 months) and parent raised; I've had him since he was weaned. He's just starting to get comfortable stepping up from his cage, though. He prefers to fly to me, and he mostly prefers to land on my head, then step up to my finger. He's not treat-motivated... but he loves praise. He started out landing near me, not on me. We're not stable landing spots, so it takes some confidence and trust to get to that point. You might try having a treat near you on something pleasant to land on and just sit or lie near it. Cirrus' cage is in my bedroom, so when I'm resting, I leave his cage open so he can fly out and visit when he's ready. Also, have you tried offering a beak rub or head scritches through the cage bars? Cirrus finds that less scary. Even my sixth graders can scritch him through the cage, but only I get to hold him and scritch at the same time... and only if he wants me to!

 

[rizzie5022]

Cirrus loves to do fly-bys, too! He's young (9 months) and parent raised; I've had him since he was weaned. He's just starting to get comfortable stepping up from his cage, though. He prefers to fly to me, and he mostly prefers to land on my head, then step up to my finger. He's not treat-motivated... but he loves praise. He started out landing near me, not on me. We're not stable landing spots, so it takes some confidence and trust to get to that point. You might try having a treat near you on something pleasant to land on and just sit or lie near it. Cirrus' cage is in my bedroom, so when I'm resting, I leave his cage open so he can fly out and visit when he's ready. Also, have you tried offering a beak rub or head scritches through the cage bars? Cirrus finds that less scary. Even my sixth graders can scritch him through the cage, but only I get to hold him and scritch at the same time... and only if he wants me to!

Hello, I sit next to Sunshines cage on a recliner. Ive thought of me not being a good landing point so I put my hand out near my body. Nothing. No scritches wont let me near hime. Treats... I have not found anything he goes crazy for he is a very picky eater. After a couple of fly bys he does laps around the room landing on top of his cage or the lamp shade. It is so cute because he flips his wings when he lands like Wow
that was fun!

 

[rizzie5022]

This morning I put his food dish in the cage from the inside (instead of the outside) and I put my finger right in front of his favorite perch. As usual he flew away, but I kept my hand there talking to him, He flitted about the cage like a worried mother lol. I stayed there for a minute or so and when I moved my hand out he flew to his perch. He has a perch outside of his cage that he sits on and Ive tried slowly moving my hand closer. He watches me and when Im too close he just walks back into his cage. He comes right back out when my hand is gone. He is such a good bird, I would hate to clip him he seems so happy. Away from his cage he used to step up (in the bathroom) but anytime he is out and flying he wont step up he just flies back to his cage and climbs in.

 

[rizzie5022]

Ive been putting my hands in his cage a lot more, Ive also been putting my finger near his favorite perch. I can only get so close then he flys away. Today I took a piece of millett held it in my fingers and got close enough for him to taste it then he flew away. I put the millett in an area on his play gym he never goes to because I was busy. The little Sh** went to that part of playgym and ate the millett. LOL. I got another piece and tried again, he licked the millett and I was able to touch his chest with the millett before he flew away. I think I am making progress. Maybe 2023 will be our year. Happy New Year all our bird peeps!

 

[ginziputzi]

Persistence and patience. That is sure one thing these little birds teach us endlessly. But it can be frustrating too. Can you remind me how long you’ve had him? I see he’s over 2 years old now but have you had him since he was very young? I can’t remember.

 

[rizzie5022]

Persistence and patience. That is sure one thing these little birds teach us endlessly. But it can be frustrating too. Can you remind me how long you’ve had him? I see he’s over 2 years old now but have you had him since he was very young? I can’t remember.

I got hom October 30th 2020. I do not have any nail polish on right now so Im trying again. I try for a while, get no where then I stop. I can only hold my hand/arm out for so long. Im not giving him millett for his morning treats so he should be more receptive to the millett from my fingers.

 

[ginziputzi]

I got hom October 30th 2020. I do not have any nail polish on right now so Im trying again. I try for a while, get no where then I stop. I can only hold my hand/arm out for so long. Im not giving him millett for his morning treats so he should be more receptive to the millett from my fingers.

Oh I thought that was his hatch date. How old is he then?

 

[rizzie5022]

Oh I thought that was his hatch date. How old is he then?

His hatch date is around 8/30/2020. I was told he was close to three months old when I got him. My local bird store had just gotten him in a day or two before I got him, he was completely weaned at that time. I got him 10/30/2020

He is about 2 1/2 now.

 

[ginziputzi]

His hatch date is around 8/30/2020. I was told he was close to three months old when I got him. My local bird store had just gotten him in a day or two before I got him, he was completely weaned at that time. I got him 10/30/2020

He is about 2 1/2 now.

Ok got it! Lol!

So you’re essentially going back to basics with him as he has already established the parameters of your relationship with him. It is a little more challenging to change their ways rather than developing them as babies. But entirely possible, of course. The bonus you have is that he definitely wants the relationship with you. He just needs the confidence of knowing this predator is safe to land on. When you think of it that way, you can see how any interaction they have with is us is really a blessing.

I think the fact he let you touch him with the millet is excellent progress! keeping your hand in there will help to desensitize him too but keep it low (like at his foot level) and flat. You don’t want to look like a snake. Think about how they react to anything new in their cage - panic mode! That’s just survival. But that will be how he sees your hand so just persist. I think he’s getting ready for that next level with you.

 

[Anya]

Ive been putting my hands in his cage a lot more, Ive also been putting my finger near his favorite perch. I can only get so close then he flys away. Today I took a piece of millett held it in my fingers and got close enough for him to taste it then he flew away. I put the millett in an area on his play gym he never goes to because I was busy. The little Sh** went to that part of playgym and ate the millett. LOL. I got another piece and tried again, he licked the millett and I was able to touch his chest with the millett before he flew away. I think I am making progress. Maybe 2023 will be our year. Happy New Year all our bird peeps!

I love hearing this! Yes, 2023 is definitely going to be Sunshine's and your year! The wheels are beginning to turn! Be sure to keep the millet aside just for training. It will be a good motivator for him. Happy New Year, LIn! We are all rooting for you and Sunshine!

 

[rizzie5022]

So no millett unless it is from my hand, he has been pecking but not eating. I put it on top of the container on his playgym. someplace he has never gone to..... silly boy I was visiting with a friend and he snuck the millett.

 

[Anya]

Hey Lin! How's the millet training with Sunshine going?

 

[rizzie5022]

Hey Lin! How's the millet training with Sunshine going?

Not good, he flies away. today I took a long piece of millett and was able to put the millett up to his chest. He took a nibble. He does not get millett treats any longer so you would think he would want it.

I have tried finger, millett held with finger and long piece of millett.

He still does the fly bys. And he copy chatters with me. He is not unhappy I am lol. Im still trying. I have started putting my finger up to the far end of the perch and I remove it before he flies away (I can tell by his body language hes ready). Maybe that will work.