still scared of hands.

[Deleted]

Echo is really tame now and comes out as soon as I open his cage. He will nibble my face, play with my hair and chew my glasses but as soon as I lift my hand up he runs away back into his cage. I can get him on my finger if he is on the curtain rail and he will sit there until we get back to his cage and then he jumps off as quickly as possible. He doesn't bite my fingers just wont go anywhere near them if he can possibly help it. If I hold millet he will reluctantly hop on but I've been doing that now for 9 months. Is there anything else I can try to get him used to my hands?

[sarah*glittergirl2212]

Is your hand always flat and palm up wherever possible? This will look less threatening than a "grabbing" shaped hand, always come from in front so he can see what you're doing,move slowly and if you have a finger perch, keep the rest of your hand tucked well out of the way. It's just another of those things that takes time I'm afraid...

[Deleted]

I always have my hand clenched with one finger out for him to step on to.
I am worried I caused the problem when we first got him. He had his first fly around and fell down the back of a cupboard. I had to pull it all out and grab him from behind it. I wonder if my great big fist grabbing at him in the dark recesses of the cupboard has scared him for life.

[Hezz]

Maybe, but he shouldn't be. Some birds just seem to have a real hand-fear, as if they can sense that that is our danger area. I have always thought it strange that we can get a bird close up to our faces without them freaking, but the hand is a different issue. They must know that we aren't going to eat them, but catch them is a real concern.

Not sure if you want to try this or not, but I handle my birds almost every day, sometimes twice, so when I do get hold of them they don't freak out. They still wiggle and squirm if I try to hold them still, of course they do, but how about trying to get Echo used to having your hand around him, but not necessarily holding him tight. You may need two hand to do this - have him on your finger and slowly, gently enclose him with the other. Or another way I do it is to present them with my little finger and as they step up, gently close that hand around them. Quite often now they will simply nestle into my hand, until I let them go. I do this purely so they don't freak when the time comes to be "man-handled" by a vet, to be put into another cage, moved to another room etc, etc. They know that the majority of the time they will be held for a short time, but nothing bad actually happens.

[Deleted]

That is a good idea Hezz and something I will work towards. Once I have him used to my hands I'll try closing my hand around him. I can get him to bop and nibble my finger through the bars. He does the budgie dance, back and fourth bashing at my finger nail like he would another bird. He just needs to get used to my hand without the bars between. I'll get there, this is one little bird who wants to be friends.

[Hezz]

With Misty being my youngest and newest, I am still spending a little more time with her doing this (the others are fine) and sometimes I get her onto my finger and then quietly hold my other hand over her, rub her cheeks, head, but not actually hold her. So she gets a confined feeling but could get out if she really needed to. Good luck with Echo.