May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 19:41:50 GMT
After a very long time of being wary of Munchy's beak, today I have been pestering him to step up, mostly with the back of my wrist. I tried getting him to step up in the cage, but had to remove the cloth from the door to do so because he was nervously waiting for a blue glove to appear. Eventually, I plucked up the courage to place my finger to him instead of my wrist, after he was used to stepping up for me, and he just stepped up! Not even a glance at my finger or anything! Now if only he'll do that again tomorrow
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Post by phoebe on Jan 2, 2014 19:50:20 GMT
Sounds like progress! He is very cute in that profile photo. Hope he impresses tomorrow too. Let us know.
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Post by mizloco on Jan 2, 2014 20:17:39 GMT
Well done munchy.
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Post by skysmum on Jan 2, 2014 20:26:05 GMT
Good boy munchie, keep it up
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May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 20:32:48 GMT
Thank you, phoebe! I can't believe that photo is around 2 years old Seems like it was only yesterday that he was coming home in a cardboard box, sticking his beak through the holes in an attempt to chew his way to freedom! Munchy would be fluffing up his feathers with pride if he weren't asleep, mizloco I shall give him everyone's praise tomorrow and see if that will stir his ancient stumps into performing well.
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Post by Hezz on Jan 3, 2014 0:51:39 GMT
Good boy, Munchy. Hope all goes well tomorrow.
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May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2014 13:27:03 GMT
He's doing well at stepping up inside and outside of the cage (although inside is mostly because he wants to come out) but did decide to lay into my thumb when he got up on my finger. I think thumbs are his equivalent to Boo and toes :/ Not all of the bites hurt though, and he slowed down on the bites because I just stood there and ignored it, aside from telling him off verbally.
He has a habit of stepping onto my palm instead of my little finger for the scooping up. I've managed to lift my thumb and fingers up slowly but as soon as he twigged what I was doing he was off. Might be easier if I could get him on my finger rather than my palm because then only my thumb would have to move. I'll give it a go with my finger sticking out and my palm a bit more sloped. This is going to require a lot of work, I think.
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Post by Hezz on Jan 4, 2014 0:14:02 GMT
I present my little finger to them as the perch and they are all very good with stepping up. I think they are sooo conditioned to "see perch/finger, must step on" that even though they know what is going to happen they can't help themselves but step up. Sparky will give me the run-around sometimes, but he is a bit like that with everything.
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May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2014 8:51:23 GMT
Munchy is consistently stepping onto my hand, but he's off straight away. I think he knows what's going to happen. How do you manage to get your hand around them before they dart off?
I'm going to try presenting my little finger with my hand slightly curled up already because he keeps getting onto my palm. And if I hold it at a slope he'll probably jump onto the top, cheeky blighter!
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Post by Hezz on Jan 4, 2014 10:08:38 GMT
Unfortunately it isn't a matter of "getting your hand around them before they dart off" , it is more about getting them to accept that it is going to happen and make it short and sweet to start with. For starting out you may need to retreat a bit, and go back to cornering Munchy so that he isn't able to sneak out, quickly give praise, a kiss, whatever, and let him go *. all in the space of as few seconds as possible. I found when I started with this and nothing happened except a kiss on the tum, I would put them back on a perch and the look on their face was priceless! Somewhere between "what just happened?" and "is that all?" *Sorry, not just let him go, but put him back onto a perch. So that he knows you are in control.
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May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2014 20:24:00 GMT
In that case, I might have to fairly quickly scoop towards him but have my little finger out so that I can wrap most of my hand around him quickly and then hopefully he will step up onto my little finger... I've normally tried to put him back on a perch in the past. So... if I have my hand around him, would I present his beak to a perch so that he can pull himself up onto it, or try to get him to move from my finger onto the perch by letting go? Haven't done any training with him today as I've been out and he had only just woken up when I left. Got nipped on the end of my finger for that, but after the initial nip, which I managed to withstand cos it didn't hurt too much and I was expecting it, I just started scritching his cheek and he was happy with that
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Post by Hezz on Jan 5, 2014 0:43:25 GMT
I've normally tried to put him back on a perch in the past. So... if I have my hand around him, would I present his beak to a perch so that he can pull himself up onto it, or try to get him to move from my finger onto the perch by letting go?If Munchy is anything like my lot he will move so fast that there won't be time for finesse. Just put your hand close up to the perch, open your hand and see what happens. I think he would hop onto the perch. It really doesn't matter one way or the other. But I would find a phrase you wish to use, like "there/away you go" when you do let him go, and I do use the ah, ah if they are seriously trying to escape when I am holding them.
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May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 9:10:27 GMT
Yeah, he's like that too! 'Fortunately' after a few failed catching attempts he usually sits on a perch and threatens me with his beak. Gives me plenty of time to scoop him up if I'm brave enough. Just tried with him. He scooted through my fingers the first time before I could even close them around him and proceeded to flee around the cage, but I caught him up relatively quickly and he didn't put up any resistance. It all happened so fast that I can't remember how I did it, but I think he was already on my hand anyway. Probably took a few more seconds that I should have done in releasing him, but I was so surprised to have caught him. He nipped at me once so I told him not to bite and when he opened his beak slightly again a moment or so later I just said 'ah, ah', but his bites weren't serious anyway, practically nibbles. I think he was just testing the water and letting me know he wasn't too fussed on being held. So then I told him he was a good boy and released him next to his highest perch, which he hopped up onto. Then presented my index finger to him, tip first, which he bopped with his beak and nibbled before letting me scritch his cheeks. Mainly I did that to make sure he remembers that my hands aren't just for catching him and also I guess as a reward if he was enjoying it Going to try once more now and then let him out for the day, seeing as he's been going nuts with the whistles.
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Post by Hezz on Jan 5, 2014 9:23:29 GMT
It is all sounding good, Ira! I really like what you are trying to achieve. Keep it up; remember .... Rome wasn't built in a day, and budgie training happens about as quickly! And I am going through this with you at the same time with Mango. She is a fiesty little madam, but learning already, I think, not to sink the beak in whilst exploring. Today she certainly was not happy being told to hold off on with the nips, but we are getting there. It's all good.
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May 4, 2024 13:02:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 10:32:48 GMT
I managed to catch hold of him a second time, Hezz, although not as well. He actually threatens me more when I'm not holding him as securely, probably because he knows he has more chance of escape. So I had to juggle him between my hands a bit (not literally of course) and then let him go and repeated the scratches. He's already much calmer, despite running away, than his is when I use the gloves though. He leads me on a chase but he hardly makes any noise. Thank you It also makes me feel a lot more confident to have a more experienced person trying to do the same thing with one of their budgies. Fortunately I only have one day a week at uni this semester, so whilst I have to concentrate on studying, I can stay home and wait until Munchy is awake enough to practice with him a few times before allowing him out to play. And now that the nights should be getting lighter I'll have more chances in the evenings too, on that one day that I do have uni
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