Bonding

Yoshi and I are going into our 7th week together, and we are still forming our bond. It took a couple weeks before I was even able to handle him. I continue to see our bond strengthening every day. I'm just taking it slow, and at his pace, tho every day I push the envelope just a little more, while trying not to make him too uncomfortable. For example, up until about 4 weeks ago he wasn't comfortable at all with me taking him away from his cage. So every day I would carry him a step or two further from his cage than the day before, a few times a day. I'd always give him a treat and give him praise when we got to that point, but he usually didn't want the treat right then, instead wanted to get back to his cage immediately - which was ok, I knew he was just outside his comfort zone and didn't push it any further at that time. Eventually, I was able to take him to the couch, and let him sit with me for a minute. Then, each day he spent more and more time with me away from his cage before he was ready to go back. Right now I can watch a couple TV shows with him before he starts looking at his cage and assuming the "I want to fly that way!" position. Skye is doing a whole let better on this front, so it would be my guess that your bond will form much, much quicker and easier.

As for a favorite person, I can't say much there, as I live alone. When I have family over, Yoshi wants nothing to do with them and doesn't want to be held by them. He's not aggressive towards them, and I can get him to step up on their hand, but he will immediately face his cage and take the "I want to fly that way!" position.

Well, you can take heart in the fact that even if he doesn't pick you at first, you can work to form a secondary bond. It can take some patience, but in time you'll get there.

Cupcake adores cucumber She eats it daily.

Thanks Aaron and Gary. It's interesting to see the differing bonds with different situations... Of course I have no choice and I am being very selfish, but would love it if he bonded to me

Hi Angela, Byron is still a baby so his overall behaviour towards everyone is not set yet, but he seems to have chosen me as his mate. He is friendly to David but doesn't want to snuggle with him, however he will snuggle up to my face when on my shoulder and contact calls if I leave the room. He will also fly after me if I walk away from him. David likes Byron but has little interest in playing with him unless I encourage them to spend time together. It is really important to get them to interact with as many people as possible when they are young to avoid over bonding. Birds in human flocks don't get a lot of choice about things in life, so I feel it's important to respect the choices they do make and try to condition them to get on as well as possible with everyone in their family. Best of luck, I'm sure you'll be fine!

When we got. Casey, she was handled mainly by my daughter and I, she was good with both of us right from the start, at first she let everyone else hold her too, but after a while only the two of us. She is pretty easy going though, she lets guests hold her and she will wave and say hi to them. But after visiting she is ready to come back to me or her cage.

It's possible that he could just evolve into a multi-person bird, but when hormones kick in, he's likely to feel pressure to choose someone as a favorite. Once this happens, assuming he hasn't decided to reject the others, as long as you are all consistently affectionate, but not for too long of a time period at once, and play hard to get if he starts hyperfocus on anyone, you might be able to coax him directly into being a multi-person bird. I really think it's helpful not to indulge them too much when they start mate-seeking behavior, which is inevitable.