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Post by Sierra on Mar 20, 2016 7:44:24 GMT -5
Alright, so I purchased a male 3 yr old quaker a couple days ago, for the most part he's tame, he likes to perch on shoulders ONLY. When I very first held him he went straight to my shoulder. Asking him to step up from a shoulder using your hands causes him to lunge at you..I don't retract, I present the outside of my hand if he feels "nippy" I've tried keeping my arms at angles that would be near impossible to climb from hand to shoulder and he still accomplishes this task. Why I dislike him being upon my shoulder? Every time he's on my shoulder he ends up hurting me. Either by vigorous preening on my face/ear. Biting neck moles nearly off, pulling out my earrings, etc. He really is a sweet boy, rubs his beak on my hand or face if he's aware he's hurt me or something. Any advice on how to help him get over not wanting to perch on my hands or arm?
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Post by easttex on Mar 20, 2016 11:01:13 GMT -5
Yeah, I'd want to keep him off my shoulder, too!  If you could always keep your hand higher than your shoulder, he's unlikely to want to go to a lower place, but that's not very practical. He probably just needs some training/redirection using positive reinforcement. What I would try: Put him on your hand and give him a very small treat, something he loves and is not given any other time but in training. When he tries to scurry up your arm, intercept him with your other hand, and put him back where you want him. Give him a treat. Keep doing that for a few minutes, and put him back, wherever he was. Repeat the routine every time you take him out. You may have to work on it for a while, but if you're consistent (and he loves the treat) he should get the idea. Then you can use shoulder time as a reward for good behavior. Or not. I hope that will help. |
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Post by beccilouise on Mar 21, 2016 14:11:34 GMT -5
I concur with Easttex. Look up training to step up and only give him these treats when he is on your hand. Also, Quakers tend to be little kleptomaniacs so avoid wearing earrings and necklaces while you are playing with him until you can retrain him. Best of luck!
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Post by julianna on Mar 21, 2016 14:44:08 GMT -5
I do not think you can ever stop them from wanting to preen you. After all you are their best friend and they think they are doing something good. You can limit the pain part and what I have done is to make a noise ... sort of like the kind they make when they do not want something. Also by me shaking my head NO... also works as I have found my quaker to make this command to get me to stop something.
Take your jewellery off. They think they are toys to play with. If you want I have about 25 broken earrings and necklaces that I could show you before I learned.... take it off.
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Post by aaron on Mar 28, 2016 9:52:45 GMT -5
I have found that if, when being preened, I jerk away quickly (but gently) and make a grumpy bird noise, like Julianna suggests, it will tell Cupcake that I don't want to be preened, and it actually works, although she generally doesn't get it the first (or fifth) time.  |
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Post by PaScuba on Mar 30, 2016 7:24:15 GMT -5
For a training treat, I've found that by taking millet spray and starting at the top, take off each little ball of seed, and if the ball is big enough to have more than a dozen seeds - break it apart into smaller balls. For training purposes, you could just press your finger on a couple of seeds and let him have them as a treat. I would also recommend using a clicker to help speed the training process up. The clicker is simply a marker for the animal to know the exact point when they did the correct behavior and that a treat will always follow.
You could also get or make a hand perch. You could probably find a branch that you could hold and have him step up on the branch - then keep it higher than your shoulder as stated before. You can make one by getting a few 1/2" pvc pieces, one about 4" and one about 12" and a 90 degree elbow to form a capital L. Wrap some masking tape around the top to provide a surface that won't be slippery. It will take a bit of time for the bird to get over being afraid of the pvc, but you'll find it helpful on the days that you have to pick-up your bird and all he wants to do is bite.
Welcome to the QP Forum, you've come a great resource for all things QP. There are folks here with many years of experience with their fids (feathered kids).
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If you could always keep your hand higher than your shoulder, he's unlikely to want to go to a lower place, but that's not very practical. He probably just needs some training/redirection using positive reinforcement. What I would try: 
