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| Question about Pets:How can I make my first bird trust me? |
Patience is the key! You don't say what kind of bird it is, but in general you must be prepared to spend at least 1 to 2 hours interecting with the bird every single day! Talk to it, praise it, sing to it, watch TV with it and make lots of comments about the show( nature programs are best-Animal Planet!! ). The bird will eventually begin to enjoy your company , to try to get closer to you in his cage, and may sing or try to talk to you. At this time try offerring small treats through the bars of the cage, such as sunflower seeds, crackers, fresh apple slices, lettuce, etc. If he bites you, do *Not* yell or act angry, as this will encourage the behavior. Just take the treats and leave the room. Do not just throw the treats to him anyway. He must learn that if he nips, he gets no treats. Try again in an hour or so. Sooner or later he will trust you enough to take the treats from your hand.
Next you should open his cage door and offer the treats at the door. Do *Not* stick your hand inside the cage, as he may see this as an invasion of his territory! Eventually you will be able to entice him to the front of the cage for the treats. When he does this readily, you are ready for the final step.
After giving him a treat, try presenting your finger to him and saying"Step Up!" If he ignores your request you can try stroking his chest and belly lightly to get him used to the idea. If he nips, then do the same as before and stay gone for an hour or two. With time he will trust you enough that you can say "Step Up" and present your finger for him to climb upon. "Step Up" can even be used to correct a misbehaving bird! After bad behavior, make him do "Step up" from one hand to the other several times. This will show him that you are in charge. It is usually all the correction most birds need.
At this stage you have gained the bird's trust. Continue to spend time with him every day . You can bring him with you to watch TV, read, or do chores. Just have his wings clipped so that he cannot fly away or hurt himself.
Further training is up to you.
If you need advice on more training or other subjects, i can direct you to a great yahoo group with lots of helpful bird owners and a large library. Just E-mail me.
Good Luck.
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