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Getting a bird to allow touch (beginning steps)

In today's video Zip DOES NOT want me to touch her back. But Dave has insisted I get her prepared for accepting a GPS device on her tail if she is going to be a freeflight bird. In this case, I have to be able to touch her tail to be able to put the device on and off of her. So today I am working on the first steps to being able to even touch her tail and that's simply working on touching her back. 

Typically, I like to work on this type of training when the bird is mellow and more naturally accepting. This was not how Zip was today... 

Getting a bird to allow touch (beginning steps)

Comments

Yay! I can’t wait to see :) I find all your videos so encouraging and helpful! Thank you!!

Madeline Kerrii

Yes, the handling may look a little different. I would probably come near the smaller bird from the side, resting a hand on the perch or just barely above it. I will be sharing how I trained it with Monet the lovebird once I get it edited!

BirdTricks

Would this be the same way you would train a tiny bird how to be comfortable with touching them?

Madeline Kerrii

Jinx actually isn't a big fan and so for that reason I am unsure it would serve him to be in that situation. Maybe if he was better at it this could be an option.

BirdTricks

Thanks, Robin! Great observations!

BirdTricks

This was great! You very quickly assessed that Zip was in a heightened state. Since she was willing to train, you did some easy tricks with her allowing her to earn treats and become a bit more willing. You knew touching her tail was out of the question so you started with touching her back as the firstvpart of the goal. I noticed that when she was listening to the sounds and you were able to keep your hand at her back longer that she seemed to gain comfort from the presence of your hand. You ended with flight training. From my perspective, these were all great things!

Robin Marlin

Since I sense a competitive spirit in her somewhere, and since you can probably do just about anything with Jinx, is there a way that she could see you (briefly) touching Jinx on back or tail; perhaps she'd notice that he doesn't die from it.

Meg Geddes

I know you were saying she way to active could you have done some bath training before ( not to soak her) then tried to see if that would have taken her from a 10 to like a 5. Then you might have had less of that “excited” behaviors.

FayK


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