AFLane wrote:
> Instead of reaching for her to step up, or to preen her, just try
> intertwining your fingers in the bars of the cage when Peaches is
> preening you.  Let her get used to your hand, and she'll eventually
> gain a sense confidence and trust, and learn that your fingers are
> not a bad (threatening) thing.  Next time you go to place some yummy
> treat in her cage.  Let your hand rest on the perch or food bowl.
> Non-threatening, non-assertive, just there.  Your hand is bigger than
> little Peaches, and she's still scared of your "alien" hand.  Five
> minutes at a time, while talking in the sing-song voice that she
> likes will help her to develop hand-trust.  As others have told you,
> patience is a major factor. Eventually, she may come over to
> investigate your hand, by looking, nibbling, walking on you or even
> nipping a bit.  All of this is normal. She's testing the "alien
> hand's" response.
>
> Once she's comfortable, try gently stroking her toe.  I've developed
> the most wonderful relationship with my amazon, and it all started
> with a gentle birdie-foot massage.  I've been toe-massaging my sun
> conure (also named Peaches) for the past 6 months.  He's taken the
> toe massages to the next step... he jumps on and off my hand as a
> form of playing.  He'll even grab my finger and pull it towards him
> when he wants to jump on and off.
>
> Just remember... take baby-steps.  Your little girl(?) is a LOT
> smaller than your hand, and she doesn't associate it as being part of
> your body... it's too distanced from your face.  Another thought,
> next time she goes to preen your hair, rest your chin on your hand.
> Let her associate your hand with your face.
>
> Enjoy your bird's love... she's definitely trying to show you that she
> cares.  :)
>
> Amy
>
Thank you for the excellent suggestions!  I don't know why this never
occurred to me!

Jill
> "jmcquown"  wrote in message
> news:oZ8Kd.21636$ky2.4956{at}bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>> Peaches, a lovebird, has never really allowed me to socialize her.
>> She's about 1-1/2 years old now; she was about 8 or 9 weeks old when
>> I got her. Having had parakeets almost continually since 1966 I know
>> you have to spend
>> a lot of time with a new bird to get them to socialize with their
>> human to the point where they'll sit on your shoulder, etc.  I
>> tried, but immediately
>> after I got her a lot of people quit at work and I found myself
>> working 12-16 hour days and being on call as well.  It is my own
>> fault for being so
>> tired I couldn't spend a couple of hours a day (after work) with
>> her, so please don't chastise me for that.
>>
>> However, she's a very happy bird with lots of toys.  She chirps a
>> lot and we
>> "talk" to each other.  Recently I've noticed a behavior which is
>> undeniably
>> cute.  When I'm talking to her, she cocks her head, turns her head
>> back like
>> she is going to start preening her back feathers, then comes over to
>> the bars of her cage.  She reaches up and plucks at the bars, looks
>> at my head and waits for me to lean my forehead against the cage.
>> Then she starts gently tugging on my bangs and making a sort of
>> chortling soft chirping sound.  She doesn't pull my hair, she just
>> seems to want to "comb" it.
>>
>> I have tried further to get her to come out and play with me but
>> she's having none of that.  She seems content to command me to let
>> her preen my bangs for a minute and then goes back to ringing her
>> bells or tugging on wooden beads (or eating!)
>>
>> Jill




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