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Post by nurse01 on Dec 2, 2007 17:36:15 GMT 10
I've got a 14 month old female who ever since we got her (8 week old) as a hand reared chick has disliked touching. She will happily step up and down (on your hand), sit on your arm etc, but she will not let you pet her with your fingers. She turns around to bite (she appears scared and wants to run away)
I understand this is not natural for Alex's to preen each other, but it would be nice to be able to scratch her head.
Any training tips?
We use sunflower seeds as positive reinforment (when trimming her nails etc.)
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Post by grego on Dec 2, 2007 18:00:43 GMT 10
Welcome Nurse01  as far as l know Hand-reared birds shouldn't be scared of hand's unless they haven't had any time with them for a long time.. There are members here that could answer this being owners of them... |
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Post by Jane on Dec 2, 2007 19:40:32 GMT 10
Hi Nurse01 and Welcome  I don't have an alex sorry but they are popular here and I'm sure someone will be along shortly to help. From what I have learnt here alex's generally aren't into that kind of petting, but I'll leave advice to the experts Please stop by introductions and tell us about about yourself and your alex too, and we loooooove piccies |
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Post by vankarhi on Dec 2, 2007 19:57:19 GMT 10
hello there, WELCOME and that is correct........alex's in general are not touchy feely birds. I am very lucky as my girl will allow some physical contact and my boy will allow some very quick roughing around his head but only by me and me alone.........he is a mummy's boy. ;D
Don't be dissappointed with it, they do love to be with us, we just have to accept that this is how they are. My boy will try to eat and drink whatever I have and paces his cage to be out with me and will actually lick me with his tongue and give me tongue kisses. I don't know if it is normal for alex's to do the tongue things but Pauline is the breeder of Takoda (my boy) and her Vincent is Takoda's older brother from an earlier batch and he does the same thing.
I love my alex's especially my boy ;D
Oh and Takoda is about 15 months old and Shrekie (girl) is 3 and half years old.
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Post by nurse01 on Dec 3, 2007 18:42:21 GMT 10
Thank you all for your advice! I am a little disappointed to hear that actually! I was hoping I would be able to train her out of it. But to be completely honest with you, I can't ever see her being that touchy feely. I guess that is just her personality then! I have to towel her to trim her nails (which she hates!!) is anyone able to restrain their birds with out them getting upset?
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Post by vankarhi on Dec 3, 2007 19:33:02 GMT 10
I trimmed Takoda's wings the other and he PROTESTED very loudly. LOL but he got over it when we went for a drive in the car. LOL with him sitting on my shoulder or on the back of my seat. ;D
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Post by farseeker on Dec 3, 2007 21:08:19 GMT 10
I used to be able to restrain both Squee and Jedi without them protesting, but then Jedi used to lift up her wings for a tickle underneath them if I touched the tips of them.  I could do just about anything with her. |
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Post by vankarhi on Dec 4, 2007 7:38:54 GMT 10
I could do that with Bo my galah Farseeker...........trim Bo's wings without much drama.
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Post by courtzrocks on Dec 19, 2007 23:40:31 GMT 10
I have heard that some like (or tolerate) being stroked along with their feathers but most dont like the going against the feathers head scratches..so i have heard.
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Post by vankarhi on Dec 20, 2007 17:27:40 GMT 10
Shrekie allows me to actually pat her at the moment in the direction of the feathers not against. Takoda will allow me to slightly rough him up but not much. His idea of birdie heaven is to sit on my shoulder and just be with me ;D
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Post by kuruptz on Jan 20, 2008 10:37:27 GMT 10
My alex is as tame as can be and does the same thing, if i try touch him anywere behind his head or on his back he acts scared and runs away, i think its just the breed.
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Post by courtzrocks on Jan 21, 2008 9:52:49 GMT 10
Matches likes patting but gets over it quickly lol. Matches does the tongue thing too lol, so cute, I can kiss Matches on the beak and thats what he/she likes best but also doesnt mind being patted. Not to big on the chest stroking though or me touching the wings.
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Post by kuruptz on Jan 23, 2008 23:04:16 GMT 10
My alex loves kisses, he is constantly telling me to give him a kiss (yes he talks ) and he knows exactly what he is saying which makes it even cuter."
He also kisses back not sure how i taught him this but i used to just kiss him on the beak, now i say give us a kiss and pout my lips and he walks over and does the kisssing, its so much cuter this way as he is doing the work so people can see he is actually kissing not me kissing him.
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Post by vankarhi on Jan 24, 2008 7:50:11 GMT 10
yes my alex's do this too. ;D
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Post by kuruptz on Jan 24, 2008 19:18:05 GMT 10
seems there a kissing species |
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Post by courtzrocks on Jan 25, 2008 8:36:03 GMT 10
Lol, I think so, Matches stops crying when i kiss him/her on the beak hehe, so cute.
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as far as l know Hand-reared birds shouldn't be scared of hand's unless they haven't had any time with them for a long time..
I don't have an alex sorry but they are popular here and I'm sure someone will be along shortly to help. From what I have learnt here alex's generally aren't into that kind of petting, but I'll leave advice to the experts 
I could do just about anything with her.
