Cookie wants to be friends

[LauraO]

Well I'm still moving slow with Cookie. Today he jumped on my shoulder again and I had him get off immediately. I don't know if that was the right thing to do our not. I don't think he wanted to hurt me but I don't know him well enough to have them that close to my eyes and ears. It all started when I called him a pretty boy and was singing his praises. When I do this he gets excited and likes to stretch out really close to my face and sometimes he acts like he wants to bite my arm or do something but I'm not sure. I in no way think he's being aggressive but I just don't know what I should do. He really is just a sweet guy.

Anyway, thought I'd share that.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

That's great that Cookie wants to be with you! I understand that you don't necessarily want him close to your face until you get to know him better . . . How does he do with hands? Is he able to step up yet? I'm thinking maybe he can perch on your hand and you can get to know him from there?

[LauraO]

Jennifer: He's as scared of my hands as I am of his beak :eek:. He will step up on a stick or a ladder but only if he knows where's he's going, but he won't jsut stand on the stick or let me sit with him on the stick. He runs or tries to bite when my hands get too close to him, but he will eat food out of my hand.

[bellarains]

Hey Laura,

Will Cookie step up on a perch you are holding? When Cappie has a nippy period I offer him a perch to come off his cage. It seems once away from his cage he is fine. He's not always nippy, but does have his moments :(

The other thing I thought of that we don't usually recommend with out lovies is a bird glove. I know people who use these with the larger parrots, so maybe that would be an option also.

It really sounds like Cookie wants to interact with you, but I can understand your reservations. I have a feeling though that Cookie senses he can trust you, and it won't be long before you have a new buddy :)

[LauraO]

Thanks Lori: Cookie will get up on a perch but won't just sit on it. Sometimes I have to try a few times to get him in his cage as he flies off of the perch. It's much easier if I say "Cage Cage" so he knows where I'm taking him. We've brought him downstairs a couple of times, which is a major accomplishment. To do this, he usually rides on this long ladder I have. I think your right about him wanting to interact with me. I think we're both just a little inadequate at this point but I have no doubt he's a great bird.

It's not so much that Cookie is nippy, though he does try and bite at times. He does this thing where he moves his beak up and down while moving his tongue. When I imitate this or talk with him in a sweet voice he gets excited, and reaches out for me. Not to bite, but just to beak and nibble.

OH! I'm afraid anything like a birdy glove would freak him out too much. He's really skittish and very sensative.

[Paulette]

Not to bite, just to beak and nibble
Sounds like preening to me. Congratultions! I'm baby sitting a maximillion pionus, can you say "Bites at Lightening Speed"....equal to 3 bites per 1 and a half seconds. But only to warn....not break the skin. :omg: Sure will scare the crap out of a girl, though. If you say "chicken head" she will fluff up her head feathers and let you give a few good scritches. :cool:
paulette

[linda040899]

Laura,
I wonder what would happen if you were to counter her attempts (if that's what they are) to nip with rubbing her beak? I do this with Georgia a lot and she likes it enough to stop thinking about removing my fingers for a few seconds! Could be that Cookie really doesn't want to bite, but rather, find out what you feel like. Birds use their tongues/beaks to perceive their worlds so you might try viewing this action from a different point of view. When Georgia gets nippy, I simply reach above her upper beak and then come back down, putting my thumb on one side of the beak and my index finger on the other. One thing I learned very quickly is that if you control the upper beak, you control the head and you actually control the bird.

Just my :2cents:

[LauraO]

Thanx Linda. Ironically, I did something similiar with Cookie last night. When he was doing his little mouth, tongue movement I put my finger on his beak and he seemed to like it. I will continue to do this along with trying to hold the sides of it. I think your right in that he just wants to interact and he doesn't know how or what is okay. He actually jumped on my head and shoulder yesterday. I let him sit on the shoulder briefly before making him get off, but the head is a no no.