Taming Zazu

[kimberly1985]

I've been getting many mixed messages on "taming" Zazu.

Since Zazu was handfed and not scared around humans, I was told to go ahead and start handling him right away. I did the same thing with Yoshi but he didn't seem nearly as scared. So a few times a day, I take him out of his cage. I pet him, cuddle him, feed him and talk to him. Usually around 20 minutes each time. I haven't started teaching step up yet. Mainly because he seems frightened of my hands although he doesn't seem afraid of me. He will sit on my shoulder, lap or chest for a few minutes at a time (sometimes longer) but when my hand goes near him, he kind of backs up. Also when I take him from his cage, he tries to get away. I know that there is a possibility that he may never like my hand but right now, I think it's more because of fear than just not liking them. He will sit on the palm of my hand, no problem. It seems to be when the other hand or a finger comes towards him. Also, he is really grateful to be returned to his cage.

When I was taming Cheeko, (parakeet) I was told not to "grab" him or take him from the cage, but to allow him to come out on his own. Well, after 3 months, Cheeko learned to step up on my hand but would never come out of his cage. Nothing would lure him out, not even millet.

So at this point, I don't know whether to take him out or just leave him be. I'm afraid that if I don't let him get used to my hands now, he will never learn that my hands aren't gonna hurt him. But then again, he may see my hands as a threat if I take him out of his cage with them

Zazu is the third bird I have ever owned. Cheeko was a bin-o-budgie and I knew that I had to work with him constantly from day one. He progressed slowly but unfortunately he passed away before I could see his potential. Yoshi came to me handfed and bonded to me within a few days. He never was afraid of my hands. So Zazu is completely different for me. I'm guessing that all birds are different anyways.

Does anyone have some pointers as to what I should be doing at this point?

Thanks.

[linda040899]

Will Zazu come out of his cage by himself if you leave the door open? Or will he step up onto your arm if you hide your hand? His fear of hands could come from the experience he had with the breeder. If he doesn't like hands, then don't push the envelope, so to speak. Allow him to be close to you, which, as a baby, he needs but hold the hands. He's only been with you a couple of days and remember, his entire world has been turned upside down.

Patience..............

[kimsbirds]

Since Zazu was handfed and not scared around humans, I was told to go ahead and start handling him right away. ** Was he just handfed, or was he actually socialized? There is a huge difference and what you're describing below seems indicative of the non-socialized aspect**

I did the same thing with Yoshi but he didn't seem nearly as scared. So a few times a day, I take him out of his cage. I pet him, cuddle him, feed him and talk to him. Usually around 20 minutes each time. I haven't started teaching step up yet. Mainly because he seems frightened of my hands although he doesn't seem afraid of me. **He's afraid of your hands because he only knows that they bring food, not that they are for handling otherwise**


He will sit on my shoulder, lap or chest for a few minutes at a time (sometimes longer) but when my hand goes near him, he kind of backs up. Also when I take him from his cage, he tries to get away. ** Rather than you taking him from his cage, allow him to come out on his own, when he's ready.**

I know that there is a possibility that he may never like my hand but right now, I think it's more because of fear than just not liking them. He will sit on the palm of my hand, no problem. It seems to be when the other hand or a finger comes towards him. Also, he is really grateful to be returned to his cage. ** You can start with a perch and graduate to your hand later on. Better to start off slowly, at his own pace, rather than forcing him to accept your hand, which he's not ready for just yet**

When I was taming Cheeko, (parakeet) I was told not to "grab" him or take him from the cage, but to allow him to come out on his own. Well, after 3 months, Cheeko learned to step up on my hand but would never come out of his cage. Nothing would lure him out, not even millet.** Again, don't force it. Lovebirds are naturally very curious and once they are familiar with their new surroundings, exploring is inevitable**

Hope these comments help you :)

[kimberly1985]

Will Zazu come out of his cage by himself if you leave the door open? Or will he step up onto your arm if you hide your hand? His fear of hands could come from the experience he had with the breeder. If he doesn't like hands, then don't push the envelope, so to speak. Allow him to be close to you, which, as a baby, he needs but hold the hands. He's only been with you a couple of days and remember, his entire world has been turned upside down.

Patience..............

I've left the door open for a little bit yesterday. He didn't seem to know that it was open. His door is a sliding door unlike Yoshi's that opens into a drawstring like bridge. I don't even know if he knows an open door exists. I will try to keep it open more.

So just letting his cage be right beside me is enough to give him the closeness he needs?

[kimberly1985]

Kimsbird,

I'm not sure how much handling he received and that was the thought that crossed my mind earlier. The guy is an assistant principal so I don't know how much time he actually had to socialize them.

I am going to try to leave his cage door open for longer periods of time. Hopefully his curiosity will override his fear. So I should wait until he decides to come out on his own? I know this could take weeks or even months. Even if he doesn't have physical contact with me, will he still be able to bond with me?

The only thing about the perch training at this point (which is how I trained Cheeko to step up), Zazu's cage has those awful sliding doors which make it very difficult to bring a perch into the cage. I plan on buying two identical cages for him and Yoshi in the near future.

Thanks for all your advice.


I meant to add earlier, he does grind his beak when he's in his cage right beside me so I know he's content with me being near him. He will do this sometimes until he's asleep. I guess it's comforting to him. He's even done it while on my chest. Do black masks beak grinding sound different than peachfaced? Zazu's makes this buzzing sound off and on with his. Yoshi's sounds different and he doesn't grind his near as much as Zazu does.

[Enko_chan]

I'm going to give the example of Odinn, with whom the bonding went slow but the bond is very strong. Much of our bonding was not physical. Odinn was parent fed and not socialized, and was almost a year old already when he came to me, but he was not a biter and has always had a sweet disposition. He is peachfaced, bear in mind, but I think this still follows. While he did spend time on my person, and eating from my hand, or from food in my lap- much of our bonding consisted of me talking, singing to him, and him being in his cage right next to where I work, write, read, and play online games, and having him play outside around me. It took 1 1/2 years for Odinn to even start getting used to hands, and 2 years for him to step up on them with any kind of regularity. I suspect you'll have better luck with your Zazu, in terms of time-frame as he is a baby, but consistency- slow and steady will persevere. Reward every little move toward positive improvement and ignore steps in the opposite direction. Perhaps offer your hand covered at first, and slowly start offering palm-up, and eventually fingers but back off if you are rebuffed. With Odinn, I would open the cage door and offer my covered arm, and he learned that if he wanted to come out, he'd have to step up on it- and he would do it happily, though hesitantly at first. Eventually he'd be on it the moment I'd open the door.

I hope that helps a little.

[kimberly1985]

Thanks Enko for sharing your experience with Odinn. I want to commend you for having the patience to tame your little guy. I know it had to be hard at times.

Tomorrow, I am gonna start leaving the cage door up. I've also heard that millet is a good thing to train/tame lovebirds with. Maybe if I put some near the door, maybe some on the outside of his cage, he might decide to venture out too. I've heard that millet was frowned upon with parakeets but it doesn't seem to be with lovebirds.

Perch training seemed to get Cheeko used to my hand being in his cage so that might be the next step I take. How soon should I start perch training inside his cage? That is if I'm able to get a perch in there without it being too scary.

I've only had Zazu for a few days, so I know that this is expected. I'm sure he'll open up a little bit more as time goes by and he gets used to his surroundings.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice.

[kimberly1985]

UPDATE:

Zazu came out of his cage. He didn't come to me but to the top of his cage. He decided he wanted to fly from the top. Poor thing is clipped rather short so he just went straight down. He was okay. He let me pick him up and put him back on his cage.

I guess it's a start. Especially after only 5 days. :D

[kimberly1985]

Another update in just 7 hours: if anyone's interested.

Since my last post, Zazu has came out of his cage on his own 3 times. One time he got on his cage and I attempted to pet him, he tried to fly away. The other two times, he took a flight to the floor. All 3 times, I wasn't sitting near the cage.

Just a few minutes ago, I put my hand in the cage, and scooted away from me but didn't do the panic flying that he was doing yesterday. He sat quietly while I pet him. After about 20 seconds, I removed my hand. He is making great progress very quickly. :) :happy: :rotfl :blush:

[lovie_couple]

That's good to hear! I've had my Gigi for almost three weeks and he climbs all over me. But screams like no other is you attempt to pet him. I think he is mostly afraid i'm going to prevent him from doing whatever he pleases though XD

[kimberly1985]

That's good to hear! I've had my Gigi for almost three weeks and he climbs all over me. But screams like no other is you attempt to pet him. I think he is mostly afraid i'm going to prevent him from doing whatever he pleases though XD

Does Gigi come out on his own, or do you have to take him out? Just curious as to what your strategy is?

[kimberly1985]

Guess who decided to take a bath in his water dish? Yep, Zazu! Now he's sitting on his perch soaked and grinding his beak. I wonder if he knows that he needs to preen himself now!

And I got a picture to prove it!

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb342/pigtoes1985/Zazu/SANY1322.jpg

I guess he's comfy enough to do that next to me. What great progress we're making.

[kimberly1985]

Update:

Zazu is doing really well with stepping up onto a perch. Last night, I let him roam a bit in the floor and he surprised me by climbing up my back to my shoulder. I think he knows that I'm not gonna hurt him, I'm sure soon enough he will learn that about my hands. :D

[linda040899]

Sounds like all is going well! This is something you can't hurry, as you are earning trust so you go at the bird's pace. There are those who claim birds can be tamed in just a very short period of time but those methods don't build a trust relationship and ultimately do more harm than good. Desensitizing is the worst method anyone ever created!