Kinji and our challenges

[Copper]

For being in the same routine for 20 years Kenji is doing surprisingly well with changing homes, the challenges that I face are simply things his parronts didn't care too much about. Kenji had such a fantastic life with them, he and Zachery(B&G) lived in a sun room turned bird room with two french doors that were open on nice days. When they wanted to be with their people they would climb down and walk around the house too them. They also got lots of cage attention as well, truly well cared for birds. It's so unfortunate they were unable to keep them :(

There are 3 things that are the biggest challenges

For kinji to think of me as a flock mate, something only time and consistent good interactions can help with

Gaining confidence being on a hand. Kinji is very uneasy on hands, I can tell he was never carried around much. Any movement and he flaps vigorously on my hand, at first he would lift himself up and flutter quickly to the ground like a clipped bird. I have only held him 5 times so far, and each time was very short. I would really like to take him out and about one day like how I do with Rosie.

Stepping up from his cage This is something he has never done in 20 years. My only plan for this is to trick/clicker train him to help us bond. Once he truly likes me I hope he will step up, rather than shy away from my hand. He steps up from the floor, but not from his cage.

Stepping up, and being comfortable on hands is going to take a long time, I expect a half year to two years. I would love to have some advice :)

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[Honesty]

Hi Ashley,

It sounds like Kinji is settling in very well. I think you will find, in time once he gains complete trust in you, he will eventually step onto your hand.

Give clicker training a go. I know many members have used this method and have had very good results.

[Copper]

I hope so, he never stepped up to his parronts either and they had him since he was a baby. He had a lot of trust in them.

I've already started clicker training, and Rosie is a clicker master ;)

[Wendy K.]

Ashley, as smart as Greys are, I think Kinji might learn from watching Rosie. :) You've done such a tremendousy wonderful job with her, that I have NO doubt in my mind that Kinji will do a 180 for you in a relatively short amount of time.

[Copper]

Thanks Wendy! I think he'll learn from her as well, he is very aware of what's going on around him. One great thing about Kinji and Rosie is they are both intelligent enough to realize when I'm clicker training the other bird. Kinji was also already clicker trained, but they never did trick training with him. I'm not really sure what they used the clicker for haha.

[roxynoodle]

Can you bribe him with a treat? Hold out the hand you want him to step up onto and then use your other hand to hold the treat in a way that he has to step onto your hand to get it. I do that with Rowdy if she's being uncooperative and I need to get her back to her cage for some reason.

[Copper]

Once he really trust me more I may try that :)

[Antoinette]

Ashley you are doing a fantastic job with Kenji, and taking is slowly "baby steps"

In time he will begin to trust you, time and patience are the best "medicine"
Soon he will be surprising you
:th_QUAKER:

[Blancaej]

Ashley - I too, think you are doing a great job with Kenji. Baby steps are the best approach. Especially with greys. They tend to be worry warts, so gaining there trust is key. If you continue to do what you are doing, I think it will happen sooner then you think. My grey was not socialized properly with the breeder and although I got him when he was only a few months old, I had major issues with bitting with him. But even with our rough start, we became buddies within a matter of months. So hang in there and keep the faith!