So Arthur has been pretty much afraid of any stick I bring near the cage, no matter how small. He has now been in his new cage for almost a week, without coming out at this point. I figured I would give him some time to get used to the cage and get used to me being around the cage, but not messing with him. He now will travel all over the cage, will play with the toys and has now started coming down to be beside me (still in the cage) while I sit on the couch.

I have been working on getting him used to the clicker and that it means treats. Tonight I decided to start smaller as far as "sticks" go. There was a sucker stick left on the end table by one of my kids that was fairly clean. I decided to use the non-candy end, to see if Arthur would target, and lo and behold, it actually worked!! I spent a half hour with him following the "stick". Sometimes he would not let go, but most times he just touched it.

He is at least moving in the right direction! He also has not snapped at me in almost a week. I hope I didn't jinx it by saying anything. Hopefully things will continue. Just thought I would share!

Woo hooo!

good show roger, you are going to do it...keep up the good work


dusty

What THEY said! Woohoo!

And that's great creative thinking, to use a sucker stick. That never would have occurred to me. Way to go!

Great for you and Arthur!!

Update: Arthur continues to target well, now all over the cage, continuing to use the sucker stick, as he is afraid of anything bigger or longer. Still no progress on him letting me near him with the door open, but he will take treats through the open door.

Oh, he has also learned his first trick (apart from targeting). I managed to capture him turning around on his perch, and have it fairly consistent on a verbal cue!

Small steps, at least in the right direction!

Small steps are still steps!

Merlin seems fine with Arthur being here, although he has this desire to pick fights by crawling all over Arthur's cage. I have allowed the interactions to a point, but when they start attacking each other through the cage bars, I am separating them.

Still no progress with hands around Arthur other than through the cage bars. He will allow skritches through the bars but not if I open the cage door yet. I am trying very hard not to push too hard and go too fast, but it feels like I am not gaining any ground. Though having said that, Arthur seems anxious to interact when I sit next to the cage (probably just wants the treats).

Have you tried targeting him onto or across your hand? Without moving your hand, just target him onto it, or put your hand in such a place that be has to use it like a bridge. Might something like that make your hand less scary? You wouldn't be moving to him, he'd be moving to you. And as long as you don't move your hand for a bit when he's on it, he should gain confidence that it's a benign entity.

I would try literally just sitting near his cage with my hand in the door.

And given how shy he seems to be, maybe reward any movement at all in the direction of the hand/door.

Well, I tried the "hand in the door" idea tonight, and as far as movement toward the door goes, I now possess a "wonderful" puncture wound on my left pinkie for my trouble (hurt like hell!).

He is fine as long as I am giving him treats or target training, but anything beyond that and he is psycho bird. Compared to Merlin, Arthur's bites are harder and hurt more.

Would I be wrong here in trying a pair of tan leather gloves, so I can take the bite without flinching, and just let him know that will not go away? Or is that going to set things back once again, since it feels kinda like flooding?

I seem to be stalled again. Though I must admit, I have a killer toothache tonight, so my mood may have been a factor.