Yesterday was a difficult day with our animals. In addition to one of our snakes having a really rough feed, Psyche had a scary moment or three with us too.

 

She was out and we were getting ready to leave, so we had to get her back in the cage. She's the less tame of the two, so trying to get her to step up was onlyl making her fly around the room again. She flew and flew, and eventually Jared was able to catch her in his hands.

 

Instead of just immediately putting her in the cage, he held her for a while, to get her to settle down and let her see that hands and people arent' bad things. She chewed on his hand really good (there's still marks there today!), but he didn't respond. He brought her millet and she actually was eating it, on her back. She seemed relatively calm and okay. Once he put her back in the cage, she casually hopped out of his hands instead of flying like mad and flapping all over the cage.

 

But she got on a perch and held her wings away from her body and did weird things with her beak. We at first thought she was posturing like she was really mad at him, but then she stopped moving her beak and continued with the wings, kind of shaking and stuff. It was then that we realized she was probably overheated! She had flown and flown and flown and then was held in a close warm spot. Jared said taht his hands felt pretty warm. Poor little girl!

 

Luckily she was fine and not afraid of us when we got back from dinner. I hope we don't overheat her again! We did feel that holding her was necessary though, so she could be handled for emergencies and stuff. I mean if she couldn't take being held and fed millet, how would she be able to stand a vet exam? Ughh the trials of learning with animals!

from all the flying she was nervous and hot when budgies are hot, scared or nervous they will hold their wings out and shake them quickly (especially after they have been chased around or had a wild fly around the room). Holding her in his hands really didn't calm her down as it would a dog or cat. It may have appeared that way because she settled down after she tried to bite him but that is nature taking over. Remember birds are the prey so once they are caught they feel that they are probably going to be eaten and are not cuddley by nature. Glad she is okay :ausb:

Edited December 23, 200618 yr by lovey

:budgiedance: Lovey is correct, birds can get overheated and think the end is near, they don't take to being comforted and held like a dog or cat would. But then after you get over the "getting to know and trust you stage", she might feel okay being with you. I sure know my cockatiel likes to be on me if she is scared or unsure about things. :greenb:

I guess I was thinking that holding her was part of the one kind of taming technique... The one where you just hold them in a very small room till they stop freaking out; the one to use for younger birds. We're not focusing on doing it that way, but I figured if the opportunity was there we could use that too. Maybe I misunderstood what it was supposed to be about, or i'm remembering it wrong. *L*

It doesn't work with all birds. You did nothing wrong, your bird was just stressed. You had no way of knowing how she would react to cupping her in your hands until you did it. She came out of it fine, so now you know. If your bird is used to you holding her that way, no problem. Until that happens you know she could stress out. I have always held my birds very loosely, so that the least little struggle on their part would effect an escape. It took some time, but now they know I will not hurt them, and I can pick three of the 4 up at will and hold them with them not reacting at all. It took some doing, because usually when I would pick them up it would mean they were getting medications. Needless to say, they do not like being restrained and having icky liquids forced down them. It is a delicate balance, holding your budgie, because even though they are gregarious by nature and pretty friendly, they do not as a rule like to be held and stroked like some of the larger parrots do. It is just their nature - some will tolerate it, some will enjoy it, but most will dislike it intensely. I think it is because as Lovey said, it is too much like a precursor to something bad, like getting eaten. But after a dose of meds my work is cut out for me, luckily I have had all my birds for several years now and they take it all in stride.

 

A vet visit with a competent vet should not be overly stressful for your bird, even if they are not used to being held. The vet knows how to hold your bird securely, and can do an exam very quickly to minimize stress. But if you can get your bird used to being held with nothing bad happening (in their minds anyway) it also makes the vet's job easier. :budgiedance:

Anne is right, I am sorry if I came across in the wrong manner my apologizes if I did.

 

You are correct there is a taming techinque out there that does talk about holding them. You would want to use this techinque during a taming session not a catching one where they are already excited and maybe scared. This techinque is controversial so I don't want to turn this topic into that .

 

Anyways again I am sorry and have a Merry Merry Christmas!!

Something that might contribute to the overheating and rapid panting after being caught, besides stress, is that birds have no diaphragm like us - they rely entirely on the expansion of their chests to breathe (and hence also cool down). So remember if you do try the catch and hold method, always leave their chests free to move.

I think that contributes to the incredible dislike some birds may have to being held, because they aren't being held properly. (Not you in particular, just people in general )

As Rainbow said, that taming method doesn't work with all birds. I have some that will tolerate being held, one that found comfort in it, and the rest (including gentle mild-mannered Milly ) scream obscenities at me for going anywhere near their backs.

Edited December 25, 200618 yr by Chrysocome

I didn't realize that the holding method was controversial! I guess I can understand why though. And Jared did hold her very loosely - his hands were cupped together, and he has big hands! *L* Of course she was being stressed regardless and we feel bad about doing it to her. It makes sense that being held after a 'chase' would be even more scary than if it were used alone. We are going to think twice about doing this again! And lovey, you didn't come across sounding bad, not at all. I was only trying to explain the mindset we had in doing it - teaching vs cuddling.

Actually it was a very good post armchairangel, I am always learning something and have found out that not all species (or individuals within a species) act the same way and that includes wild birds as well. :parrot:

Oh good sometimes I don't know (Laughing out loud) you have a Merry Christmas today and you are doing great with your budgies

i love how some animals no matter what you do with them if they have food infront of them it's all good

Oh yes.... food, the great equalizer! *(Laughing out loud)* Food makes everything better. Unless you get too much of it. *L*

She probably was stressed from being chased and such. Being held in hands probably was scary, but then she probably also realised that those hands didn't hurt her and they returned her to her cage. It really does depend on the bird though. I wouldn't worry about it though, you did nothing wrong. I once tried the method on one of my birds and it didn't work, I don't do it anymore. It depends on the individual.

(Laughing out loud).... who hasn't had to grab their bird after a chase, its like they know your going out and stay right away!!

If my old budgie knew he had to go back in his cage before he was ready..look out, what a performance! ( no way you were going to catch him either and he was the most well trained, people friendly bird I have ever met.

 

Also.. what kinda snakes do you have?

Yeah, Baby can be quite pigheaded when its time for her to go in her cage too. *L*

 

We have a baby ball python and a red-sided common garter snake. Since the birds have gotten to be so active, we're no longer taking the ball out when they're out. *L*

cool, never heard of a ball python- I am off to do some googling!! I have a python too (soon to be joined by another) and the budgie-as a baby- used to sit by the glass and stare at him.