not wearing a glove

[newgrey]

Three weeks in and our grey still adores her dad and I'm just a vehicle for treats. I carry her around on a wooden spoon handle to different rooms with me, talk to her incessantly, and feed her treats nonstop. I've started wearing a glove (which I believe you're not supposed to do) when carrying her on the spoon or working with her to "step up." At least the bites don't send me through the roof anymore, but am I pre-empting bonding? We've learned a bit of her history and it sounds like she was badly neglected and lived in a very dark room with an eighty-something, unstable mom, two pugs and an aggressive amazon parrot.

[Laurie]

I've heard different opinions on whether or not to wear a glove.

Personally, I don't think it's a bad thing. My husband sometimes has to pop one on to get Klaus to go in his cage (this is if I'm not around to bail him out, and he's in a hurry).

[chapala]

You are using the wooden spoon handle to move him, and still get bitten? You may want to use a stick perch with a shield to prevent bites. I think that is better than the glove. She is still biting whether you have the glove on or not, and the more she bites, the more she will bite. Better to avoid the biting behavior. Also, if the bird is biting this much, perhaps she is not ready for the amount of handling you're doing. Maybe backing off and taking it slower, letting her gain more confidence that this is a safe home, giving her a little more space, might give better long-term results.

Reta

[Shamelessmuse]

I've talked to a number of behaviorist by e-mail and various bird rescue folks since I got Greyce (who will bite the tar out of me for just feeding her). As long as you get them used to the glove and they are not deathly afraid of the glove I think it's fine (and several have agreed with me, more than not)

 

Here is why. When you know you are going to get bit, you are going to put off that vibe....especially when you know it's gonna hurt. I've been bitten by some big birds, even had a tendon stitched up in my hand due to the handy work of a Cockatoo. If you can get them not to be afraid of the glove, you aren't going to be afraid of the bite...and that is the first step to training the bite out. Greyce has been a whole lot better with some positive re-enforcement and with me being able to confidently put my hands near her or her cage and I wasn't even all that worried about the actual bite so much...as just knowing it was coming...with the glove I don't even think about it.

 

But, keep in mind as Rita said to go slow and try to avoid the bites...let her set the pace...but I also don't see the harm in using a glove (short term) when you need to handle her.

 

Good luck!!