How do I train my bird to accept handling and touching my fingers?

The training of birds all revolves around comfort and security. Continue to train to step up on your finger for longer and longer periods of time. Observe your bird for when it tries to fly away and distract with treats or attention but then allow to step down, during your control. Clipping wings might aid in your training.

Thanks for reaching out and including photos. The difficulty is winning the trust of these small birds. Try offering treats by hand and then encouraging them to step up to gain the reward. Even using a small diameter perch to step up and then remove them from the cage. Many birds are cage protective and personalities with mellow once out of the cage. Keep all movements slow, noises quiet, and lights low. A book titled " A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" has some useful information. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Sky. Despite what many people may think, birds are not supposed to bite readily. They come to learn to bite when the other forms of their body language are not seen/listened to by others, including owners (and veterinarians!). I would recommend looking at Sky's body language and your actions in situations - both before she tries to bite and when she is trying to bite. You may see that Sky tries to move away, or leans away, prior to trying to bite. It may be that Sky has not had any good or non-frightening experiences with humans yet so she doesn't know how friendly you are trying to be. I would recommend moving very slowly, and using food items that Sky likes to eat to help start to form a bond with her. When you start to move towards Sky, and there are no signs of avoidance (see above), then she gets a treat that she really likes. If she shows any signs of avoidance, then you just move away - you leaving may be her reward, and that is okay because you haven't pushed her so much that she feels like she needs to be desperate enough to bite. For training, you may want to start by asking her to step up using a stick or wooden dowel instead of your finger. This will be more safe for you, and may be more comfortable for Sky initially as well. There are videos online that give training tips as well - I would recommend searching for positive reinforcement videos as these tend to be very successful for birds. I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck with Sky!

Thanks for reaching out. The best way to train birds is through positive reinforcement. There is a good book title "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" that is a great starting point. Start slow as with offering treats by hand, but not forcing the issue. It does take time to win trust, so be persistent. Good luck.

Hand-feeding treats is actually the major way you can help to tame her. You /do/ want her to expect treats from you every time, because this teaches her that you are a positive thing to be around, instead of scary by chasing her with your hand or finger. So I highly recommend starting to hand-treat her or tossing a favorite treat every time you come by to visit. This can certainly help with bonding and positive experiences. In some cases, a bird may not bond very well with its owners, or may bond in other ways (singing, talking to you, dancing for you, etc). Even if she never decides to sit on your hand or cuddle, you can spend other ways bonding by playing with a toy, talking to her, offering treats, etc to let her know you enjoy being together.

It may be a simple preference. Some pets, birds included, have their favorites. You can try to gain her trust gradually, but be prepared for rejection. Start by simply sitting by the cage for ever increasing periods of time. Progress to placing you hand in the cage for ever increasing periods of time. Make no attempt to touch or hold her. End each session with a small reward or treat. Be patient and be consistent. If it makes you feel better, I have a parrot close to 30 years old that I have cared for since she was a chick. She will bite me any chance she gets. It's not just you.

Winning the trust of a scared bird can be difficult. The book "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" by Gary Gallerstein, is a great reference for behavioral training in birds. Continuing to offer treats by hand with slow, deliberate movements can help win trust. Good luck.