My new baby Kiwi

[Josi1010]

Hi! That's a good tip! I'm going to try that! Thanks!

[subodhhire]

Hi Josi,

Yes try that too. Its a very good suggestion.

Subodh

[Skyes_crew]

Your welcome!

[Josi1010]

Hi again guys! Hope you didn't forget about me! haha just kidding...I would like to give you some update.

Well, I tried the almond and cashew nuts with Kiwi but it wasn't working, he would take the nuts but then drop them on the bottom of the cage. Maybe because they weren't his favorite, or maybe because I was in the room with him. Well, this thursday the vet came to my place to clip his other wing and make them even. When he did it, I observed while he held him (after he clipped it), and noticed that Kiwi really isn't agressive or anything like that. He wouldn't freak out and run away either, so I thought "well, it may not be that hard after all". Yesterday, as it was a holiday and I stayed the whole afternoon at home, I decided to take him out of his cage for the first time. But I didn't use the towel method and didn't let him out of the cage by himself. As I saw the vet, I gently took him with my hands and put him on the floor right away, so he wouldn't feel trapped or anything, he could feel free. And that's where I left him (in my bedroom, with door and window closed) for a couple of hours, by himself, just getting to know the place by himself, and he wasn't scared at all (at least he didn't look like). I started to watch tv, but always checking on him to see how and where he was. After these couple of hours, I decided to give him some food. I tried giving him a piece of apple and some nuts, but he wouldn't come, so I just left his can of food next to him and he went there all alone while I watched him, but he is a bit heavier than the can, so it turned over and he spread his food all over the floos I just laughed because it was really sweet Anyway, I left him again for some other minutes and then I started to approach him. Of course, as it was his first day out, he wouldn't come near me because he was like "who are you, what do you want from me?" so I started using one of his perches, that I took out of his cage. He was really into my books! He wanted to climb them all the time then I started using my own hands (I was wearing a glove as an advice from the vet, at least for starters). He would show no fright whatsoever! I already knew that because I saw how it happened with the vet, so I thought I might give it a try, and it worked he really showed me that in a few months he can get used to my hands very well, he didn't try to bite me or to any harm to me at all! Then I put him on my table because he is such an adventurer haha, but the place he really liked the most was on top of my tv! He felt like he was on one of his perches, really sweet!
Here's a picture of him on his new "perch"

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/4858 ... 180636.jpg

Well, I watched some tv while he was just hanging there, he was almost sleeping haha, now I call him my "tv buddy"

Today I took him out of his cage again and made a small video so you guys can see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvjSnZ2- ... re=mh_lolz

He came really close to my face and would show no fear at all, he would go to my lap, my left arm, even my shoulder! Of course, he wasn't planning on staying on each of these places for too long, but I'm just trying to approach him a little bit more everytime and then let him be free to not feel any kind of pressure.

Right now he is grinding his beak, such a sweet sound!
I'm sorry for the extremely long post, it's just that it has been a few days since I don't post

[subodhhire]

Hi Josi,

I had just started to wonder what happened with you and Kiwi and why you havent given an update yet.

I would like to congratulate you on your progress. From what i have seen in the video, It seems you have done huge progress with Kiwi. Just stop wearing those gloves now. I dont think Kiwi will bite you at all. Let him know for sure that your hand is a safe place to perch on.

Subodh

[Josi1010]

Hi Subodh!

I'm really really happy with my baby's progress! I'm more than patient and I have a lot of fun watching him thankfully it won't be a problem for me as it is for other people, like Koko, unfortunately

Well, about the gloves, the vet recommended me to use them only at the beginning, since I have only used them twice. It is just because when Kiwi perches on my hands, he takes a bite, but not an agressive bite like "get away from me", a normal bite so he can perch on, but it's kind of a strong bite, you know? So I was wondering if that will change with time, because I tried using only one glove and he "bit" my other hand and it hurt a little bit.

[Skyes_crew]

Hi Josi,

Sounds like all is going well. It takes some time for an IRN to get past the fear of hands. What I found worked for mine was ignoring her completely. I would sit in my recliner with her and I would sit on my hands. After about a week of that, I moved my hands to right beside my legs. Then a week later to the arms of the chair. I would let her crawl all over me at her own pace exploring and I would ignore her. But IRN's are very curious and can't help themselves to explore lol. She would walk over and nibble my fingers, but because she didn't see my hands as a threat she didn't bite. Over time I just moved my hands closer and closer to a natural position. Then when she was used to my hands I would sit with my hand in the position I would use to have her step up. When she did it on her own, I would look at her and say step up and then look away. All without moving an inch. She still uses her beak to balance when stepping up, but she is super gentle about it now. It just takes a lot of patience. You are definitely heading in the right direction

[Fidgit_Green]

hi there,
i am new to this site as i am newly owned my a young male irn.

i have read through this whole post and have noticed one thing that may be
of some help to josi.

i do not know what you are feeding kiwi for his normal every day food, but can i assume that
you do not feed him a large amount of apple for his breakfast?

considering that the whole process of giving him the nuts is to find out what he likes and to then
help him understand the difference between a treat and his normal food,
perhaps you could not put any apple in his food (if you do), and start using the apple as a treat
because it is obvious that he really likes the apple if he will be brave enough to take it from your hands.
so once kiwi then understands the difference of a treat and has become more comfortable with you, and with you feeding him from your hands he them might be more willing to try new things like the nut because he would have more trust in you an know that what you give him is safe and good to eat.
and hopefully then he will be alot more accepting of new things when he knows that its nothing to be afraid of, and you can go back to giving him his apple as an every day food.

i wish you the best of luck with young kiwi especially because i am a kiwi myself.