Off-Contact Transportation
I am a firm believer of teaching your bird “off contact” ways of transportation. My favorite is a towel folded and wrapped around my arm so I can hold their feet, but this also includes perches or sticks, flight or walks back to their cages or stands, and other methods. I really believe in this because it offers bird and human safety when the bird just isn’t having it.
In theory, your bird should step up no matter what when you ask. But, the reality is stuff happens. Your bird could be feeling more aggressive or defensive in the moment and you need to get them out of that situation. Or maybe someone is watching your birds that isn’t confident handling them.
Having your bird step up not on you allows flexibility in being able to handle your bird, no matter how friendly it is. It gives owners confidence in situations that are less than ideal.
I know within my flock being mostly birds with a previous, extensive bite history and history with severe aggression and lack of socialization, I wouldn’t be able to work with birds like Crazy and Ringo because my hand would get tore up. It allows me to move them somewhere safe while I service their cage, to get them out, and sometimes to simply train them. All are vital care, so avoiding it is not an option.
This can also help birds gain confidence stepping up into anything. This is incredibly important for their confidence and flexibility; it makes for a better rounded bird. It can also desensitize the towel if you use that method.
Training the step up onto the off-contact method you use is incredibly important because you want the bird to be very comfortable stepping up on it, like they are your arm. The object needs to be desensitized and then the bird is taught not through force to step up. Treat the off contact object how you would stepping up your bird to your arm. Don’t force because you know a bite won’t affect you. Don’t scare the bird. Yeah it properly and you’ll have all the benefits!
Bites WILL happen if you own a bird, no matter how much choice the bird has, the amount of training you do, etc. But we can lessen it with this method