Will a fake hand in the cage help tame a wild bird?

[scottischicken]

Will placing a fake wooden hand in the cage help tame a wild aviary bird (parakeet, cockatiel, etc) to be less afraid of people's hands and fingers? Has anybody tried this before and did it work or not?

 

[GodLovesU]

Maybe?It would smell different from and be a different temperature than a real hand.

 

[scottischicken]

Update: I mounted two hands in the cage and the red rumped parakeet got used to it but when I placed my own hand in the cage the bird got scared. It seems using a fake hand won’t work. Oh well. At least I tried. I also hope this experiment will help others.

 

[Squawkers]

That’s very interesting! I have wondered this myself before. When you put you hand in the cage can it see you? I wonder if you put up a blanket around the cage and then stuck your hand through (after it got used to the blanket) if it would still act scared?

 

[CHlCKEN]

Creative. You may just need to get the bird you used to your real hand, though. Give treats from it.

 

[Squawkers]

Creative. You may just need to get the bird you used to your real hand, though. Give treats from it.

If the bird will take treats from an actual had. If it’s very scared of a hand it won’t.

 

[Squawkers]

Maybe try to find a more realistic fake hand. Those are pretty cheesy

 

[CHlCKEN]

If it’s very scared of a hand it won’t.

Yes the entire purpose of doing so is to get them used to it.

 

[Squawkers]

Yes the entire purpose of doing so is to get them used to it.

I know, but realistically how long is the person gonna stand there with food in his/her hand? I have tamed a feral cat and wild squirrels. It was two years before the cat would eat out of my hand and three before I could pet it. I don’t remember how long it took the squirrels to eat out of my hand (I was pretty little) but I know it was at least year. I don’t know how tame the bird already is. I doubt that it is as wild as feral cats and squirrels, but I think it would probably take a long time before it ate out of your hand. I think a better approach is just being in the same room as the cage as much as you can.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

The most effective way to "tame" a bird is to build a bond with it. Your bird can't/won't bond with a fake hand and transfer that trust to you.
Took me six months of patience before my parent raised aviary bird would even accept treats from me. But taking time and doing it slowly will contribute to a stronger bond. You're not pushing the bird's boundaries and causing fear and negative associations cause you're doing it at their pace.
Are you aware Grass 'keets tend to be a more "hands off" species of parrot? They do not normally "tame" like, say a Conure, would.