Most of you know the story now of our little bird (for those of you who don't, I rescued him in the park one day and adopted him) and that we've been trying to train him to trust us. Well, today was a big day: Elvis chose to get on my finger and let me touch him!
Two weeks ago we started taking his food away at night and calling out to him when we put it back in the morning (the idea being he thinks we bring him treats and we train him to associate certain calls with food so he'll return when called). Then I started teaching him to step up onto a familiar stick (though lately he's just been pushing it away when I bring it near him). Next I started getting him to eat from my hand by offering him treats in the morning before I set out his food. And tonight I offered my finger when I came home and he didn't even try to bite (though he did nibble a bit as a test)!
I'm so proud of my bird training skills and how far he is coming! He even ate the fresh food I left him for the first time today! He ate cucumber, tomato, carrot and lettuce (leftover from a salad I made). I feel like the bird whisperer!
When I got him on my finger I started yelling at Jeremy to go get the phone and take a picture so here's the evidence! Elvis is in my hand, nearly domesticated! What a sweet bird!
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