Anyone ever "grab" their birds?

[Jessica]

Stino will let me grab him and it's our nightly ritual that I chase him until he finally sits in a certain spot. I scoop him up and it's time for kisses and preening before going in the cage. It took a few years to gain his total trust but now that I have it I can hold him in any positon. It's amazing to have such a little guy trust you so much.

[Pips mom]

I grab Pip a couple of times a day! Someone said it traumatizes them?? I highly doubt that with Pip! Not much phases him! He doesn't seem to mind us picking him like this much at all.....especially considering he hates being held and hands! I think maybe it's the restraint he hates, not so much us handling him. Sometimes he'll sit there in my hand calmly, almost like he likes the attention.....just not the holding him down from doing what he wants! So I think he has mixed emotions about the whole thing! and he hardly ever bites when I do this either. If he does, it's just a nibble!

[personatus]

I pick all my birds up when I need to inspect them or sex them, thats all. None are tame though except 2 who step up. The birds do get used to been held, and I do keep the head between the fingers to stop them biting. They struggle a bit but soon get used to it. I can now hold all of them with little or no struggle at all.

[Enko_chan]

Stormy's Mom-

take this advice with a grain of salt, because it is from me and not the experts...

but when Odinn is really in a mood and refuses to go home, I will "sneak" up on him (he obviously sees me coming- but my movement is slow and deliberate) with my hands wrapped up- entirely hidden- in a light cloth, and throw it around all but his head. When he is READY to go home, and is just too far away, he allows me to pick him up without a problem... but when he is bent on staying out of the cage, and he has to go home, I will wrap him up in a towel and he does not struggle. In fact, he'll just look at me with a mischievous expression while I plop him back in the cage.

[dieflying]

Pip's mom made me laugh - not much phases him!

Kath is like that too. My husband grabs Kath all the time, then swings her around so her little head is poking downward. She twists and turns, but as soon as you put her down, she comes running back up to you like she wants more "rides".