*squeeeeeeeeal!*

[xraygirl]

Ok I'm seriously trying to contain my excitement!!!! So the last few days chief has come to the front branch of his cage, which is odd for him, when it's feeding time. Then the other morning he was on the same branch but only on his back feet and his front feet were all outward like he 'wanted out'... But I knew if I approached him he'd probably shy away.

Yesterday I was running some weak bleach/soapy water through his sink to rinse through, cleaning his dirty bucket and his clean water bucket. When I opened the cage to run some water over the bottom white board thing, he came right to the front again, all curious and cute like. So slowly, I put everything down, and slowly put my hands to him, but held my hand in the same form as I held his worms, crickets, etc... And he slowly put one foot on.... Then another... Then another!! Didn't get all 4 on there but I'm so ecstatic! When I had to switch hands I did the same thing, and just eased under his feet and he calmly switched over.... I tried to encourage that last back foot, but he lifted his head a little bit and seems just a teensy bit unsure. So I moved my hand to the side a little bit towards his branch and he very calmly climbed back onto his branch and sat there!!!!!!!!! All the other times I've held him he wasn't keen on it and once back to his cage, he'd lunge to his branch and scurry to the back. I haven't touched him in weeks now, hoping this would happen!!!!


Baby steps!! the picture is how he's been sitting on the branch a few days, usually his his front feet going in every which direction

Oh and his gular edema has been going down thanks to some repashy rescuecal

 

[absolutbill]

Congrats - that's such an awesome feeling isn't it? Keep it up, and he'll get that fourth foot on you in no time!

 

[Psychobunny]

That's a great feeling, you are almost there

He is still a little apprehensive, hence only putting 3 feet on your hand
and one safely clinging to something.
Next, he may get all 4 feet on your hand, and wrap his tail on something.

When he gets on your hand, make sure to "reward" him somehow, food, or
free range, so he can associate you with something good!!

Before you know it, he will be running up your arm and begging to come out

 

[xraygirl]

That's my next area of questions... I want to set him up a temporary free range.. Temporary meaning I'd love to hang some extra Pothos plants in with my vanda orchids in my bathroom and let him play in there... But I don't think we will be getting there right now. I'm thinking that when he does fully get on my hand, that if I start to move away from his cage, he might get panicky because my 'orchid greenhouse/bathroom is on the other side of the room I'm trying to find a big ficus to put right next to his cage, and maybe attach a 'bridge' to it from his cage to the tree.

We're in a rental house so I can't hang a Pothos near his cage without putting a hook in the ceiling or bringing something in (living room is a bit crowded) to hang it on (maybe someone has a suggestion??)

I'm thinking if I get a big ficus/umbrella plant that he will quickly associate that coming out of his cage means going to a tree to roam around on. I can do baby steps by maybe moving the tree a little more across the room so that when he is on my hand, that my walking distance will increase little by little... And when we make it to the tree, he will get to free roam!

What do yall think?

 

[NitroRoo]

that is so awesome. Mine seems to occasionally feel ok about getting on my hand, and other times doesn't want anything to do with me. I've been hand feeding her a lot lately and that seems to be helping.

 

[Lathelia]

Congats! That's the best feeling ever

 

[broderp]

I can relate to this too. My guy went thru this stage with first one foot, then two....then all feet with the tail holding onto something...

He was use to us very fast though, took only a week or so. Now he come to front of his terrarium and "washes the windows" to let us know he want's out. If I open the door, he comes out right away and up the arm he goes.

Here he is at the bottom on the terrarium, "window washing" to request some out of the enclosure play time. (AKA, climb on me)

You gotta love those cool little feet.

 

[xraygirl]

Lol give him a little paper towel and tell him to clean the glass!! so cute!!

 

[Denverbug]

My boy loves free range but won't get close to me so I put a giant split leaf plant in front of his cage and put a ladder across for him he will hand feed and has used my hand as a bridge once wich was also very cool however I usually have to coax him back on his ladder to get him back in his cage and this can sometimes take quite a while