How to teach a young emu to stop pecking so HARD?!?

[Jersey Girl]

Have just got a 2 month old hand raised emu that needed to be rehomed (my first). Very friendly, fits in with us, dog, horses, chickens etc, but her "inquisitive" pecking is too hard. I dont' like it, and I can't expect my nice dog to be patient forever with hard face pecks. No, they're not aggresive, just too much, and feel it needs to be nipped in the bud, so to speak, before she gets bigger and stronger. I don't want to "peck" back because that seems to escalate the situation. Squirt bottles have been suggested and I've tried them a bit, works ok around me but my dog doesn't know how to work one... Any advice??

 

[ES Emus]

ummm... that's what emus do...

 

[Haida]

I knooow what you mean! They are like sharks, they need to put things in their mouths to figure it out. THEY LOVE MY FINGERNAILS and they aren't even painted!!!

I wondered the same thing, though, because one of my girls has been oogling my eyes and glasses and I don't want to lose an eye or anything... she got me on the cheek once and I said that was enough. So I started seeing what would work. What I found was... you have to stop that stare they get right before they peck something. You know, how they zero in, stare for a second, then peck?

When your emu starts zeroing in, take your hand and hold it way above her head (without coming into her field of vision) and gently pet her head backwards and touch her beak. If you did it right, she'll pull her neck back, like "what just happened?!" And I mean gently, don't slap her or anything.

I also don't let my doggie in the pen with them... they don't understand doggie body language much, and despite the fact my dog is great around our chickens and turkeys, the emus haaaave to investigate him and it terrifies him. So I just avoid all of that. I dunno, I hope this helps, this is what's worked for me.

Oh, and you have to do this every time... I don't think you can train them not to peck things to death, lol.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Things seem a little better, ummmm, I know they peck but would think if they were constantly pecking eyes out people wouldn't be quite as enthusiastic about having them..? Dunno, still trying to figure it out, just trying to give this emu a better home than where she came from. She was hand-raised, in the house, and gets very frustrated when I kick her out of the house. She is very bonded to the dog though and they actually seem to be pretty good buds now, saw them sleeping together this evening.

 

[Ellamumu]

The pecking gets better as they get older and more used to everything. My adult bird only pecks at new things that he hasn't seen before, and he never tries to bite my face or skin. He will try to get my ponytail elastic and anything in my back pocket every time though lol

 

[briefvisit]

I love this community! Here's me, struggling to get a glimpse of a wild bird disappearing into the rain and mist, while you guys have to worry about emus that don't wanna go outside.

Eric and Mrs. Noo-Eric still here. Saw Sassybird the other day. No sign of Felicity yet. And another pair have been drifting about. The house-clearing is emerald green, and it's raining.

SE

 

[moonjelly]

I'm surprised she's getting better. It does seem to be "just what they do". It's how they explore their environment. I just let them peck me, things, other animals, etc. It's just part of owning them and I'm definitely enthusiastic about it.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Well that's all interesting. This emu possibly hasn't yet learned to modulate her exploratory pecking. Am wondering about this hand-raising, seems to create very clingy animals, as this one can't stand to be apart from either me or the dog, cries like crazy if seperated. Assuming they get over this as they get older...?

 

[Ellamumu]

My boys are adults now and as soon as they see my car coming down the road they run along the fence line to beat me to the barn, and once I'm in they are all over me getting hugs and neck kisses. So no they always want to be with you, thats what makes them awesome!

 

[Jersey Girl]

Do they follow you into the house?