Prevention Training? Behavioral? Boundaries?

I just ordered the books that were suggested for Parrot training and behavior.

What are some common training or lack of training mistakes do new parronts make? I am curious to know if there are certain behaviors or things I should not be doing or allowing? I would much rather prevent bad habits or behaviors rather than try correcting them later.
I have read about not touching them on the lower back or under their wings because it promotes the hormonal and mate bonding. Are there other things that people do with their parrots that unknowingly could cause the same thing?

I have read on this forum to have boundaries. I know what boundaries are but could you give me some examples and how you deal with them? Right now Gollum is not allowed on my shoulder. The first day or two she tried relentlessly to climb up there but every single time, I took her off. If she got nippy, she went in the cage. After three days, she doesnt even try it anymore.

Newbsi said:

I just ordered the books that were suggested for Parrot training and behavior.

I have read on this forum to have boundaries. I know what boundaries are but could you give me some examples and how you deal with them? Right now Gollum is not allowed on my shoulder. The first day or two she tried relentlessly to climb up there but every single time, I took her off. If she got nippy, she went in the cage. After three days, she doesnt even try it anymore.

Click to expand...

That's a classic example of boundary setting right there, and you answered your own question. And that is how it's done.

Problem is, a lot of people aren't consistent with it, and then the bird gets mixed messages, and keeps trying.

Those people then just "give up" and say that the bird is "untrainable."

Then it ends up festering in a cage, and becomes cage bound, and that opens up a whole new set of bad behaviors.

Examples of inadvertently training a bird to engage in bad behaviors.

A bird that wants attention, but only gets it when it starts screaming.

Set the bird down, it screams. You pick it up again. Set the bird down. It screams. You pick it up again.

(Sometimes you train the bird. Other times the bird trains you.)

A bird that bites gets taken back to his cage. He's hungry or thirsty and wants to go back, but you don't realize it, so the bird bites you... and he goes back. (Thanks for that!) Once he's had a drink or a snack he wants to be with you again, so GUESS WHO STARTS SCREAMING... (and gets picked up.)

Those are two of the most common ones.

But humans generally learn very quickly. All you have to do is annoy them consistently with something they can't ignore, and you can usually get them to do what you want.

Humans are pretty trainable that way...

I may be kidding, but I'm not lying!!!

Birdman666 said:

A bird that bites gets taken back to his cage. He's hungry or thirsty and wants to go back, but you don't realize it, so the bird bites you... and he goes back. (Thanks for that!) Once he's had a drink or a snack he wants to be with you again, so GUESS WHO STARTS SCREAMING... (and gets picked up.)
!

Click to expand...

I just ignore the screaming. She is getting louder though. It is a hawk screech! As far as putting her in the cage when she gets nippy.... If I am leaving the room for what ever reason I will cage her. If I am staying in the room, I will set her down on a perch. If she keeps coming over to me being nippy, I will cage her. She usually only gets nippy if she is getting tired (best guess) and it isnt often. What should I do if she starts biting too hard or just gets nippy?

I try to anticipate bites, and either deflect the beak, or hold onto the beak with two fingers, and tell the bird "no biting" (if the bite has been prevented) or "that's too hard." (If I got nailed.)

However, Sennies are rather notorious for not giving you any clues before they get you.

Macaws and amazons are pretty predictable. You can tell just by lookin' at 'em most of the time. Sennies, not so much.

Thank you!

One of the things you do tend to get with Sennie's is territorialism...

And that is as much a train the humans thing as it is a train the birds thing.

"That's her favorite toy. If you touch it, she gets mad, and will go after you."

"She tends to be a little aggressive around her cage. You don't want to go sticking your fingers in her face if she's in her spot. She might bite you."

Birdman666 said:

Examples of inadvertently training a bird to engage in bad behaviors.

A bird that wants attention, but only gets it when it starts screaming.

Set the bird down, it screams. You pick it up again. Set the bird down. It screams. You pick it up again.

(Sometimes you train the bird. Other times the bird trains you.)

A bird that bites gets taken back to his cage. He's hungry or thirsty and wants to go back, but you don't realize it, so the bird bites you... and he goes back. (Thanks for that!) Once he's had a drink or a snack he wants to be with you again, so GUESS WHO STARTS SCREAMING... (and gets picked up.)

Those are two of the most common ones.

But humans generally learn very quickly. All you have to do is annoy them consistently with something they can't ignore, and you can usually get them to do what you want.

Humans are pretty trainable that way...

I may be kidding, but I'm not lying!!!

Click to expand...

Is it safe to say that the best way to train a bird not to bite is is ignore the bite completely? Without sitting him/her on a perch or back into the cage?

StephenAndKyleigh said:

Is it safe to say that the best way to train a bird not to bite is is ignore the bite completely? Without sitting him/her on a perch or back into the cage?

Click to expand...

I know you directed this question at our Mark, but I'll add my 2 cents, too:

NO! Do not ignore a bite. Do not pretend it's not happening. IMO if you don't react, the bird will never know he did something that is not tolerated/allowed. Show your displeasure.

The 'stink eye' and a firm 'knock it off' or 'no bite' etc will go a long way. (Stink eye = giving your bird the evil eye)

I agree most vigorously with Wendy! You should not have a big, dramatic production of a reaction, as histrionics such as a raised voice or jumping around might be perceived as amusing and prompt another bite. But you do have to make it clear that a bite is unacceptable.

This is accomplished by a firm, yet even, "no". (I have not yet mastered Wendy's patented "stink eye", but I'm working on it. Lol!) And a repeated offense, or a serious enough initial offense, should earn your fid a timeout.

Look at it this way. If a toddler was slapping you repeatedly in the face, would you just ignore it in the hopes he/she would spontaneously understand that it wasn't acceptable? No. Because the child doesn't yet know any better. He/she learns acceptable behavior from those who do.

Same goes for a parrot.

Here's a fairly short clip of Sam and I playing on the couch. At one point he 'grabbed' me a little too hard. You will undoubtedly hear the change of tone in my voice and notice Sam's reaction pretty much immediately.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_Te7EH1J2U"]Sam playing 2 - YouTube[/ame]

JerseyWendy said:

StephenAndKyleigh said:

Is it safe to say that the best way to train a bird not to bite is is ignore the bite completely? Without sitting him/her on a perch or back into the cage?

Click to expand...

I know you directed this question at our Mark, but I'll add my 2 cents, too:

NO! Do not ignore a bite. Do not pretend it's not happening. IMO if you don't react, the bird will never know he did something that is not tolerated/allowed. Show your displeasure.

The 'stink eye' and a firm 'knock it off' or 'no bite' etc will go a long way. (Stink eye = giving your bird the evil eye)

Click to expand...

Exactly.

What you don't do, is show fear of biting to a bird... they don't get their way/get an upper hand by biting.

You don't give them a high drama reward.

You immediately react, and immediately let the bird know he's done something wrong.

JerseyWendy said:

Here's a fairly short clip of Sam and I playing on the couch. At one point he 'grabbed' me a little too hard. You will undoubtedly hear the change of tone in my voice and notice Sam's reaction pretty much immediately.

Sam playing 2 - YouTube

Click to expand...

I want to know how you trained him to put himself in the corner after biting you, that's a neat trick, lol!