Flight training update

chris-md · Jan 12, 2017

I'm just beaming with pride! Today's session saw some big leaps in a short time. His first flight here is the biggest he's taken, in terms of wing flapping. This one was more than just a jump, a few wing flaps in there'

Also this was an accomplishment on terms of the distance between the perches (maybe 2 feet apart) and the biggest difference in height so far.

Lastly, "target" is no longer used. It's been fully replaced with "come" and "perch". "Come" is for going anywhere, "perch" is specifically used for leaving me. He is only treated when he returns to his perch.

To paraphrase Alicia keys, this boy is on fire!!

Yes the video is heavily edited to remove stretches of nonresponsiveness on his part, and a couple parts where I take a bit longer to get on with it. Cut over 2 minutes from it.

[ame="https://youtu.be/fLIx-B1r1fA"]Parker the parrot flight training update 3 - YouTube[/ame]

Kentuckienne · Jan 12, 2017

COOL! He's fledged!

chris-md · Jan 13, 2017

Lol 7 years late, but I'll take it

wrench13 · Jan 13, 2017

That is great Chris ! So I take it you have stopped harness training?

chris-md · Jan 13, 2017

Thanks Al. I've almost given up, yes. He gets his head through really easily. But the next step of working on the wings has proven to be perilous. Every session focusing on the wings has resulted in panicked tangling - and I'm talking simply moving my hand towards the back of the wing, not even touching it yet. I just don't have the fortitude to deal with these tangling events. I keep it together and calmly untangle him, but I'm beyond panicked inside. So I all but gave up a few months ago. Plus we were in the middle of repairs and moving so we had other things to focus on.

That said, your question is well timed, because I just pulled the harness out of its box on Monday to just kind of see what he remembers. Head went right through like old times, AND I was able to touch his wing no problem. Second try he resisted but he clearly looked like he wanted to take a chunk out of my hand...no wing touch there.

I might give it another go. The harness is sitting on the end table right now. So it's a good sign that I haven't put it back away yet.

wrench13 · Jan 13, 2017

Salty took like 5 steps back a few weeks ago, in one of your panicked tangling events. He was pretty calm about it, no frenzied squacking or wing flapping, he just waited calmly for me to un-tangle him. But the next night, Harness training? No thank you Dad. We are back to being good with it again, last nights session he put it on and took it off 5 times, but still no wings thru the loops. I have to shave down the little buckle because its very hard to adjust it once it is on him. The one video I watched had the demonstrator easily adjust the wing straps once the head loop is on. Like ' Oh see how easy it is, once you get the head thru the head loop." I claim BS. That buckle needs some muscle to adjust the straps; not the free flowing movements that inspiire confidence in parrots. I could, maybe , force his wings thru but I would like it to be a calm process. You are doing really well with Parkers flight training though.

SailBoat · Jan 13, 2017

chris-md said:
I'm just beaming with pride! Today's session saw some big leaps in a short time. His first flight here is the biggest he's taken, in terms of wing flapping. This one was more than just a jump, a few wing flaps in there'

Also this was an accomplishment on terms of the distance between the perches (maybe 2 feet apart) and the biggest difference in height so far.

Lastly, "target" is no longer used. It's been fully replaced with "come" and "perch". "Come" is for going anywhere, "perch" is specifically used for leaving me. He is only treated when he returns to his perch.

To paraphrase Alicia keys, this boy is on fire!!

Yes the video is heavily edited to remove stretches of nonresponsiveness on his part, and a couple parts where I take a bit longer to get on with it. Cut over 2 minutes from it.

[ame="https://youtu.be/fLIx-B1r1fA"]Parker the parrot flight training update 3 - YouTube[/ame][/QUOTE

This Boy Is On Fire!!! That clearly explains the 'heartwarming' feeling that I feel when seeing your video!

Really Great Work!!!

OutlawedSpirit · Jan 13, 2017

This is great! I'm so happy to see Parker doing so well.

chris-md · Jan 13, 2017

Thanks sailboat and outlaw!

Flight training update

chris-md

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chris-md

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Another big flight training step for Parker!!

Should I return to clicker conditioning?

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