Training: Patience vs. Excitement.

So with more and more visits were getting really anxious about bringing the baby home, it's amazing how fast he is feathering- I'm so happy to have picked such a young baby to enjoy watching him grow. Developing a bond in the three visits has us both talking solely about the day he comes home... Anywho back to topic:

I know that without the birds Trust you have nothing, so after we have established a trusting relationship between Nick, the baby and I...when can we start training? What should we start first? We want to clicker train him some basic things like Touch training, a few tricks, potty train, and -if he's up to it- a few tunes.. But I don't want to overwhelm him. I understand he is a baby and not a circus chimp. And I will accomplish everything in time.. But what is more vital to learn first, or "easiest" for them to catch on to?

I've read about the shorter attention spans because they're so crazy for play, and our dogs are clicker trained so I know the basics of doing so. But (in time) what are small tricks? And the whole music/singing/vocalizing thing- I'm not pressuring that, but I can't whistle for my life, and (whether he knows it or not) nick can't either :54:, so unless I find it online and play it 100 times a day how does he learn it?

I'm so antsy! Debbie said she was going to start teaching them to step up in the next few days and this baby is eager to learn! He was stepping up like crazy! finger to finger my hand to Nicks hand, he was really on the move!

Training can be started from day one, and if you have an eager and friendly bird, then it's all the more reason to start asap! If the bird is shy and afraid, then give the bird a short while to settle in before you start it.

I know many people are against tricks because they think it's about making parrots into "robots" to do as we say and makes them "unparrot" like... parrots don't do "tricks" in the wild... or that you must starve a parrot in order to train them... or some other false belief... but training them is a form of communication, it helps to build a proper bond, stimulates their brains, and teaches them acceptable behaviors to do over bad behaviors. Since caiques are very high energy birds that supposedly get aggressive with age, the more you teach the better you will probably be off once your caique goes through maturity!