WingDing
Well-known member
I've had plenty of trouble target training our eclectus, Toby. Within a few repetitions, he gets worked up and growls after he gets the treat. When he does, I say "no" and put the training stick and treats away. No more treats for a while. After a 5 minute break, I come back and try again. That has worked for the past week. He would stop his growling and aggressive maneuvers (bobbing his head, marching back and forth). Then I give him about 3 reps and end the training before he has a chance to start the undesired behavior.
That routine has worked for the past week, but now he is back to being aggressive right from the start. He touches the stick without biting, he snatches the almond from my fingers but then growls, bobs his head and tries to scare my hand away.
Any thoughts about a strategy for this?
I should mention that he's been pretty hormonal the last few weeks. That may have a lot, maybe everything, to do with it. But we haven't been training since last fall when the hormones flared. He was a bit of a terror last year and I still have PTSD (Parrot Terror Stress Disorder).
That routine has worked for the past week, but now he is back to being aggressive right from the start. He touches the stick without biting, he snatches the almond from my fingers but then growls, bobs his head and tries to scare my hand away.
Any thoughts about a strategy for this?
I should mention that he's been pretty hormonal the last few weeks. That may have a lot, maybe everything, to do with it. But we haven't been training since last fall when the hormones flared. He was a bit of a terror last year and I still have PTSD (Parrot Terror Stress Disorder).