Establishing some "rules and manners"

[Von1983]

As delighted as I am with Cally Bean feeling like she wants to spend time with me and be involved in whatever I'm doing, I am at the stage where I want to establish a little bit of "space understanding" lol.

Cal loves to be with me while I do everything in out of cage time. This isn't a problem as I love to spend time with her, but unfortunately, she can't have free reign of the house. I want to harness train her so she can come into rooms with the other animals safely, but feel that a few established "rules" in our relationship are needed first.

She steps up and down without question and will come when you call her. the only problem is, so much is her love (it breaks me to do this but it needs to be done!!) that I can't eat my dinner without her "helping" with the fork and knife lol and it's getting increasingly difficult for either Dave or I to leave the room together. She literally blocks the door by standing on top of it. It's either one or the other of us who can eventually leave if the other one entertains Cal.

I have found this information during my search and most of it, or at least the general basis of each "step" seems to be good.

I genuinely don't wish to offend anyone with clipped birds by posting this, but I'd really like to know what you think of the training section. I know some birds really do need to be clipped for many reasons!

It drew my eye because it is indeed for flighted birds and as Cal, thankfully has had no problems in this arena, I'd like to keep her flighted for training. She responds very well to game playing etc so I think these methods, if made fun as well as firm will be really enjoyable for her.

I welcome absolutely any comments. A different approach? Flaws in the guide? I trust you all and value the information you have all given throughout the forum greatly, so am itching for your knowledge on this subject!

Obedience training for flighted parrots

 

[Aussie Ben]

Thanks for the link Von, I will have to go and read it when I have a lengthy period of free time.

I can completely level with you on this matter, I too need to teach my birds a few manners. Buddy's not so bad, but Eddie wants to be everywhere and sometimes this can be quite a problem. LOL, they drive us mad huh?

 

[Von1983]

heh, yep I think it could go that way! The men in white coats are only round the corner at the best of times!!!

If I repeatedly take Cal OFF something and reinforce it with words, she knows not to go there anymore. EG: radiator, tv,my face....

But I wanted something it bit more "all purpose". Trying to get her away from the door to let us out doesn't work in the same manner as above, so......

 

[Aussie Ben]

HAHA, I just have this funny image in my head of Cal barricading the door to keep you two from leaving. lol

 

[Ladyeclectic]

The rules as stated in the article seem very reasonable to me. My goal is to have Mishka be fully flighted (unfortunately I'm keeping her clipped during the training phase though) and I think the suggestions in the link sound logical. Much of it seems common sense too although I don't think I saw anything about a recall word.

But I have to say I laughed at the image of Cal barring the door to keep you two from leaving! She seems like a little ball of fuzzy joy, and seems to know her own cuteness!

 

[Von1983]

LOL yes, I can imagine that the image of a thus far 10 inch sun conure preventing two adult humans doing anything is hilarious. Not so when you're dying for the bathroom though, I can vouch for that! The indignance on her face though....you can't help but giggle.

I thought it was a good guideline to start from lady. I think I would vary the commands slightly but thankfully all you need to do is say: Come on Cal or Cal here and she comes.

I was just wondering if anyone thought there was anything better or that they could add, really.

I see these parrots in the pet shop and they literally just sit on their perch outside of the cage all day except to go in for food etc. I don't want that for Cal, but I wonder....how do they DO that??

 

[Spiritbird]

A speaker at my bird club was talking about clipped vs. flighted. I have put this in the forum before so forgive me if you have read this. He said that keeping a bird flighted is like giving your teenage son the keys to dad's corvette on a Sat. night as far as personality goes. I found this to be true with Rosie when she was flighted for 2 months.

 

[Aussie Ben]

I see these parrots in the pet shop and they literally just sit on their perch outside of the cage all day except to go in for food etc. I don't want that for Cal, but I wonder....how do they DO that??

Sorry I still haven't read it in full, but I had that exact same thought come into my head today. I went into a pet shop looking for cages and there was this galah sitting in his cage out front (not in the best conditions, but passable). He couldn't care less about the people walking past, poking the cage, starring at him and I thought....How?!

I have a suspicion and this is a complete blue sky sort of idea. Maybe they just aren't 'companion' parrots, thus they don't have that craving to be on people 24/7? Just a guess. Once they are adopted and given the attention they deserve and spoiled rotten, then they start becoming more confident and adventurous seem feasible? OR maybe they are just so used to people being near them, that they don't care anymore. . I seriously doubt the pet shops go to any lengths to train/tame the birds. If they did, then the cages would be in better condition .

 

[Aussie Ben]

A speaker at my bird club was talking about clipped vs. flighted. I have put this in the forum before so forgive me if you have read this. He said that keeping a bird flighted is like giving your teenage son the keys to dad's corvette on a Sat. night as far as personality goes. I found this to be true with Rosie when she was flighted for 2 months.

lol, I can definitely relate to that. Eddie is like a corvette running on red bull when he gets going lol. But yea, it does give them freedom to do what they want a little more, its just a matter of controlling it. This is definitely easier said than done. I have considered clipping Eddie in the past once or twice to make things a little simpler. But I feel I would only be clipping him for my sake, not for his. Eddie has grown up flying and I wouldn't want to take it away from him, it is just a part of him now . If it were a safety concern, I would clip him, but I feel wrong doing it unless its of any benefit to him. Different story for birds who have always been clipped.

 

[Von1983]

It's such a mixed review SB, isn't it?


"The great debate of to clip? Or not to clip?" lol.

I think all any of us can do is be open minded & do what's best for our own fids. If I thought for one second Cal's safety was in compromise due to her being flighted, I would take her to be clipped in an instant.

lol Ben....I have no idea at all. The one's I've seen have been in great cages etc but I'm guessing you're right, they're bonded to noone. =[

Still, the ones I saw most recently were talkative so I suppose they're happy to an extent.

In the pet shop up the road they have a TAG. He has a massive cage and it's a family run business (I can't agree with the teeny cages they keep the for sale birds in though...gah) but he is in the shop 24/7. He never comes out and literally never leaves his cage. The woman voluntarily told me this when I asked if he was for sale. She also said he was a "pain in the backside". I wonder why?

 

[Ladyeclectic]

In the pet shop up the road they have a TAG. He has a massive cage and it's a family run business (I can't agree with the teeny cages they keep the for sale birds in though...gah) but he is in the shop 24/7. He never comes out and literally never leaves his cage. The woman voluntarily told me this when I asked if he was for sale. She also said he was a "pain in the backside". I wonder why?

Why on earth would a bird like that be a "pain in the backside"? Unless they're expecting it to love them without them putting in any effort. Poor baby, wonder how long he's been in that situation.... *sigh*

 

[Von1983]

He's 7 or 8 the woman said. They bought him about 4 yrs ago.

He was bought to be sold but then her Mum who also works there "fell in love". Not so much that she takes him home at night it appears.

If I had an endless pot of money I would genuinely say: Name your price. Because in this situation, I don't think that the bird is truly viewed as he should. More of a status "object." I could have it completely wrong but I don't think so, really.