Kiwibird
Well-known member
- Jul 12, 2012
- 9,539
- 111
- Parrots
- 1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
So Kiwi and I both had a first tonight-remidal parrot training and now I'm kind of confused I spent quite literally my entire day researching the matter, and there's really nothing out there about what to do with such a unique specimen of a parrot as Mr. Kiwi.
I decided to start with target training using a knitting needle, since he's not too familiar with those. Hoping he might remember the coffee table as a "learning" area from when we did step up drills when we got him, I plopped him down and gave it a go. I'm kind of unclear how it went:20: The first thing he did was run over to me and lift up his foot (apparently he DID remember). Once I had his attention, he was super interested in the knitting needle and REALLY wanted to play with it. I tried to tell him "touch" and give him praise and a treat when he did. He chased the knitting needle all over the table, and I gave him a treat each time he touched it "on command". I'm not sure if he was actually understanding though:52: He may have just thought he was a doubly lucky bird tonight to get to play with one of mommy's toys AND get treats:20:. O well, I'll try it daily over the next week or so and see if I can tell if he's just goofing off and getting free treats or if something is actually firing up in that feathery head of his. If nothing else, at least I learned an activity with him-chasing a knitting needle around the coffee table. It wouldn't be the first weird thing he likes doing. This is the crazy bird that MUST sit next to me whilst I do dishes just so he can put his beak on every clean plate, bowl and cup before I place them in the dish rack and only speaks when he's taking a shower with you:30:
I decided to start with target training using a knitting needle, since he's not too familiar with those. Hoping he might remember the coffee table as a "learning" area from when we did step up drills when we got him, I plopped him down and gave it a go. I'm kind of unclear how it went:20: The first thing he did was run over to me and lift up his foot (apparently he DID remember). Once I had his attention, he was super interested in the knitting needle and REALLY wanted to play with it. I tried to tell him "touch" and give him praise and a treat when he did. He chased the knitting needle all over the table, and I gave him a treat each time he touched it "on command". I'm not sure if he was actually understanding though:52: He may have just thought he was a doubly lucky bird tonight to get to play with one of mommy's toys AND get treats:20:. O well, I'll try it daily over the next week or so and see if I can tell if he's just goofing off and getting free treats or if something is actually firing up in that feathery head of his. If nothing else, at least I learned an activity with him-chasing a knitting needle around the coffee table. It wouldn't be the first weird thing he likes doing. This is the crazy bird that MUST sit next to me whilst I do dishes just so he can put his beak on every clean plate, bowl and cup before I place them in the dish rack and only speaks when he's taking a shower with you:30: