Seeking Advice for Training My First Bird

[lochnessa33]

Hi everyone,

About three months ago, a beautiful bird unexpectedly flew onto my dad’s head while he was outside talking to a neighbor. My parents managed to get her inside by showing her some food, and ever since, she’s been a part of our family. Even though my parents were the ones to catch her initially, she’s bonded closely with me. She spends her days with me, sleeps near me at night, and her favorite spots are my shoulders or head.

Here’s where I could use some advice:
I’m trying to teach her to "step up." She will do it willingly when she’s in unfamiliar territory (like if she’s flown to a place she’s not used to or ended up on the floor), but if she’s just out and about, she refuses. She’ll even shake her head and sometimes make a noise. Occasionally, she’ll attempt to nip (she doesn’t really bite hard unless I’m too persistent), but I’ve learned to read her cues pretty well and back off when necessary.

I feel like I may have started backwards, as most people teach their birds to "step up" first and then introduce petting and perching on shoulders. With her, I did the opposite. I’d love to get her comfortable with stepping up consistently. She’s also become quite territorial with anything in her surroundings, which I’m not sure is normal or not.

My goal is to work towards flight training and build her confidence to come to me on command. But for now, I’d love any tips or suggestions on improving her "step up" behavior and any advice on dealing with her territorial tendencies.

Am I rushing things? Should I just be happy with the progress so far and take it slow? I’ve never had a bird before, so I want to make sure I’m doing things right!

Thanks in advance for any help!

P.S. Last week, she slept with her neck back and one foot up for the first time, but she hasn’t done it again since then. Does anyone know what this could mean or give me a rough idea of how old she might be? My mom mentioned something about her transitioning into adulthood.

 

[GaleriaGila]

What a beauty. A Parrotlet, I think?
Just some ideas...

Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

Parrots rarely bite each other, because they convey their feelings beforehand or fly off to avoid physical contact. If it feels cornered and frighten then need to bite will be from the natural instinct of self -preservation. The cage is the Parrot safe haven and any attempt to enter, add or...

www.parrotforums.com

General Parrot Information

Post here for general parrot related topics

www.parrotforums.com

http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2012...n-parrots.html

Certified Avian Vets

Find an ABVP Specialist - American Board of Veterinary Practitioners

Find a Specialist ABVP Diplomates have proven knowledge and expertise above and beyond what is required to practice veterinary medicine. Beyond that, they have earned the privilege to specialize in the treatment of one or more categories of animals. Diplomates are in 49 of the 50 US states...

abvp.com

If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians

http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803

In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
International contacts, too.
If none are near you, maybe you could call and ask for a recommendation for somebody in your area.
And... sometimes, distant vets will offer brief thoughts or advice...

What's the diet? That's critical for health. Too many are kept on seeds or other poor-nutrition things. They need veggies, legumes, grains... pellets are a good staple. Here's what I use.

HARRISON’S BIRD FOODS – CERTIFIED ORGANIC BIRD FOOD

See what's new at Harrison's Bird Foods: Certified organic, non-GMO diets for birds. Nutritionally complete for all life stages.

www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com

I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.

Since you're a new parront, I'll just drop a note about avoiding teflon pans, which can be lethal to birds if overheated.

I'm glad you're here. Lots to learn and share and enjoy!

 

[wrench13]

I agree, thats a parrotlet, not a lovebird. THey are like miniature Amazon parrots in temperament and like a LOT of tiny parrots, think they are macaws. Bold and inquisitive, feisty on occasion. FOr excellent info on parrots in general, read the I Love AMazons thread on our Amazon sub forum.

Training - I've been working with my 'zon Salty for some 9 years and he knows 45 or so tricks. We train every night with a variety of them. I suggest setting a specific time every day for this, and not long, 15-20 min tops. Less at first. You are going to be very surprised when he understands its training time - he will come to it ready to learn and I will bet he does great. Dont rush things, he will be around for a long time! Figure out his very favorite treat and that becomes your training tool.

Most Parrotlets are not crazy about petting and scratches but some like it. THats a very individual thing.

 

[lochnessa33]

I agree, thats a parrotlet, not a lovebird. THey are like miniature Amazon parrots in temperament and like a LOT of tiny parrots, think they are macaws. Bold and inquisitive, feisty on occasion. FOr excellent info on parrots in general, read the I Love AMazons thread on our Amazon sub forum.

Training - I've been working with my 'zon Salty for some 9 years and he knows 45 or so tricks. We train every night with a variety of them. I suggest setting a specific time every day for this, and not long, 15-20 min tops. Less at first. You are going to be very surprised when he understands its training time - he will come to it ready to learn and I will bet he does great. Dont rush things, he will be around for a long time! Figure out his very favorite treat and that becomes your training tool.

Most Parrotlets are not crazy about petting and scratches but some like it. THats a very individual thing.

Thank you so much for your reply and for identifying her as a parrotlet! That makes a lot of sense now that you mention it—her bold and feisty little personality definitely shines through, just like you described. I’ll be sure to check out the "I Love Amazons" thread for more info.

The training advice is super helpful! I love the idea of setting a specific time each day and keeping sessions short, especially since consistency is key. I’ll start figuring out her favorite treat to use as a training tool—she’s definitely food-motivated!

Interestingly, my little one loves being petted. She enjoys sitting on my shoulders and being petted, which has been a nice bonding experience. I’ll still be mindful of her comfort, though, and let her guide me.

Thanks again for all the great advice! I’m excited to start a little training routine with her and see how she progresses.

 

[lochnessa33]

What a beauty. A Parrotlet, I think?
Just some ideas...

Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

Parrots rarely bite each other, because they convey their feelings beforehand or fly off to avoid physical contact. If it feels cornered and frighten then need to bite will be from the natural instinct of self -preservation. The cage is the Parrot safe haven and any attempt to enter, add or...

www.parrotforums.com

General Parrot Information

Post here for general parrot related topics

www.parrotforums.com

http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2012...n-parrots.html

Certified Avian Vets

Find an ABVP Specialist - American Board of Veterinary Practitioners

Find a Specialist ABVP Diplomates have proven knowledge and expertise above and beyond what is required to practice veterinary medicine. Beyond that, they have earned the privilege to specialize in the treatment of one or more categories of animals. Diplomates are in 49 of the 50 US states...

abvp.com

If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians

http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803

In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
International contacts, too.
If none are near you, maybe you could call and ask for a recommendation for somebody in your area.
And... sometimes, distant vets will offer brief thoughts or advice...

What's the diet? That's critical for health. Too many are kept on seeds or other poor-nutrition things. They need veggies, legumes, grains... pellets are a good staple. Here's what I use.

HARRISON’S BIRD FOODS – CERTIFIED ORGANIC BIRD FOOD

See what's new at Harrison's Bird Foods: Certified organic, non-GMO diets for birds. Nutritionally complete for all life stages.

www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com

I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.

Since you're a new parront, I'll just drop a note about avoiding teflon pans, which can be lethal to birds if overheated.

I'm glad you're here. Lots to learn and share and enjoy!

Thank you so much for all the helpful information and for confirming that she's a parrotlet! I'm definitely learning a lot as a new "parront," and I really appreciate the tips and resources you've shared.

I’ll definitely check out the links you provided for vets and diet advice. Right now, her diet is mainly seeds, so I can see I need to make some changes to include more veggies, grains, and pellets. I’ve heard good things about Harrison's Bird Foods, so I’ll look into transitioning her to that along with some healthy treats. The method you mentioned for converting her diet sounds smart—I’ll give it a try!

Thanks also for the reminder about Teflon pans; I’ve read about that and will make sure to avoid them for her safety. It’s amazing how much there is to learn about taking care of these little guys!

I’m really glad to be part of this community—so much to learn and share! Thanks again for the warm welcome and all the great advice.