training parrot method through the net?

[luzma]

Hi everyone!
Looking for parrot information, I found this site: birdtricks.com by Chet Womach, a parrot behavior spe******t. I guess, many of you have visited this site already. I was thinking on buying the method, buy I am skeptical about sites claiming that they are the best, and that you will get results in fifteen minutes. Can anybody give me some input on this? Has someone here, in the forum, tried this method? What do you think? Is it a good product?
Thank you very much for your help!!!
Newbie with a baby moustache parrot

 

[Auggie's Dad]

My career is in animal behavior and training though I do not have professional experience with parrots. I do live with a parrot, and as any owner can attest that is quite a learning experience - but in the big picture that does not add up to a whole lot.

Chet Womach seems to be a highly skilled and qualified trainer but the claim that you will see results in fifteen minutes is just absurd. This was likely made by some marketing nutball with no knowledge of training, or if it was Chet's statement then it is simply dishonest. With the right techniques pet owners are often amazed at how quick and smooth training can go - but it does still take time.

I think we have a few members who have used Chet's videos, perhaps they will comment on them, but a few things to consider:

1) General purpose "cookie cutter" training methods have very limited application. If your bird is perfectly well behaved and you just want to learn how to teach a few tricks or activities I suspect you could get quite a bit out of the videos. If on the other hand your bird is a handful, as most are, you need techniques tailored to your bird and your situation. If you ever get a chance to work one-on -one with Chet Womach TAKE IT, but I would not be so quick to jump for the videos. One size fits all never fits anyone.

2) Be careful ordering online. Apparently there are MANY 'distributers' of Chet Womach videos; quite a few of them are scams - you'll pay but they wont send any videos. This should not reflect on Chet or his training methods, but for whatever reason his name is being used as the pitch for many online scams.

3) I just had to include a three, because a list of only two is just boring Oh yeah there is a third point - you can get most, if not all and some more, information you would get from the videos on forums such as these... for free... and tailored to your situation.

So all in all I don't wish to dissuade you from buying the videos - but consider the reasons. Is he the "best"? well thats a bit subjective, but considering all the trainers out there I'd say such a claim is a best arrogant but more likely an exaggeration or just a lie. Is he highly skilled and qualified? I believe so. Will you see results in fifteen minutes? No.

If you have a well behaved bird and you are just looking for some activities to do with him/her and hope to teach a few fun tricks and you have the money to spend then the videos may be just what you are looking for. Otherwise there are likely better ways of achieving the goals you have with your parrot.

 

[luzma]

Thank you so much for your reply, I wasn't aware that it could be a scam!!! I don't think my parrot is a handful, but she does have a character!!!!! (don't they all?) She is starting to scream when we leave the room and she does not like to be pet. She seems to look for my husband, who is not particularly fond of animals. When he approaches her cage, she will move towards him, nevertheless she does the opposite with me, or she simply ignores me. Needless to say, I am the one who take care of all her needs, including food, toys, etc. I guess she really prefers to be left alone. What I am scared of, is that if I do this, then she will become antisocial and will not want to be handled at all. What should I do?

 

[saddlinup]

I am sooo tempted to order the instructional dvd's from chet Womack for the current $47.?? offer they have going on because my sun conure is still not allowing me to touch her very much at all even though she goes insane if she can't have full access to me 24/7. She even tries her best to sleep in bed with me and my husband (it's actually his fault for allowing her to lay with him while waiting for me to get into bed). She has no problem coming to us and was even pooping in her designated areas for weeks till my Father in Law took ill and we spent a lot of time at the hospital and didn't keep the training instilled. Now she poops any and everywhere she pleases and has gotten way too authoritative over food, visitors, sole attention and does not obey when told "no". I don't want to pen her up when we have company or when we try to eat because she absolutely LOVES being with us, even outdoors. I was scared that she would fly away and not return so I only allowed her outdoors if she was in her portable cage. The door was left open accidentally about 8 months ago and she ventured to the back yard alone. I noticed her absence within less than a minute because she is so insistent to be near me and I discovered the open door. Scared out of my mind I ran outside to find her perched on my clothesline jibber jabbering and strutting her neck up and down in a proud display of courage. I was so relieved to see her and she flew right to my shoulder and stayed put as I walked her around our yard. Since then she pretty much goes in and out with me all day as I do my daily routines and even rides with me on the four-wheeler when I go collect the mail. She would rather be with me (or my Husband) than eat so she makes sure that we don't get out of her sight. After sharing this can anyone explain why she is so fickle about being touched? I want to enact with her and lay her on her back for belly rubs or just stoke her feathers on her head that she can't reach but with Lucy it is her way or no way so in order to get help with potty training, trust issues, biting guests and teaching tricks or words Chet's DVD's sound like the only solution. I agree that it sounds too good to be true and I don't expect unrealistic instant success but I am desperate to get the bond and relationship in order so our Family can enjoy Lucy and visa verse. I want the best for her and I don't want to run out of time before she gets too out of control, I have read books and surfed the web till I am at the point of giving up but I don't want to, Lucy is 2 yrs old and settled happily in our home so I do not feel like it would be fair to her to give up and get rid of her. I need advise on so much including toys to occupy her but she shows no interest in anything that does not involve me and is now getting temperamental over so much like if I fold socks she attacks them. She nips my fingers if I put on my gardening gloves or paint my nails. HELP

 

[saddlinup]

Other than ordering expensive videos what can anyone suggest to help with my sun conure's enormous temper and attitude. She's 2 yrs old and runs the entire household. She refuses potty training and any kind of affection from us even though she loves on me and regurgitates from time to time on my shoulder or forearm. I want to stop her biting friends that visit and obey when told no. She gets enraged when denied a sip of my tea or food from my plate and will grunt/yell back if told no. I know she is spoiled, that is obvious, but everything I read states explicitly "do not scold" or punishment is bad. I want to enjoy her more because the older she gets the bigger her attitude gets. Please, I am begging for guidance and advice to change our one sided relationship.

 

[noblemacaw]

After about 20 years of living with parrots I have learned.

What you put into the relationship you will get out. What work you put into your bird you will get back.

If you have a solid bond with the parrot training, discipline, enjoyment, affection just about any interaction is easier. If the bird is confident exposing to new things/situation and training is easier. Even with that said living with a parrot is a lot of work and effort. The relationship is always changing, waxing and waning, evolving or diminishing. To keep a good relationship with the parrot takes a lot of work and dedication. I have found that most people can't handle what it takes to live with a parrot.

Taking a step back and assessing your relationship with your Conure will help you understand where you need to start. How bonded is the conure to you? How confident is she in which she can handle new situations and events without stressing out? How is she receptive to teaching her something new like a trick? How fast does she learn? Is she bonded to one person above all others? Does she love a certain kind of food above everything else (can be used as high value reward treat).

I would start my relationship development and training like if she is new to me. Get to know her again likes and dislikes and use the information to help better your relationship with her. It is true you can't really "punish" a parrot in a traditional sense. Punishment is not very effective and can destroy trust but positive reinforcement is a better way to train her. The only punishment I could ever think of is walking away from the parrot that wants to be with you so badly. That is punishment to them but I would never end any interaction on a negative note.

Your conure needs more structure and you need to be consistent with her. Build a better bond with her though positive reinforcement techniques but be firm when she is naughty or displaying negative behaviors. It she is having a serious tantrum you might just have to walk away giving you both distance until she calms back down. She is young and can learn to have better relationships with you and your family. You do want to get a "handle" on her attitude getting big before she gets sexually mature.

How to be "firm" when she is doing negative behaviors is to redirect her behavior from the negative thing to a positive behavior. Example my baby RFM Valentino grabs Lupe's hand too hard when she commands him to step up for her. He does this when I am in the room because he is more bonded to me and wants to be with me. First I will give Valentino a stern look of disapproval (he is sensitive to correction and very tuned in to my facial expressions) His demeanor will change of hurt because of my look to him. Lupe will again command him to step up and if he nips her harder this is his way of communicating he will not do it and trying to tell her to stop making him. I take that form of communication seriously because if a parrot is increasing pressure with their beak they are warning you. At that point I will step him up myself and when he steps up I praise him "good boy" with smiling face. I will then pass him to Lupe telling him to step down and he will obey with no fuss.

The training of anything you do with Lucy will need to be consistent and always positive with lots of treats.

I hope I have helped with some suggestions.

 

[weco]

I got turned off to womach a number of years ago when he was promoting 'flooding' as the way to train parrots, plus his CDs were not professional quality and once you were on their mailing list, you ended up with a plethora of junk mail.

Recently there has been postings to the group about buyers credit cards being billed multiple times, including overseas customers who had to pay considerable return shipping costs to get their money back.

You might want to take a look at this site.....it's a blog about training your bird(s) and it's free...has pics & video clips.....

How to Tame & Train Parrot - Step by Step Taming Guide


There are also a number of free video clips here...

How to Train a Parrot - MonkeySee

If you take the time to look around, there are quite a number of parrot training clips available for free, around the net, look around & save your $$$.....