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Post by mbkaya on May 1, 2018 10:14:01 GMT -5
hello everyone i hope you and your fids are doing well. i want to ask if you have any ideas to teach without using hands particularly fingers. since i found a treat sora fell in love i want to teach him more tricks. he mastered turns and started to step up unvoluntarily for the sake of treat to a perch. he still refuses the fingers and he flies to the otherside of the room which he got used by treat now he does not need treat anymore. i am trying poop training but i could not find any other tricks to teach. can you give any advice? thanks in advance by the way treat is his regular food covered with paper. he does not make anything for normal food or blank paper though
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Post by mbkaya on May 1, 2018 11:28:36 GMT -5
update! i want him to give me bottle cap and he give it for the love of treat
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Post by julianna on May 1, 2018 14:53:02 GMT -5
You can teach a lot of tricks and I think the internet has many of them for you to research. My Oscar will shake a paw (like a dog) and then shake the other paw too. I have seen Quakers play dead... roll over on their backs and stay there... or just roll over like a dog would do.
The step up command is very important for them to learn.... and I would suggest you try that one first. Here are some tips:
With the right palm elevated, forearm perpendicular to the floor in a gesture similar to feeling for rain, fold your thumb into your palm and rotate your palm toward your face, keeping your fingers together, until the fingertips point toward the top of the wall to the left. Your palm now faces your chin. Place your Quaker on top of the top (index) finger. If the palm side of the index finger is the highest point on the hand, the bird's instinct to climb will keep it on the fingertip.
Since eye contact is an important part of this process, the bird must face you while sitting on your hand, merely touching its tail with the other hand will usually stimulate it to turn around and face you.
With the index finger of the opposite hand (held in a mirror image of the hand the bird is on), gently touch the bird's thighs just below where they join the belly, maintain eye contact with the bird and say Step Up! clearly and distinctly. The bird should lift foot, and place it on the finger. This method of behavioral practice involves a verbal prompt (the command) and a physical prompt (introduction of the object to be stepped on in the same place at all the time).
At first it may be necessary to pry the little toes up to get that first foot on the front index finger. As you lower the back hand (the hand the bird was sitting on), the bird will complete the step up onto the front (top) hand.
Practice this exercise in unfamiliar territory, out of sight of the cage, a couple of times a day for a minute or so each time. Always stop only after successful completion of the command.
Hopefully this is helpful.
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Post by mbkaya on May 2, 2018 1:21:07 GMT -5
thank you for your advices. I will try this one today maybe he will step up to a finger
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Post by dinucci on May 4, 2018 5:07:27 GMT -5
I'd try to have him follow some head movements..this is funny because buddy,at over 1 year now,still does the baby quaking thing with his head..shaking it up and down like he's nodding "yes" to the command of "boogie"..one of the 1st things we did with him..it's now his signature mooch signal for a treat. He also waves and does the wings trick and does all 3 at once when he's excited for a walnut piece! The latter 2 require fingers to teach tho. Another head move trick I got buddy to do is sway his head back and forth from left to right dipping it in the middle,while telling him "silly willy". He also does what I call " chick in the nest". For this I just put my chin down in my chest,then crane my neck upwards twards the ceiling with a little whistle. He follows this easily and is puffed out with his neck and chest feathers so it's really cute! Also he does this on his own a lot for communication with me and a lot of times after his bath. I try to use a different voice infliction with every trick so it makes it easier on him to learn..hope this helps! .in the meantime,get him used to your finger. One of ways you can try is to knock his legs from behind and he'll step up backwards. One thing i do when he's being obstinate and doesn't want to be picked up or crouched is to..take both hands and make a diamond formation with both index fingers and both thumbs a bit apart,palms down. Approach him from the front and behind gradually closing both fingers and thumbs together...he will have no choice where to go then,and I also sweet talk him. He tries to play bite me sometimes so it's funnny. Good luck with him !
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Post by julianna on May 6, 2018 15:16:47 GMT -5
Those are really cute games dinucci... excellent ideas. When I say "boogie" it usually entices Oscar to want to go after my nose... ha ha ha... Sometimes he will get a hair out for me... ewwww... but not anymore cause he scratches too hard and it hurts.
It is really fun to watch them dance with you... I will do motions in an extreme way and Oscar will follow... one day I will get this on video cause it is really cute to watch.
After a bath Oscar doesn't want anything to do with either of us. He will go to the kitchen a try to hide behind the bong. This isn't unusual because when they are wet they know they cannot fly so they hide from all danger. If it is cold in the house Oscar will come to me and sit with me on the couch and curl up in my hand ... cause it is nice and warm there.
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Post by mbkaya on May 7, 2018 2:26:40 GMT -5
hi again
I did try Julianna's suggestion but he is so aware of his surroundings that when I try to get my finger he either turns other way or walks/flies away with angry voices "grrrr". but good news. he is more used to hands now and step up 1/3 times to hand. After he steps up to perch for 2-3 times I suggest my fingers and he steps up but when he gets bored he just does not. I am not sure that insisting what he does not want to do is good for both of us. I mean he does not want to do it and we are frustrated. I usually ask another command and if he does that i give treat and finish the session there.
Dinucci thank you! I am not sure about Sora's age since the pet shop owner said he is still baby and he is male. So I do not trust either of them. But from the ring on his foot he is born in 2015. He did quaking a lot when he first came and sometimes when he wants something he still does. It would be good to teach him quaking as "yes". And I am trying to teach him wave, I think. I say "say hello" and he lifts one foot. At least he will, if he masters this trick. I will try diamond thing today. Maybe he does not feel secure enough?
Sora does not like baths I think. Like Oscar, he does not want cuddles, he wants to go to the cage and I bring him. He sits there and fixes his feathers etc. But bathing is a joy for eyes. He is so funny.
Thank you for your king words and advises. I wish you all have a happy and joyful week.
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Post by dinucci on May 8, 2018 6:00:11 GMT -5
Buddy was the same way with baths. I don't think he took one till he was 9 or 10 months old. Told him he wasn't going to be a ladies man without a bath !..so we just used mist bottles. I'd set a lasagna pan of water and he'd just take a drink from it. Tried water in different things like plastic dog bowls, stainless steel pans. Then one day I put a glass lasagna pan with a black tray under it and a flat rock inside..maybe he had a fear of stepping in too far before. But he stepped onto the rock then easily into the water and walked around before splashing all over the place. It's really cute because he tests the water with his foot before walking in just like we do !
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Post by mbkaya on May 9, 2018 4:06:30 GMT -5
Dinucci this is such a great idea! He bathed twice but does not bath any more. So I mist him too. Btw I think it is due to drought but his nostrils were showing the other day. The windows were closed and I put some heat on, since it was rainy and chilly. After I misted him and opened the windows, he was back to normal. Maybe you have an idea? Maybe I should use rocks too. I will try it tomorrow if the weather is ok. He really gets wet with normal bath. heheehe. Mine likes to drink it first, and if it is ok, he gets in. Of course after I drink my potion yo show this is yum, it will not bite you
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Post by dinucci on May 9, 2018 5:47:29 GMT -5
You know...now that I think of it, I stopped misting buddy and just left his pan of water for him to use at his discretion when I was trying to convince him it was ok to jump in..haha yes I had to take a drink,splash with my fingers in the water ect..I put a plastic ball and a cheap plastic ring toy in the water anchored under the rock. I still use this. He try to pull the hair toy out of the water or get the ball out,then eventually gets in. The other thing I've noticed is that I wait till the sun shines in the window a bit. .then he's ready..these are little creatures of the sun,and buddy likes to sun dry in the window,or high up on his rope or chain (and fixed to the ceiling) where it's warm. During this time,he likes to be left alone because his defences are limited in that he can't fly as good while wet. I've noticed this too on my pond outside where wild birds will bathe in the waterfalls,then stretch out their wings to dry on the rocks in the sun..so they are more active bathing on sunny days. During winter months,I run a warm mist humidifier near his rope and he just sits up there soaking in the humidity. .his own spa ! I have a plastic tubing cut length wise down the middle (it's hard plastic) and wraps the cord to prevent him from chewing on the cord.. More fun to come for you and sora!!
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Post by biteybird on May 10, 2018 3:20:23 GMT -5
We use a small metal baking tray for Bonnie. I thought she would want more baths considering we're in Darwin and it's 34+Celsius every single day, but no...she still only wants a bath once a week at most. In between I spray her when she's in her outside cage (on the front verandah). Bonnie also likes to drink from her bath water before she decides whether or not to get in.
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Post by mbkaya on May 10, 2018 6:10:58 GMT -5
hmmm I used bottle caps to lure him, but he did not get in. I will try rocks this time If it finally gets sunny though. I will update on the issue Humidifier would be good I suppose. But what do you think if he gets bath with me? shower? For the cords, I think we are OK for now, since he "grrr"s at my laptop cable. I cannot get him near to anything bigger than my hand. He gives a suspicious look and flies away with a grrr too. I cannot understand the fact that, he trusts me enough if I do something it is OK for him to do that, but when I try to give them bigger things, papers to destroy etc, he gets scared and angry. Even if I chew the paper or cartoon box, he is just afraid Thank you for being always so nice. have a great day!
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Post by mbkaya on May 10, 2018 6:13:47 GMT -5
Biteybird, I saw your reply after I posted the other one, sorry. I would bath everyday twice in that weather Last year in August, I did though Is it OK to spray water everyday? Because it will be hotter in the next months? Thanks you
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Post by dinucci on May 11, 2018 3:58:43 GMT -5
Mbkaya...these birds are always suspicious! Buddy always eye balls me when I change anything in his area and often scolds me..especially if he's locked up in one cage and I'm doing something in his sacred cagetop on the other!! As for the shower..if know other people take their birds with them. They sell suction cup perches for this. Buddy will sometimes hang out with my girlfriend when she takes her hour long super hot shower! He seems to love the steam,but the water temp itself would cook him..he perches on the upright toilet seat hahah. As for the misting..i mist him outside. I use bottled water as I do for his drinking water. I prefer to swim in fresh water lakes. Me and chlorine are not good friends, and since it burns my eyes,I figure it would do the same to him. The only way I do it is to fine mist and arch the spray over his head. He sits there,with his head pointed up to the sky like a little angel in prayer! Cute little beast !
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Post by biteybird on May 12, 2018 3:06:56 GMT -5
Biteybird, I saw your reply after I posted the other one, sorry. I would bath everyday twice in that weather Last year in August, I did though Is it OK to spray water everyday? Because it will be hotter in the next months? Thanks you Hi again! Yes, I think it's OK to mist/spray water every day. I do. If not, someone will correct me!
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