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Post by cnyguy on Dec 14, 2014 21:02:27 GMT -5
You and Pele both deserve a gold star for the progress you're making.  You were dressed appropriately for the circumstances-- I doubt if anyone would expect to see you wearing a formal evening gown for a parrot training session.  |
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Post by easttex on Dec 15, 2014 6:45:09 GMT -5
There I was, waiting for the sloppy woman in her housecoat/slippers/curlers, so I could feel all superior, and what a disappointment. You looked fine!  And I continue to be amazed at your progress with Pele. |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 15, 2014 8:30:06 GMT -5
At the recommendation of FPR's behavior educator (trainer), we are moving up in the world by ditching both the clicker and the target, although not at the same time. The next step is to have Pele associate a word instead of a click with the treat. We have picked the word "nice" to use, since I tell Mr P what a good boy he is all the time and I didnt want to pick a word used in normal, every day conversation. Once Pele understands that "Nice!" replaces the click, I am going to use my fist as the target, instead of the wooden chopstick. The difference is that Pele will not touch my fist, he will just learn to follow it. The FPR trainer uses different targets to indicate which type of behavior she expects from her birds. A fist to follow, a chopstick to touch with a beak, a cockatiel perch to touch with his foot, etc. She is currently working with an amazon and I know Pele is as smart if not smarter than an amazon. I believe we are at a point where, if I present him a closed fist, he will not lunge at it. He is pretty gentle these days taking treats from my hand and he is not lunging at my hand when I hold the perch. The only issue he still has with a human hand is if he is on top of his cage, and a hand is presented to him, open, palm up. I have no idea why, but I can guess  lol thanks, I normally wear contacts, not glasses and after all these years, am still self conscious when I have them on I told Rick to make sure he stopped the camera (phone) before I got in the video but you all know how that goes, I'm guessing. |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 21, 2014 16:03:58 GMT -5
Pele sitting on his portable playstand, off and away from his cage! Big moment for us!  |
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Post by biteybird on Dec 21, 2014 17:06:11 GMT -5
Way to go, Sharyn and Pele! Hope Mr P isn't too jealous.  The more I look at your photos & videos of Pele the cuter he seems!  |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 21, 2014 17:12:36 GMT -5
Mr P is super jealous and clingy but I have been trying to spend more time with him than I usually do to make up for it. When I get him out of his cage in the am, he normally goes right on his playstand for breakfast. The last few mornings he hasnt wanted to step up off my hand. Pele is a little more relaxed these days and doesnt look as mean and angry as he has previously. That may be why he looks cuter |
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Post by easttex on Dec 21, 2014 18:43:55 GMT -5
It just keeps getting better! I've thought Pele was a cutie from the start. Maybe it's the wide-eyed look. He does kind of look like he's smiling in the latest picture, though. They sure have shorter tails than quakers. I guess that is one of the things that tells you quakers are parakeets.
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Post by cnyguy on Dec 21, 2014 20:32:17 GMT -5
Pele looks properly pleased with himself in that picture. Good job, Pele (you too, Sharyn). |
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Post by biteybird on Dec 22, 2014 1:31:53 GMT -5
Mr P is super jealous and clingy Surely not! Even with slave Sharyn fussing over him day and night? Seriously, great job you've done with Pele - whoever ends up adopting him will be very lucky (...unless you decide to keep him yourself, of course!  ). |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 22, 2014 9:04:18 GMT -5
I'm only keeping Pele until someone comes along that is interested in adopting him AND is interested in continuing to work with him. He has come a long way, but still has a long way to go. He has still not stepped up onto my hand, although I don't think he is as inclined to remove my fingers from it as he was I figure it this way, if I can get Pele adopted, then I have room in my home to help another rescue that needs to find a forever home. It's this mentality that keeps me from adopting them myself. His training has really helped ME as a bird mom. He is smart, so I have to be smarter. One thing I did discover thru all of this, he doesnt mind stepping up on a handheld perch as much if that perch is transporting him BACK to his cage, instead of AWAY from it. Once I reversed my thinking and asked him to step up onto the handheld perch from the portable playstand on the table, all of a sudden it was a breeze. That isnt to say I will always be transporting him back to his cage, but it's a good way to get him more comfortable with the hand held perch. He had regressed a bit with that and was lunging at it again. I bought him a little utility cart (will arrive on Wed). This way, I can wheel him to different places around the house without actually having to transport the playstand. Pele is a PERFECT example of what happens to a parrot that gets little to no socialization and is never given an opportunity to forage or get away from his cage. We have also stopped using the clicker (one less thing to handle while trying to do this). Pele understands that the word "nice" is being used instead of the clicker and will respond to that word in place of the clicker. That was pretty easy to switch over. |
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Post by biteybird on Dec 22, 2014 16:08:45 GMT -5
Amazing psychology there, well done! Yes, I'd think the next challenge will be finding an owner willing and able to provide Pele with the challenges and socialisation he needs (along with love, of course). I guess you have to feel completely certain about that before you adopt him out.
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 22, 2014 16:18:47 GMT -5
The Florida Parrot Rescue will have already performed the initial home visit and screening before I even speak to a potential adopter. Once that is done, I get in touch with the family/person and tell them a bit about the bird. If they are still interested, we arrange a meeting. I am brutaly honest as I want people to know exactly what they are getting into and Pele is a handful, not to mention he is not the "sweet, family, perch on your shoulder or get scritches" pet, at least not yet. I don't want there to be ANY misunderstandings. If I'm not confident that the folks can handle him, I can tell them I dont think it's a good match. If they come over and meet him, and it doesnt go well, I can also tell decide it's not a good fit. Of course, Pele will hate everyone new and the potential adopters need to be aware of that too and not put too much stock into a first meeting. So, with all that said, I have a feeling Pele will be with me for awhile I"m not even 100% sure I can demonstrate his target training with strangers in the house, or even get him to come out of his cage! And yes, you are right, it will be challenge to find the right home for him, for sure. |
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Post by easttex on Dec 22, 2014 16:37:16 GMT -5
You're really doing your part to see that he doesn't get passed around and around. Have I mentioned that I really admire what you're doing there? |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Dec 22, 2014 18:07:37 GMT -5
Hi Sharon, can you post a photo of the utility cart set up when you get it? I bet Mr P will be pleased to see Pele go to another home. Just as well he is not interviewing potential adoptors - he would give Pele to the first person to come along |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Dec 22, 2014 18:22:50 GMT -5
LOL Jan, isnt that the truth about Mr P giving Pele away!
Yes, I will be happy to post a pic of the cart once I get it set up. The plan is to combine 2 stands I already have, one is a little wooden stand (the one Pele sits on the table with) and this tall, pvc thing I made awhile back for an outside shower stand. It's too tall and unstable for anything that weighs more than a Quaker, but it's got a nice food dish setup. So, I'm going to shorten it and make a tad narrower so it will sit in the cart..along with the wooden stand...and I may put some other perches or something in there, not sure till I see how big the cart is. I didnt pay much for it so I'm betting it's not big. Will probably have the whole thing together by next week.
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You were dressed appropriately for the circumstances-- I doubt if anyone would expect to see you wearing a formal evening gown for a parrot training session. 
And I continue to be amazed at your progress with Pele.
The more I look at your photos & videos of Pele the cuter he seems! 
).