Post by Donna R on Jan 25, 2015 21:39:22 GMT -5
Hello all, about two years ago I adopted a green Quaker needing a new home. His name is Charlie and is now about two and half years old. Charlie says about 9 different phrases and for the most part is loveable. He does have a stubborn streak and will still sometimes bite when I try to place him back in his cage and he feels he is not ready. I think I've made headway though as he doesn't bite as hard as I know he can ! Anyway, I thought I'd join a forum in the hopes of learning a new, but easy, trick to teach Charlie. Any suggestions?
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The book Parrot Training by Bonnie Munro Doane has some good suggestions for trick training. Ralph learned his best trick purely by accident. He can roll over like a puppy. Once he was trying to retrieve something that fell through the bottom grate in his cage, and he inadvertently rolled over. I made a big fuss, so he did it again and again. He'll do it now on request, if he's in the mood. 
Ralph will also shake hands. He likes to hold onto one of my fingers, so I just said "shake hands" and then said "how do you do?" He liked that, and eventually learned to give me his foot when I ask him to shake hands. Of course, I have to say "how do you do?" right away, or I get squawked at.