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Post by easttex on Jul 18, 2014 9:31:32 GMT -5
I would not withhold basic food from an adult bird, either. I would use something that I wouldn't normally give my bird routinely, even if that means small amounts of something that are not quite as healthy as a pellet. I wouldn't go so far as to use potato chips or cookies, or anything truly unhealthy.  Barbara Heidenreich, a goddess in the animal training with positive reinforcement field, is just starting up some webinars. The timing may not be ideal for an Aussie, biteybird, but it may be worth researching. Her site is goodbirdinc.com. |
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Post by biteybird on Jul 19, 2014 3:22:48 GMT -5
Thanks for that, easttex! I will look her site up.
At present we are not really trying to train Bonnie at all (she is only 7-8 months old). We are just happy for her to interact with us (without nipping too hard)and show her feisty and fearless personality. She likes to indulge in incessant beak-wiping on our clothes and she makes a funny noise like a seagull when she's annoyed. And when she goes in her happy hut she clucks like a roosting chook!
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tammi
Hatchling
Posts: 21 
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Post by tammi on Jul 21, 2014 15:38:11 GMT -5
We've been keeping the shoulder time short, and it's going well so far. I've held him a couple times without biting, and get him back to his stand before he starts acting up. My husband and daughter were also able to hold him. We're still taking the class next weekend though |
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Post by msdani1981 on Jul 21, 2014 16:47:11 GMT -5
I think they mean peanuts or sunflower seeds...things of that sort. Like rewarding a human child with a piece of candy. |
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Post by msdani1981 on Jul 21, 2014 16:49:04 GMT -5
Tammi, that's great! Good job! |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 21, 2014 22:12:35 GMT -5
Mr P was in such a mood today I didnt even try getting him to step up to get him on and off his various playstands and back into his cage at the end of the day. I cheated and used a spare perch. He does this new thing, where, if I don't get him off his playstand when he wants some attention, he climbs down his ladder, waddles over to my desk and nibbles on my toes. So far he hasnt bitten them but I wouldn't be surprised if that day is coming too. That is the only time I had him step up onto my hand today. Somedays, I just don't feel like getting bitten |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 22, 2014 15:05:22 GMT -5
So, the last few days, every time I've been putting Mr P back into his cage, he steps up on my hand from his playstand, no problems, then he bites me. Why? No clue. Then, when I get him to his cage (it's in the other room) and I put him in his cage, he bites me as he's getting off my hand. Why? No clue. He is happy to be going back to his cage because there are his evening yummies in there (quinoa and lentil sprouts)
This afternoon, when he stepped onto my hand from his stand to go back into his cage, he reached over to bite me and I said NO BITE. And he stopped. Then, when I went got him to his cage, I told him again, NO BITE, and he didnt. He stepped right in, and there is no broken skin on my hand today from him.
I wish I knew why he started biting me in that situation, this is new behavior (about a week).
I had the most magnificent praise for him when my hand was actually out of his cage with no broken skin or bleeding.
The whole thing is just weird!
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jul 22, 2014 16:30:11 GMT -5
Oh Sharyn, you are being lulled into a false sense of security. Why does he bite? Because he can!
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tammi
Hatchling
Posts: 21
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Post by tammi on Jul 22, 2014 18:48:26 GMT -5
Wow Sharyn - that's great he didn't bite when you said no bite! I should start saying that with Chester. Wouldn't it be great if it were that simple? I think these guys are smart enough to understand.
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 22, 2014 18:56:22 GMT -5
lol it would be great but I'm not holding my breath. I think it's more like Jan says, he bites cause he can!
Just wish I knew how to stop it or at least avoid the situation. I can't not take him to his cage at night or move him from one playstand to another
I'm pretty sure he understands, it's just a matter of does he want to listen! Any animal that can learn your language, then use it IN CONTEXT, is definately smart enough to understand what you are telling them!
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 23, 2014 17:06:00 GMT -5
So..today's update, I tried something new putting Mr P back into his cage tonight. I let him watch me prepare his dinner, put his food, water and yummy dishes in his cage, then went back to my desk and sat down, instead of taking him directly to his cage. He was a little confused but my thought was, break the routine and maybe the biting habit.
I sat at my desk for a few minutes while Mr P stood at the end of his playstand, closest to his cage, looking at me like I had lost my mind. I didnt look at him or say anything, just acted like I was busy working.
When Mr P wants me to pick him up for cuddles or attention or cause I am eating something he wants, he comes over to the part of his playstand that is closest to my desk, then shuffles back and forth until I can't ignore him anymore. When he thinks he finally has my attention, he steps right up and never bites me in that situation. So, I made him come over to that side of the playstand and do the Piggy shuffle to get my attention. Once he stepped up and we were sitting at my desk, I carried him over to his cage. At one point he got really excited (he adores quinoa and sprouts, his dinner this week) and I just said, be a good boy, no bite, and put him in his cage.
Then I praised the heck out of him for another successful trip to his cage without a bite.
So, now I'm wondering whether he just gets so excited at the thought of his dinner (remember he IS very food oriented) that he just forgets he's not supposed to bite me?
We'll see what happens tomorrow nite, but it seems as though breaking the routine may have solved this, at least until the next go around (fingers crossed)
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tammi
Hatchling
Posts: 21
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Post by tammi on Jul 24, 2014 12:45:11 GMT -5
You may be onto something! Fingers crossed!
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 24, 2014 15:30:23 GMT -5
Well, this morning he wouldn't even step up out of his cage without trying to bite me. I finally had to use a spare perch to get him out. He hasnt done THAT since April, when I bought him the new cage.
I did move his cage last week (it's freestanding on wheels) to a different, more secluded part of my house, thinking he would sleep better there. Now, I have to wonder whether that area of the house is so secluded it has made him MORE territorial, not less (I was advised that moving his cage around helps with the cage aggression and it has seemed to until last week).
So, this morning, after I got him out, I moved his cage back to where it was when he was acting normal.
I am also wondering, are there 2 rounds of "hormonalness", one in spring and one in summer? He is acting hormonal. He is also doing this thing where, when he sits on my hand, he sorta bobs his head up and down and lifts his wings. I have no clue what he is doing, I've never seen it until the other day.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jul 24, 2014 16:24:53 GMT -5
Sharyn, congratulations - Mr Piggy has trained you to be the perfect slave. Spending your time moving cages, trying to out-think him re biting, etc. He must be very proud of you.
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Post by benegesserit on Jul 24, 2014 16:57:05 GMT -5
I think Mr P might be doing what some parronts call "heart wings." When birds get super excited and/or hormonal they tend to do it (as demonstrated by this cockatiel.) I think you're right about him being more territorial when he's in a more private area of the house.  |
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