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Post by rickygonzalez on Nov 1, 2015 0:02:45 GMT -5
So, I have been working with Sonic on two main things, recall flight, and potty training. Both have been going well. I use sunflower seeds as a reward. He loves them!!! I had had some aggression with the sunflower seeds, so, I tried safflower seeds. He didn't care for them. I went back to the sunflower seeds. The other night, when we got done with training he started getting very aggressive, biting, screaming, the whole thing. Have any of you seen your qp's act that way? If so, what do you think it is about the sunflower seeds that gets them that out of control. He never bites me like that, I am going to try spray millet. I know he likes that, (though not as much as the sunflower seeds.) What do you all think about my idea? Thanks, Ricky
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Post by julianna on Nov 1, 2015 15:22:27 GMT -5
It is good that you are spending time training Sonic and that things are working out. I can understand the screaming etc.... as that is what Oscar will do when I do not give in to his "wants" all the time. I think Sonic just wanted more seeds and training time was over ... so he threw a hissy fit. lol.
Sunflower seeds are very fattening so be careful on how many he gets. Oscar is potty trained (not to poop on me) and I never used food as a reward but praise. He got praised every time his poop hit the paper... so he likes doing that now.
If you find it easier to train with food then I would agree with you to use some other type of food that he really enjoys... maybe a little pasta or peas? Oscar would do anything for pasta... I think he is part Italian... lol
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Post by biteybird on Nov 2, 2015 5:06:27 GMT -5
Hi Ricky, even though I don't know much about this, I think Julianna has given you great advice. Sonic is trying to train you - to give him more! The aggression could also be related to hormones. How old is he? Bonnie became more aggressive when she transitioned from baby to adult (when her hormones kicked in). It sounds as though you are doing very well with Sonic.
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Post by rickygonzalez on Nov 2, 2015 8:46:34 GMT -5
He is about 2 if the lady at the flea market I got him from was correct about his age at the time. I would have thought hormones would be done by this time of year, wouldn't they? He has not had any sunflower seeds since his tyraid, and it will be a while before he gets any again. If he ever does.
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Post by aaron on Nov 3, 2015 15:51:40 GMT -5
I personally felt like sunflower seeds made Cupcake a bit crazy. But I feel that way about seeds in general, so we don't feed her seeds at all at this point. I'm not sure what it is about the seeds that has this effect... some people have said they have some sort of psychoactive effect on the birds, but I am skeptical about that.
As far as hormones go, once they reach sexual maturity, there's always going to be some degree of hormonal behavior present... it's just a question of how well managed it is, but even when it isn't the springtime hormonal push, so to speak, you'll still run into it. I think this is probably particularly true when they are young and have recently hit sexual maturity, although that's a guess.
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Post by biteybird on Nov 5, 2015 1:39:09 GMT -5
So he's definitely an adult, then. Aaron is correct, their hormones can kick in and out at different times. Here in Australia our weather has been so bizarre at times that I think it confuses Bonnie's hormones (it's often said about Melbourne that we have "four seasons in a day").  Could you try pumpkin seeds as a treat? Bonnie really likes those. The other thing she loves is capsicum seeds (I think you call them peppers), if you can be bothered offering something that small. |
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