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Post by easttex on Nov 13, 2015 14:39:35 GMT -5
I don't really buy into the height=dominance theory. They will feel safer and more comfortable at a higher elevation, and they may not want to give that up easily, but as for feeling superior to you, I don't see it. In fact, I don't believe that thinking about the relationship in terms of dominance and submission is very useful. Yes, you have to establish some rules so everyone can live together, but the best way to get compliance in the long run is positive reinforcement. I don't think a parrot is ever going to view you as the boss. Not an adult parrot, anyway. It's not in their makeup.
I'm not an expert on this, but as far as I've seen, the biggest concerns in cross-species disease transmission are with reptiles. (And mosquitoes, of course.) Cat saliva is a big danger, too. It wouldn't hurt to do a little research, or ask the vet when you take Byron in, but I wouldn't think watching a bunny would be any problem.
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Post by biteybird on Nov 13, 2015 16:00:48 GMT -5
It seems the height dominance subject is one of those highly-debated topics. Personally, we let Bonnie sit on our shoulders all the time if she behaves. If she nips too hard she gets moved down straight away. Last time she nipped hubby I picked her up and just looked at her sternly - she looked guilty & evasive and said "What's goin' on?" (to which I replied "Exactly! What IS going on?"). I'm sure she understood why she was moved. It's not often she actually bites hard but she does do it more unpredictably now that she's an adult.
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 13, 2015 16:26:49 GMT -5
hahaha, what a little character! Thanks for the suggestions  I'm working really hard to make sure Byron gets lots of love and praise for good things. I've got lots of excellent training books that all say the same thing about positive reinforcement and just ignoring or not rewarding unwanted behaviours. It's good to know that most of what I'm doing to help him settle and understand rules is the right thing. Thank you all! Any other tips about training, behavior change or safe inter-pet interaction would be very much appreciated |
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Post by aaron on Nov 13, 2015 18:07:01 GMT -5
Exactly. The best habit to cultivate is one of always reinforcing good behavior. Even when they are already in the habit, keep reinforcing those good habits. And sometimes good behavior is not doing anything. For example, when Cupcake is just sitting there, being happy and calm and simply being a pleasant member of the household, we praise her for it. I do think that stern eye contact, especially with a bird that is very familiar with your eyes, is the most effective way to communicate disapproval. It works better than punishment, or verbal admonishing.
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 14, 2015 8:49:08 GMT -5
Thanks all So Byron is having a difficult Saturday. He had a 5-7 minute 'it's the morning!' squawk, to which we responded with the usual ignore, walk away, wait for quiet, praise quiet, repeat if squawking continued. He calmed down and sat on my shoulder for a bit and played with his ball etc. However, I then had to go into town to get some bits and pieces. I put him back in his cage. He squawked for a bit and then was quiet, so I left. When I got back, my partner said he'd been a complete nightmare, just squawking and squawking. My partner ignored it until he was quiet, then went in to praise him for being quiet, but then he started carrying out chores around the house and Byron went nuts again, until my partner had to put the cage cover on him and close the door. I got back about 3 minutes later. He did a couple of 'hello' chirps and then was quiet. When he was quiet for a while, I went in to praise him and got him out. He's now sitting happily on my shoulder. When my partner comes home in the evenings and I am at my seminars, Byron has so far been quite good, but for some reason today, he went crazy! Any tips? I want him to get used to the fact that he's not going to be out ALL THE TIME that my partner and I are in the house. I have essays and poems to write and he is my bird and so not my partner's responsibility. Am I doing the right thing in trying to teach him this? |
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Post by aaron on Nov 14, 2015 11:30:00 GMT -5
I think it's a good thing to teach if that's how your household will operate, but it's something we don't try to attempt, honestly. If we are home, Cupcake is out, unless it is a very rare circumstance, like when we take naps on the weekend, occasionally. In general, we just try to encourage behavior in Cupcake that is manageable, so we can effectively go about our business without too much interference. But, I can understand how this is different than your scenario, because Cupcake is everyone's bird, and we all see her as our responsibility.
But I will say that Cupcake is very good about just riding around or sitting nearby while we do chores. Laundry, dishes, cleaning, even working on the computer (mostly)... she is pretty well behaved. This was not always the case. When she was a younger bird, she didn't really know how to act and got into everything... but now she is a good bird the vast majority of the time... So, the point being that if you and your partner want to try this approach, the bird can learn to be a good participant.
It's tough, because with their flock mentality, it's really important to them to be included in everything, and if they feel like they are being left out, they will often act out.
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 14, 2015 16:06:10 GMT -5
thanks. I think this is half the problem. I've just finished the rewrite of a spoken word show that it going on in a theatre in Croydon in December and Byron has sat happily on my shoulder while I was doing this, playing with a tissue. He is now playing with my socks while I watch a film. I'm going to keep trying to condition Byron to learn how the household works, I'm sure he will learn. Mostly he's been such an amiable little bird, maybe he just has had one of those days! I'll keep trying, he'll get there! We haven't factored in any clicker training today, but I'll make it part of my routine tomorrow. He did let me have a long nap (like 2 hours) earlier without being too much of a toddler, but then he got confused when I was on the phone, although did calm down. He'll get there. He's only been home two weeks, so it's still early days yet!
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 15, 2015 6:38:08 GMT -5
Byron is having a really squawky morning today. He was nuts for about 7 minutes and then calmed down, but keeps jumping and squawking as if something if making him nervous. It's VERY windy outside. Do changes in weather upset birds?
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Post by wsteinhoff on Nov 15, 2015 7:25:56 GMT -5
Byron is having a really squawky morning today. He was nuts for about 7 minutes and then calmed down, but keeps jumping and squawking as if something if making him nervous. It's VERY windy outside. Do changes in weather upset birds? Birds and often just animals in general do seem to be able to detect when the weather is about to change. If it is windy enough to hear it indoors then being that he's young and hearing something he hasn't before he may not like the sound of it. I've never had a problem like this, it's nearly always windy here so everyone is just used to it. |
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 15, 2015 8:46:10 GMT -5
We can hear it indoors, and it's not been like this since last winter, so Byron won't have heard it before. Also, there are lots of trees outside and they're all suddenly moving, which is probably scaring him too. He's had a MUCH calmer afternoon, so we'll see how he goes.
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Post by wsteinhoff on Nov 15, 2015 14:35:46 GMT -5
We can hear it indoors, and it's not been like this since last winter, so Byron won't have heard it before. Also, there are lots of trees outside and they're all suddenly moving, which is probably scaring him too. He's had a MUCH calmer afternoon, so we'll see how he goes. Maybe you should move him away from a window if possible if you think the trees moving could be scaring him. Some birds like being able to see out the window but others do not seem to. |
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 15, 2015 15:52:37 GMT -5
Good shout. I closed the curtains eventually, although he seemed to have calmed down by the afternoon and was happy to let me bath and nap. He's had a nice evening and is now pottering round his cage feasting on various different foodstuffs. Hopefully he will settle down for bed soon!
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Post by beccilouise on Nov 16, 2015 7:44:39 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips guys. I think it was the wind. It's much calmer outside today, and Byron hasn't even had his usual morning celebratory screaming fit! He's had the odd squawk, but it's mostly just been because he's fallen off something or done something stupid. He's so clumsy! I guess that's just cos he's young though. He's learned to make kissing noises and I THINK he's trying to say 'hello' sometimes, but he still seems a little bit shy of copying me when I say it to him. It doesn't really bother me, as I said, if he never talks, but I'm kind of hoping he does as it may mean he just chatters in the morning, rather than screams. Anyway, we'll see how we go! We had a really nice evening yesterday, watching the F1 racing (my boyfriend's idea) and cuddling and Cleo the bunny joined us in the living room as well while Byron settled down for bed in his cage. I know he will have good and bad days, but I'm hoping the good, happy, sensible Byron will be around more often than mad squawky Byron in the future! Is there anything else I can be doing to help encourage his talking ability apart from lavishing him in attention when he appears to try to speak?
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Post by aaron on Nov 16, 2015 10:02:58 GMT -5
Glad to hear things continue to go well with Byron! I've found that most of the time good days are precipitated by Cupcake feeling included, loved and appreciated, and getting lots of eye contact early in the morning. That said, sometimes it's just not a good day and it's not clear why. Can't help much with encouraging speech, however!  |
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Post by cnyguy on Nov 16, 2015 20:44:24 GMT -5
Is there anything else I can be doing to help encourage his talking ability apart from lavishing him in attention when he appears to try to speak? Just keep talking to Byron a lot-- not just things you hope he'll learn to repeat, but talk about anything at all. Always explain to him what you're doing when you're preparing his food, changing his water, cleaning his cage, and so on. When you do work on words or phrases you'd like Byron to say, repeat them often and use them in context whenever possible. And, of course, praise Byron extravigantly when he does say something. |
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I'm working really hard to make sure Byron gets lots of love and praise for good things. I've got lots of excellent training books that all say the same thing about positive reinforcement and just ignoring or not rewarding unwanted behaviours. It's good to know that most of what I'm doing to help him settle and understand rules is the right thing. Thank you all! Any other tips about training, behavior change or safe inter-pet interaction would be very much appreciated 
