Comments on: Singing in the Rain http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/ Examining, Surviving and Loving life with Parrots Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:01:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Purdey http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-743 Purdey Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:16:20 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-743 Now I need to train my Jenday Conure about water restrictions and how hour long showers are not going to happen! She LOVES showering and tries to 'walk backwards' down my arm when I try to put her back on her shower perch after shower-time. She's also tried putting her beak on the shower-perch and 'pushing backwards' so she ends up back in the spray, cheeky thing! Now I need to train my Jenday Conure about water restrictions and how hour long showers are not going to happen! She LOVES showering and tries to ‘walk backwards’ down my arm when I try to put her back on her shower perch after shower-time. She’s also tried putting her beak on the shower-perch and ‘pushing backwards’ so she ends up back in the spray, cheeky thing!

]]> By: Jamie Powell http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-432 Jamie Powell Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:23:14 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-432 I have personally found a key aspect to bathing is discovering what each bird prefers. I currently have 6 birds and they all have different bathing preferences: Marnie - CAG: Shower, spray bottle or in the outside cage with the hose on mist Lucha - Lilac Crowned Amazon: Shower or outside cage with hose on mist Darwin - greencheek conure: dish of water on a platform perch, but not on the ground, or in my hands under a slow running tap Ndeke - lovebird: dish in the cage Pip - Caique: outside cage with the hose on mist, rarely in the sink with the tap running Jim - cockatiel: water bowl I have personally found a key aspect to bathing is discovering what each bird prefers.

I currently have 6 birds and they all have different bathing preferences:

Marnie – CAG: Shower, spray bottle or in the outside cage with the hose on mist
Lucha – Lilac Crowned Amazon: Shower or outside cage with hose on mist
Darwin – greencheek conure: dish of water on a platform perch, but not on the ground, or in my hands under a slow running tap
Ndeke – lovebird: dish in the cage
Pip – Caique: outside cage with the hose on mist, rarely in the sink with the tap running
Jim – cockatiel: water bowl

]]> By: rebecca http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-428 rebecca Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:17:52 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-428 Yeah-- come on my blog and out-train me I'll pop you in the nose, boy! LOL No offense taken. Yeah– come on my blog and out-train me I’ll pop you in the nose, boy! LOL

No offense taken.

]]> By: JJ http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-427 JJ Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:15:13 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-427 Absolutely Rebecca! I wasn't criticizing your approach (I hope it didn't come across that way!). I don't think there is anything wrong with either method. Using desensitization is a good exercise in learning to read body language, and you're still pairing it with R+. You also just gave me a nice lesson in stepping back and looking at the situation when training the trainer to help ensure they succeed! Absolutely Rebecca! I wasn’t criticizing your approach (I hope it didn’t come across that way!). I don’t think there is anything wrong with either method. Using desensitization is a good exercise in learning to read body language, and you’re still pairing it with R+. You also just gave me a nice lesson in stepping back and looking at the situation when training the trainer to help ensure they succeed!

]]> By: rebecca http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-426 rebecca Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:04:34 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-426 JJ-- It's just the difference between what I would personally do and what I would suggest a client do. The train is desensitizing and then training approximations to the bathing. I just started the moving the bird part a little later, but it's basically the same. You are asking the bird to sit still for a reward as the misting gets closer. He has a choice whether or not to move away. Stay and get a reward, move away and don't a reward. He's still completely in control. More importantly, the trainer is forced to look closer at his behavior. The point of doing it this way is to give a new trainer the opportunity to really dial in and react appropriately to body language the demonstrates discomfort. My choice to train starting with desensitization was also because it's an easier train for someone who hasn't done any R+ training before and sets both the bird and the trainer up to succeed a little better. Plus it's easier to see the body language and understand whether or not the bird is comfortable this way and can be a less frustrating train if the bird is nervous of the spray bottle. But of course either way works. If I were training it myself, I would probably do it the way you just described. JJ– It’s just the difference between what I would personally do and what I would suggest a client do. The train is desensitizing and then training approximations to the bathing. I just started the moving the bird part a little later, but it’s basically the same.

You are asking the bird to sit still for a reward as the misting gets closer. He has a choice whether or not to move away. Stay and get a reward, move away and don’t a reward. He’s still completely in control. More importantly, the trainer is forced to look closer at his behavior. The point of doing it this way is to give a new trainer the opportunity to really dial in and react appropriately to body language the demonstrates discomfort.

My choice to train starting with desensitization was also because it’s an easier train for someone who hasn’t done any R+ training before and sets both the bird and the trainer up to succeed a little better. Plus it’s easier to see the body language and understand whether or not the bird is comfortable this way and can be a less frustrating train if the bird is nervous of the spray bottle. But of course either way works. If I were training it myself, I would probably do it the way you just described.

]]> By: Aminah http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-425 Aminah Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:03:17 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-425 very good information. I have 2 cockatiels who hate bathing, I am sure they probally had bad experiences with it, or none at all. They came to be absolutely filthy!!! They do tend to wash their faces in the drinking bowl, which is the only reason they have a bowl rather than a bottle. I have tried misting but they act as if the entire world is coming to an end. So I have left it alone for now. I will try the methods you outlined and see what results I get, they are extremly good eaters so treats go a very long way with them! very good information. I have 2 cockatiels who hate bathing, I am sure they probally had bad experiences with it, or none at all. They came to be absolutely filthy!!! They do tend to wash their faces in the drinking bowl, which is the only reason they have a bowl rather than a bottle. I have tried misting but they act as if the entire world is coming to an end. So I have left it alone for now. I will try the methods you outlined and see what results I get, they are extremly good eaters so treats go a very long way with them!

]]> By: JJ http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/2009/06/singing-in-the-rain/comment-page-1/#comment-424 JJ Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:53:31 +0000 http://heckledbyparrots.com/blog/?p=623#comment-424 I like this post, Rebecca! I especially like the emphasis on paying close attention to body language. That is really paramount in this training to maintain a high level of trust. I change training showering up just a little. Instead of moving the mister closer to the bird, I let the bird move closer to the mister by targeting in small approximations. I see this as letting the bird make the choice of coming toward the water, rather than the water going toward the bird. I like this post, Rebecca! I especially like the emphasis on paying close attention to body language. That is really paramount in this training to maintain a high level of trust. I change training showering up just a little. Instead of moving the mister closer to the bird, I let the bird move closer to the mister by targeting in small approximations. I see this as letting the bird make the choice of coming toward the water, rather than the water going toward the bird.

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