Attention Please
I do hope everyone is enjoying my more fanciful “Tuesdays with Ty” posts, but I realize I have been neglecting what was initially the core of this blog– training and behavior advice. I need to get back at that as well.
I love writing the little essays for Tuesday, pondering what it is that the parrots remind me every week about what it means to be human. I’m lucky to be so easily inspired by my avian friends. Just don’t think for a minute that I think my parrots are little people or a magical mystery. What the birds do in my home, they do because I asked for it. Every behavior my parrots repeat is a product of the consequences of that action.
Speculate, imagine, engage and have fun with your parrots! Just don’t ever forget the every behavior that repeats itself has been rewarded (likely by you). If you enjoy something your parrot does– stop a minute and pay attention, give him a treat or a scratch on the head. If your parrot does something you don’t like, ignore it and do your best not to reward it. (ie– asking for a peanut while you’re working like Ty has been doing for the last ten minutes. Don’t turn and look at him, don’t talk to him and for goodness sake, don’t give in and get him a peanut. He’ll never never never stop asking for one. And you’ll never get to finish the article your writing.)
Behavior is simple and you are always shaping it. This is the key to animal training. If you ask me, it’s the crux of every rewarding relationship. What are you rewarding?
Well first of all, I was lost without my Tuesday with Ty on TUESDAY last week! I’m new to your site and already — addicted! Kept checking back — hey! Where is she?
Thank you for this post. As I mentioned when I posted once before, we added a pionus to our family of two humans at the end of May. Things have been great but so very much different than I expected! Part of why we specifically chose a pionus is that they don’t bond strongly to just one person. Well, our dear Sophie has bonded to me big time to the detriment of her relationship with Iver. We could see some things Iver could be doing differently in his interactions. I think my way of interacting is more naturally bird friendly. Iver tends to demand her attention more, but has changed his ways with that. But now she thinks I’m hers and gets defensive if he walks up to me while she is with me, puffing up her head feathers and has actually bit ME over it. I tell her I’m not happy and remove her from my shoulder and on to her perch. After a period of time (during which she often does her “Janine call”) Iver goes and talks to her and interacts. We’re trying to do the right things, but haven’t figured it out to change the behavior yet. The other day Iver had her outside and was just being calm and talking and feeding her a few seeds and she hauled off and bit the heck out of his nose. It is the worst bite she has inflicted – a little scary to say the least. I wasn’t there and he has NO idea what set her off that time. This is making him unable to trust her and of course frustrated. I do not want to be a single parent to this bird (heck I didn’t even want to be the primary person for this bird!) Iver is the most calm and gentle man you’d want to meet. He’s a health care professional and tends to draw people to him without intending to. I’m not any of these things! We’re still looking for the triggers. Maybe we just aren’t rewarding the right things. We’ll regroup on that thought.
I was in Montana and drowning in work/travel prep. Ty is back this week, promise.
Have you picked up/read A Parrot for Life yet? Some helpful training stuff in there as well….
OK, I’ll give you a week off!
I haven’t read A Parrot for Life yet, but I just ordered it! Thanks.