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Laker - New Year - Mixture of Sad & Happy Stories (diary of user: homebird) Rating     (5 out of 2 ratings) There are 50 replies made on this diary

2007 Laker the Budgie Alice & Mo the Cockatiels hopefully fun & amusing stories & with life there is also sorrow   Laker hanging out with my son Jack Alice & Mo in the Sun Room The above photos are from 2006. On a Sad Note   My lovely Vive Cat Darling with the persistent Budgie Laker Vive July 1988 - Jan 2007 She was very special to us all - a gentle soul, very loving, smart & playful. She was wonderful to cuddle & pet. Vive was also fun to hang out with. Just ask Laker. Sampling the Cat's tail - Oh you're awake! Laker loved to check out Vive.  He would run all around her - even jump on her belly.  But she was a cat & although very old she had to be watched & praised for putting up with him. Christmas Presents from America! Laker was as excited as a little kid & he loved the cellophane wrapping Laker is very impatient to get it open tho! the first gift revealed! An edible wreath - he started right in & turned my husband's desk into a seed fest. Bird Friends & the internet Laker & I have made some friends since he came into my life in July.  Sarah & her husband live in Michigan & has a Budgie (Jerry) & a Tiel (Lulu).  She sent us these lovely treats. When i got to the Post Office I was amazed at the large parcel & when i opened it i was even more surprised at the generosity. This smaller tin holds food prepared by her avian vet, wrapped in woven containers. This large tin box holds Nutriberries [a variety] & Avi-cakes from Lafeber or Drs. Foster & Smith - they smell delicious She also sent an extra long 'Boing' - i wanted to try it out right away so i wrapped it around the cage.  Since then I've added Dr. Seuss like twists & loops. He seems to like it.    We plan to hang it eventually - just haven't decided where. So there's the bitter & the sweet all in a few days of each other. ~ Middle of the Month ~ Laker's Training - Continues with great success ReCall Training Update training your bird to come to you for exercise & play inside or outside with a better chance of recovery if they escape outside without a harness Use of a Clicker recommended Positive re-enforcement  a must   I'm on another Bird Board & the discussion of whether or not to clip your Parrot's wings came up.  It caused a huge uproar.  Many  people where in 3 different camps.  [Pro-clip, Maybe-clip for a variety of reasons, & No clipping]  One of the best things to come out of the controversy was that a lot of people looked at the way they were keeping their birds.  During the discussion a new member said he was part of a group dedicated to free flight.  He & friends take their trained birds outside & let them fly.  The emphasis was on trained - which was brushed aside by the opposition as silly wishful thinking. Exercise, happiness & physical well being were on the top of the list when everyone talked about their birds. Hormonal Bonding, Plucking, and Bonding were also issues. The Training The training is basically that of training birds of prey.  Many people start with a baby & teach it that all food comes from you.  You reward with food.  In fact you train when they are hungriest or just before their meals.  Finish training session with the rest of their food in their eating area.  Laker's training was a modified version of this.  I have yet  to purchase a Clicker, for one thing - so we use praise & Millet as a reward.  I was concerned with controlling his food.  But if I wanted his undivided attention i had to be manipulative.  He's very hungry in the morning when he first gets up & this is when I offer some foods he doesn't usually consider - as a seed only bird he can be stubborn.  Around 10am he's hungry again so this is a good time to offer his favourite food Millet.  He responded with enthusiasm to just about everything we asked him to do.  At first he would come to us from a 1' away.  Eventually he flew to us from across the room.   After a short training time [about 10 min per session] he is given the end of the Millet [1" piece] & his favourite seeds.  We train sometimes 3x's a day. 10am, 2pm, & 6pm.  This way we get to 'play' or 'interact' with him & he gets lots of exercise.  I'm sure everyone has had a time when they wanted to get close to their bird or enjoy him when he's there.  Training is fun for you both & creates a bond between you.  For us - we all train with him so he gets to fly to more than one person. Since we started around the beginning of December Laker has learned to 'Come' using verbal & visual clues.  He doesn't always come but if we are aware of his activity, like eating or preening, we can get his attention when he's doing neither.  I think his bonding to us has really intensified.  He may not be the best trained Budgie out there but he does know what we want a lot more & seems happy to comply. . Today he flew  from one room to another by call alone! January 15, 2007 This is the next level! - getting them to come to you by call alone, when they can't see you.  It is also difficult to get them to turn corners - apparently not an issue for Laker. If we had a larger area to train in, like a horse barn, he could be trained to do Recall to the level that we could take him outside. Wednesday,January 17th. Today he flew from the office again, down the hall & into my son's room when he saw me leaving the room - problem was I wasn't going in that direction.  I know he loves that room 1) because it's the music room & he likes my son 2) because it is south facing & very sunny.  Being on the 29th floor, we can see almost to the US, across Lake Ontario. When i came back to the office I called to him & he came right away.  I know he hates to be alone so it is a great incentive to get him to come.  He got lots of praise.  So when my husband came home he flew to him as well & then back to the office.  He was so full of himself that he refused to go into his cage for lunch in the Living/Dining room.  Because these 2 rooms open to the balcony, our rule is he must be in his cage in those rooms.   There are predators in the air around our building + the updrafts are very strong. He's just a little Budgie, after all. For those interested, Recall Training can be found at: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/Parrotrecalltraining So my Laker 'Budgies' drawing won the drawing contest!   Budgies

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