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jenn24
Egg
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 5
Location: Texas |
| Parakeet Training question |
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I have two budgies (Charlie and Tink-both female...I think). Charlie's about 2 years old and Tink is a little over a year. I wasn't able to spend tons of time with them at first because of work and school but they are at the point now were they are comfortable sitting on my finger but not for a long time. One of the problems is they fight over my hand. If Tink is sitting on my finger Charlie will sometimes come over and peck her in the head. Also if I try to move my hand to another part of the cage the birds will hop off. I read something on the internet about a "catch and release" method where you take the bird in to a different room than the one with the cage in it and you catch them and then release them for a half an hour. This supposedly teaches the bird your hand is not going to hurt them. Does anyone have an opinion on this method or advise on how to get my birds completely trained? I've thought about seperating them into two cages so they're not distracted by one another for a little while. Any help is appreciated.  |
Thursday June 14, 2007 2:20 am |
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homebird
Flier
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Posts: 502
Location: Toronto, Canada |
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I also have heard about the catch & release training method & some people swear by it. It isn't something i enjoyed when i tried it. However with my Mom's WILD male Tiel it is the only way he will interact - when i trim his nails or retrieve him at the end of the day - & he's become quite calm about the toweling. i drop a light weight place mat on top of him & scoop him up. Lots of calming talk & he just sits there patiently until i put him into the cage.
Rio is my baby Budgie - he was not clipped & was a bit of a problem for his breeder owner. Because they didn't spend a lot of time with him he was pretty wild. I think they were using the catch method. I have caught him a few times & have tried to give him 'scritches' [rub his head feathers] - but he isn't too keen. Laker has a definite 'Don't touch' policy - however over the year i've had him i can now give him kisses on his chest without him looking like i'm getting a taste!
I have resorted to just separating him from Laker - who happily spends time in another room, for quiet times, anyways.  When Laker is busy I make the little one do step ups & talk to him a lot. If Laker was in the room - the baby would not focus I'm 100% sure at this point - Laker is everything to Rio.
For both birds I introduced step-up while they were in the cage, so i wouldn't have to chase them all over - not that they don't fly all over anyways but they're pretty co-operative considering & know the words. Mostly i have noticed they like to fly away for 'fun' a few times before settling down & going where i want.
So I suggest you separate them during training time.
I also use food deprivation in training situations. I take their food away about an hour before training & offer it or Millet as a treat during the training - it really focuses them. Then i put the food back at the end as a signal & reward.
You could also include a clicker
- this will focus the bird on what they have done, at the moment they did it. Many people use this method + there are Yahoo groups that will give you support as well.
Repetitive use of commands is your best bet - they'll pick them up & know what you want in no time. 'Excuse me' [ so i don't get bitten when my hand in in the cage or when i'm typing around a Budgie], 'lets go', sleepy time', 'come', step-up' - are all things my birds respond to.
Hope some of that helps - let me know how it's going,
Jac |
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Thursday June 14, 2007 1:50 pm |
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