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Need help training a bird with no motivation

Cat The Great

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
2/23/17
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375
Real Name
Caitlyn
Hi, I need advice for my canary winged parakeet Georgie on training her to certain areas in the house. The problem is that she has no motivation to do what I want her to learn. I have had this problem before but it was almost always defeated by her food desire. However, she is not food motivated or praise motivated enough anymore to be able to train her. This has become a problem because she is flying all over the house and this is becoming a hazard to her safety as we do have a cat and a dog (I know some will suggest a room for her but this not plausible, as I live in a big family and we just don't have the resources for things like that). Also because she is not trained to designated areas she is hurting herself flying around by hitting objects because she has no idea where to land expect the bathroom. As this becoming a problem my parents would like clip her wings as she is becoming a hazard to herself. I do not want to clip her wings but if I can't train her to designated areas in the house, I will be willing to clip. Also if I have to clip, would two or three primaries be enough? I would like to clip as little as possible. I want to clip just enough so that it slows her flying down, but she still can fly for her health. I know it is not an ideal situation, but me and my parents have agreed that she will not have a full clip but a partial one so that she is slowed in her flight and we are able to keep better track of her. Any and all ideas are welcome.:)
 

JLcribber

@cockatoojohn
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I want to clip just enough so that it slows her flying down,
You have cats and dogs. This is a death sentence for your bird. Slowing her down does nothing from going anywhere. Just takes longer. Less chance of escape and a much greater chance of getting caught.

Your solution is to create/adapt a space that has barriers/borders to allow that flight. It's all about environment. Always is. Not about handicapping our birds because we don't want to provide what they need.
 

BertAllen

Rollerblading along the road
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Ontario
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Dave
When my CAG is out all doors to other rooms are shut and the hallways lights are out. If he can't see something interesting he doesn't bother going looking. Not sure how your house is laid out but mines a 3000sqft bungalow.
Birds need to fly IMO plus it makes sure he can escape from the dog or cat you have or at least stay up away from them.
 

Porter

Jogging around the block
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Somewhere out there... (Louisiana)
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Maggie
My birds are contained in one room of the house that is bird safe. The only time I clip my birds is when I'm making a major trip or move.

She shouldn't be left loose when the dogs or cats are nearbyperiod.

That's just an accident waiting to happen. However with CWP or WWP they are nearly always people oriented. So recall training is beneficial.

Porter will ALWAYS fly to me when I make a certain whistler sound.
 
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