New Bird Behavior

[Rob]

I have a brown throat conure and i've had him for a week now. I've been patient and working with him every day and he was stepping up an command and hardly nipping me and things were going great. Starting yesterday, it's like we've taken 10 steps back. I can only step him up from the floor or a some other surface he's not used to. If he is in the cage or playing on top (the top opens up) he tries to bite me. Now I'm noticing when he is on top of his cage he is especially skiddish and squawks constantly. I dont know what to do. He will only step up if hes away from his cage.

 

[JLcribber]

You're NOT being very patient. Nothing changes in one week. You're rushing it and pushing it. There are no shortcuts. The bird decides these things. Not you. So in order for the bird to do these things you have to "earn" the privilege to "ask".

 

[Birdiemarie]

I've never had a conure but your little guy's behavior sounds like he is going through the normal new bird behavior. The first week or so is oftentimes one of compliance because everything is brand new. Now that he is a little more used to the sounds, smells, etc he is sizing you up determining if you are friend or foe. This is a critical time to build up trust in you so you need to go at his pace now. Slow down and take it one step at a time allowing him to decide when it's time to go to the next level. Start by standing at his cage talking softly to him but not trying to touch him or wanting him to step up. You can sit next to his cage with the door open while reading and 'ignoring'him with a bowl of apple slices making yummy sounds as you eat but not offering him any. Putting a perch on the inside of the door is a good trick to allow him a place to be while still at the safety of his cage. As he determines that you are a nice person and warms up to you he'll come over to investigate and you can offer him some. Having a millet sprig on hand at that time will help as well. Go very slow and allow him to decide when he wants to do more. Just take it one step at a time. It can take awhile but this is an important time of trust building that will be worth it later on.

 

[pajarita]

You started training BEFORE bonding and that's a no-no. You need to bond with the bird first and then train, not the other way around, so spend time with the bird ON THE BIRD'S TERMS, let it out of the cage, talk, sing, whistle, offer a treat every now and then, keep it company, play with its toys, etc. and, in another month or two, you can start training. People forget that parrots are not programmed to be 'eager to please' like dogs or horses are, they only learn when you give them a high value item as a reward or when they appreciate your praise a lot but even the high value item will not work if you push them.

 

[RosieBird]

When we first got out M2 she bonded immediately with hubby (I mean deep love at first sight), I wanted this same bond with her but she was not having it. She was very hormonal and grabbed at me occasionally and got me good a couple of times. I work everyday with her to constantly develop her trust through patience, love, understanding and food provider. It is not always easy and I have days where I also feel we are taking steps backwards. Like others have said you really do have to go at the bird's pace. Progress came for us when she lowered her head and allowed me to preen her pin feathers or I'll show her I trust her by allowing her to eat rice in the palm of my hand (depending on her mood). I eat with her also, I bring a plate of her favorites sweet potatos, brown rice and she'll lean over to me. I'll take a bite and offer her a piece of her own (this is flock mate behavior, showing her you are sharing your food) The preening is also flock mate behavior. We've had our girl for 9 months now and I will never give up on her. She didn't ask for this life with humans, she should be free in trees with her own kind, I remind myself of that on difficult days.

I'm not sure if you have a baby or this is a rehome for him. Either way really your bird has an adjustment period to his new surroundings. Which I'm sure for him is a scary situation.

I'm constantly trying to think of things that will bring her more joy in her life, a new toy, new activity, new foods, singing, story telling (sit down and enthusiastically read him a nursery rhyme and show him the pictures (we are dealing with perpetual 2 year olds here). Give my girl a thickly corrugated box and she's happy for 3 hours.

I may never be able to snuggle with my girl but I know she loves me, these things take love, time and patience. Just keep reminding yourself to be patient with him. You'll get there, don't give up!!

 

[Lady Jane]

This bird is testing you so give him space to be a bird. We all need this lesson once in a while.

 

[Monica]

Can you outline the training approach? Such as, exactly how are you trying to teach him to step up?

 

[Wolf]

When you first bring a bird into your nest (home), it is a new and alien place for them, with new sights, sounds and smells and they are very scared so they will try to cling to the closest thing to what they are used to for comfort and this is usually you. Sometimes this is taken as the initial bonding taking place, but it really isn't, and so some people move right on into training which the bird will comply with for a short time. Bonding takes time and if you have not taken the time to earn your birds trust then this initial stage is an illusion borne out of the birds need for security. Slow down and take the time to build a bond with the bird before you begin asking anything of it, it pays big dividends in the long run, and you will have plenty of time for training later.

 

[Monica]

Considering it is possible to train a parrot that has no personal bond with you (i.e. aviary birds), I don't feel that it is necessary to have a bond with a parrot first prior to training. In fact, I believe that it is possible to form a bond *through* training.

 

[Wolf]

If you say so. Although I have yet to see any bond formed through training.

 

[pajarita]

Considering it is possible to train a parrot that has no personal bond with you (i.e. aviary birds), I don't feel that it is necessary to have a bond with a parrot first prior to training. In fact, I believe that it is possible to form a bond *through* training.

I absolutely do NOT agree. Bond = love Training does not mean love and parrots know the difference. Can you train an aviary bird? Sure! I know people who have trained canaries but the way they do it is through sheer hunger and flooding! Granted, there is no need to starve a parrot in order to train it because you can always use a high value item as reward but high value items lose their value over time if given repeatedly (and daily training sessions imply repetition).

I don't 'train' my parrots to do any tricks. I just praise them and pay them special one-on-one attention when they do something right but what I praise is good behavior, not a trick.

 

[Rob]

Now, today he is pacing back and forth on the perch squawking. has anyone had this happen?

 

[EvaBird]

This is great advice! I am a newbie as well...sounds like my Eva is not ready to step up so I will focus on enjoying the love when she asks for it. Rob, mine paces and sqwakes for attention, I ignore her and turn my back or leave the room. Unless I am engaging in a new behaviour. Sometimes she is just scared if I stop she does too. Then slowly start again whispering to her...especially Today while sweeping.

 

[karen256]

It's perfectly normal for him to be nervous in a new place even if everything is going great, he most likely just needs some time to settle in. But it's also possible that some specific thing happened to make him especially nervous. Did you move his cage or add a new toy that might be scary to him? They can be scared by things we don't think are scary. Or did you perhaps do something to make him nervous about stepping up on your hand? Birds who are just learning to step up may use their beaks to test the stability of a hand before stepping up, and you need to be sure you allow him to do this - don't pull your hand away. Finally, if he is clipped, and happens to fall to the floor, it's also important to not chase after him to pick him up. A bird that is already nervous in a new place may interpret this as an attack. Instead, sit down on the floor nearby, hold out your hand near him, and let him come to you (he will very likely be eager to get off the floor); if he shies from your hand, you can hold out a perch in your hand.
I'm just mentioning these as they are relatively common causes of fearfulness in a new handfed bird.

 

[Wolf]

The only time that any of my birds pace with or without Vocalizations is when they want out of the cage. They will scream at me to get my attention if I don't notice them pretty quick.

 

[Rob]

Theresa @TMS told me that i hestiate when trying to step him up and i try to do some things like pet him too early on and that is true so maybe that scares him. Sometimes he's fine; like yesterday he didn't want to step up from my pillow he was sitting on but a few minutes later he walked over to me and wanted to step up. I also noticed that thumbs scare him.

 

[Wolf]

I have a tendency to talk to my birds and always ask before reaching out to request a step up and just put my hand in range and ask and then wait for them, it doesn't usually take long, if the don't step up right away I go do something else for a minute or two and come back and they usually step right up. I never try to pet my birds without their permission and find that if they want to be petted or scratched that they will ask for it. They do this usually bowing their head until their beak is on my hand or other surface that they are on and waiting for me to respond. This is their natural way of doing this and is not something that I have ever taught a bird to do.

 

[EvaBird]

Ya today Eva gave my whole face a grooming ( slightly violating and gross) but I was too afraid to spoke her by moving. Then she step away and I went to pet her..she let me know that was not an invited jesteR! Head bow then pet, I will not forget.

 

[Monica]

New blog post from Barbara Heidenreich.... it reminded me of this thread.

"a relationship is a by-product of training"

Barbara's Force Free Animal Training Talk: Is Animal Training Really All About Relationships?


Just because a bird has a bond doesn't mean that the bird will learn anything. Likewise, just because a bird has been trained doesn't mean that the bird will have a bond with a person. How a person defines a relationship, or a bond, can vary between each individual. Some people are happy enjoying cage/stand birds that receive very little *physical* attention, but may receive plenty of ambient attention and the birds know step up/step down. Some people are quite happy with shoulder birds who may or may not enjoy scritches. Others yet may prefer birds who are far more hands on and interactive than just a "shoulder pet".


A bond or relationship is often formed on trust and trust can be built through training.

 

[Wolf]

I suppose that her point of view is valid at least to some extent, some of it is dependent on your point of view. For instance if there is any interaction between bird and human then there is a relationship of some sort and since any interaction is a learning experience then it could also be seen as training as well. My point is that they are interconnected to such a degree that it would be difficult to totally separate them and that is not something that is going to happen for the vast majority of us. Even during those times that we are not involved in training our birds ( according to a generally accepted idea of what is training) and are involved with promoting our relationship with the bird, we are still doing both training and building upon the relationship that we have. Even just opening the cage door and hanging out with our birds can easily qualify as training and/ or bonding and relationship building. I guess it all comes down to how you choose to define what.