How "trained" should a bird be?

[sunnysmom]

I have been questioning lately whether I have under-trained Elvis. (I know it's never too late.) But I volunteer with people that spend a lot of time training their birds and I am wondering what's normal? Honestly, I never "trained" Sunny my first bird. Things kind of evolved naturally. (And he was a really good bird.) But now that I have Elvis I am wondering if I should be doing things differently. I work with him on not screaming. That's still our big thing. (It's hard when I live with someone who reinforces the screaming but that's another issue.) When Elvis is out of his cage, he wants to play. He wants to fly and play catch etc. So that's what we do because I figure he's been in his cage - now is his time for exercise. Someone asked me once does he perch? As in sit on a perch outside of his cage. No, he doesn't. He's too busy. Should I teach him to do that? He steps up for me usually. Not always. I think he would for other people but I'm not sure. He usually has to be bribed to go back in his cage at night. I guess that's not good? Should I be training him to go back in? Or is bribing him training? LOL. I would like to syringe train him but I would probably have to do that with him in his cage. So what should a bird do? What is expected?

 

[scrape]

I think small basic training is helpful. It can be a goal, but obviously isn't necessary. What do they need to know to help them adjust to a new home better, incase something happens.
An adaptable bird is a great goal to have. My birds know how to target, and stepping up reliably is a goal for me. Oh, and recall is a goal for the ones that can fly. I'm not an expert, but I wanted to add my cents.

 

[dollfish]

Travel cage in and out, normal cage in and out and a solid step up and down could suffice in my opinion. For me it is another type of enrichment that I can provide and this is my reason for training a lot.

 

[Crazy4parrots]

Well Baylee hate her travel cage she hates going in it...

 

[Crazy4parrots]

She can go in and out of her regular cage but travel cage only jumps out of the travel cage like immediately cause she hate it.

 

[dollfish]

She can go in and out of her regular cage but travel cage only jumps out of the travel cage like immediately cause she hate it.

That could use some work.

Mine does regular trips in it and sleeps in it at night so I had to do training to make it comfortable for her.

 

[Toy]

I'd say at least perch, in/out travel cage, in/out cage, step up/down.

FYI: You can also teach birds hand signals. I taught our CAG to go in her cage with a wave of my hand. My U2 goes in her cage on command & if she sees me putting shoes on, it's because she knows I'm leaving the house.

I taught JaJaBinks (recently passed) to do wings up, turn around, butt feathers, under beak, etc so when I showerd her it would be easy to get all her parts. All I had to do was give the commands & she'd do them while I sprayed her down good in the shower. She'd give me a growl sound when she'd had enough. Then a quick toweling & off she'd go down the hall & down the stairs, where she'd wait for me to pick her up & carry her back to her cage. She also knew back up, wipe feet, wipe beak, wings up/down, wave wing bye-bye, dance, etc. She was so easy to teach & deal with. I discoverd soon after I got her that if I made everything fun/silly/a game she'd take right to it. Parrots are way too smart!

 

[Kassiani]

I think recall training can't be stressed enough. I'm working on that with my budgie boys. Not because I ever intend to free fly them, but what if they ever got loose outside? I'd want a chance to be able to get them back safely!

 

[budgieluv3]

Recall training could be a fun and helpful thing to try.

 

[dollfish]

I'd say at least perch, in/out travel cage, in/out cage, step up/down.

FYI: You can also teach birds hand signals. I taught our CAG to go in her cage with a wave of my hand. My U2 goes in her cage on command & if she sees me putting shoes on, it's because she knows I'm leaving the house.

I taught JaJaBinks (recently passed) to do wings up, turn around, butt feathers, under beak, etc so when I showerd her it would be easy to get all her parts. All I had to do was give the commands & she'd do them while I sprayed her down good in the shower. She'd give me a growl sound when she'd had enough. Then a quick toweling & off she'd go down the hall & down the stairs, where she'd wait for me to pick her up & carry her back to her cage. She also knew back up, wipe feet, wipe beak, wings up/down, wave wing bye-bye, dance, etc. She was so easy to teach & deal with. I discoverd soon after I got her that if I made everything fun/silly/a game she'd take right to it. Parrots are way too smart!

How do you pair a hand signal with going in the cage?

 

[Zara]

So what should a bird do? What is expected?

I think it is all relative. There´s no rules. What works for one, is not needed for another.

I don´t bother with much training. Recall yes (but not Aldora because she chooses not to, we have a mutual understanding that wen I´m wiping out the cage, she goes to the top perch and waits, but that is all with her).

I taught 6 of 7 of my birds not to bite me.

This is all. And it works for me.
¨Perch¨ is useless for me as I have small active birds, I like that they fly around and play when out of their cages.

 

[sunnysmom]

Thanks everyone. It's given me some things to think about and actually made me feel better. I basically get Elvis to do anything I want in our own way. (And we actually do some hand signals. For instance tapping on my shoulder means for him to come to me. In return, the little bugger will tap on something to tell me when he wants to stay where he is. LOL.) But I think I should do some more structured training so other people could handle him better if need be. He always did fine with @cassiesdad but Bob's a bit of a 'too whisperer. Much to my amazement, he told Elvis to go in his cage and he did. I definitely want Elvis to feel like he can fly and play. I try to let him have as much freedom as he can under the circumstances but perhaps need some of the basics down more for others to do. (And he does hate going in his carrier. I guess the one thing with Sunny was I did get him to like his carrier. I would put it down he would walk right in it. Not Elvis. LOL.)

 

[Kenzie]

Maybe you should start trick training? Maybe he will surprise you after his brain is drained of energy, maybe his body would be too and he'll finally relax and perch (not that I think you care, but maybe it'll blow you away).

I know after a good training session my birds preen then nap. If we don't train that day, my BCC is all over the place. He really enjoys multiple sessions of trick training everyday and he catches on so quickly.. always trying to find new ideas for teaching him.

 

[Crazy4parrots]

I taught Baylee to come to me like a dog. lol I put her on the floor and tell her come here. She comes like all excited

I'd say at least perch, in/out travel cage, in/out cage, step up/down.

FYI: You can also teach birds hand signals. I taught our CAG to go in her cage with a wave of my hand. My U2 goes in her cage on command & if she sees me putting shoes on, it's because she knows I'm leaving the house.

I taught JaJaBinks (recently passed) to do wings up, turn around, butt feathers, under beak, etc so when I showerd her it would be easy to get all her parts. All I had to do was give the commands & she'd do them while I sprayed her down good in the shower. She'd give me a growl sound when she'd had enough. Then a quick toweling & off she'd go down the hall & down the stairs, where she'd wait for me to pick her up & carry her back to her cage. She also knew back up, wipe feet, wipe beak, wings up/down, wave wing bye-bye, dance, etc. She was so easy to teach & deal with. I discoverd soon after I got her that if I made everything fun/silly/a game she'd take right to it. Parrots are way too smart!