Taming using the "Chair Method"

[Zettobi]

An interesting article that Parrot Life Behaviour and Training posted on their facebook yesterday, it comes from Avian Behaviour International and speaks about the "Chair Method" that people online often use/advise as a method to help tame scared/aggressive birds.

The "Chair Method" is when the person sits next to the bird cage and either calmly talks, sings, read a book or anything else in the bird's presence. The article says that using this method (or similar methods) you are forcing your presence on the bird and teaching that that you will ignore/don't care for their body language, eventually they will give up and exhibit "calm" behaviour.

In essence, the "chair method" is flooding.

Why Talking or Singing to Your New Parrot is a Bad Idea

I had honestly never thought of it that way and this has been an eye opener and definitely something to think about. What are everyone else's thoughts?

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

That's interesting. But I think this "method" can be done in a way that you show you do care about their body language. By a person who can listen to the bird. Not just plunking down in a chair by the cage and reading. People who start at a distance that the bird is comfortable in and then come closer gradually when the bird invites it. There are a couple of people on this forum I'm thinking of who have done it like this and are really good at it - good at not forcing themselves onto the bird but still being present and introducing themselves so that the bird can get to know them. But it's just that there is no one, foolproof method to follow - it really comes down to being able to read your bird and understand your bird. That's the only way, no matter what method one uses.

 

[aooratrix]

Context matters with the chair method I recommend it often but not for birds that are essentially wild Also, if you sit in the same room as the bird, don't make eye contact, and read a book, you're doing no harm In the article, she basically desensitized the lory to her hand The chair method, done in the right situation, accomplishes the same thing and is less intrusive than putting your hand on the cage bar With the chair method, I point out that only the bird can initiate a change, too