Teaching independent mobility and flight

[Monaco]

Hi guys. I'm not sure if this belongs in training, or if behavior is a better place for it. It's a long one, and it's mostly training for me. Here we go...

We have been working on building muscle, growing feathers, and independence in general. The little milestones have been largely organic, and impossible to recreate so far... Making me think this could be a topic in behavior. But! I love being involved in the process and the bonding that happens while she explores her world and capability.

For anyone who doesn't know us, Monaco is a 20 year old female eclectus, who has been clipped virtually her whole life. She had a long period of basically being cage bound. I am her primary mode of transportation, and while that provides lots of opportunities for bonding and trust building, I believe that agency and independent decision making is vital to overall health.

So with that in mind, I really think we'll both benefit from your experience and suggestions. I struggle to think out of the box sometimes, and my inexperience can really get in the way! I'm really good at following rules... I have a good grasp of general safety, and I'm confident that I can follow those rules while expanding her world a little. So it's time to start designing scenarios that might build her confidence and enhance her ability to make her own decisions about where to be and what to do. For instance, it just occurred to me to play hide and seek to help her figure out walking on the floor. She's still hesitant about using boings and bridges to get from place to place, so I'm going to try hanging some 2x4's which will have less movement.

Any ideas about more games or designs that might help will be really helpful!

Second is working on flight. She's got 3 primaries on each side now. She even gets a tiny bit of lift when we do the flap game. Occasionally it feels like she wants to jump, but I do my best to keep her from it. Is it time to pad the floor and let her practice softening her landings, and let her jump off of my hand?

Luring her with things has been a complete failure, except for a couple of steps towards the treat, then usually immediately backs away unless it's to step up, so I'm stuck trying to help her jump from place to place (she's only done it once from the couch to her perch - roughly level height between the two.) Any suggestions about different scenarios I can set up for this, or if it's just not time to try yet? An example of an idea I had was to make a little series of "steps" in a pyramid type configuration for her to figure out how to climb or hop to get down. She's sometimes fearless about jumping off of her cage, and the crash landing is traumatic. The goal is to show her how to get down in a safer way.

Last is the treat issue. I still have not found the key to this particular lock. There is not a food item I've found to use as a lure or reward that works for her. The caitec cookies could be this key, but I hesitate to use it as frequently as training or treating would require. Even the safflower seeds I use to teach her foraging are hit and miss. Should I be more flexible about the cookies as tools? Are there other rewards I should be trying? Is praise enough? Should I be thinking of this kind of training the same way I would "trick training?" Currently I think of it as "be a bird" training, and just trying to encourage natural behaviors. I frequently have to "prove" to my dog he's capable of doing one thing or another, and it just doesn't work the same way as trick or obedience training for him. The joy he has once he realizes that he can do something is priceless. I just want that for Monaco, but I'm not good at it yet.

Train me, please!

Thank you, guys!

 

[Hankmacaw]

You have a good start here to teaching her to fly (safely) and to fly down, which is invaluable to any bird. When you are doing the arm flapping just move her to your hand flap her a few time then toss her onto the bed. She won't hurt herself and she will learn and get exercise with every toss. Like everything, don't overdo it at one time - leave the teaching on a positive note. Give her lots of positive feedback while practicing.

Later you can practice tossing her from one person to another.

Many people use pine nuts as training treats.

 

[Monaco]

You have a good start here to teaching her to fly (safely) and to fly down, which is invaluable to any bird. When you are doing the arm flapping just move her to your hand flap her a few time then toss her onto the bed. She won't hurt herself and she will learn and get exercise with every toss. Like everything, don't overdo it at one time - leave the teaching on a positive note. Give her lots of positive feedback while practicing.

Later you can practice tossing her from one person to another.

Many people use pine nuts as training treats.

I'm grateful for the vote of confidence! I'm lucky I really like pinons (pine nuts, without the ~) I keep trying to prove they're tasty!

A quick follow up question... How many primaries do you think she'll need to really start getting some lift? Hers are in the center, and she's still really irritated by the rough edges of the first ones to the point of trying to make them fray and soften.

 

[TikkiTembo]

I was told to do a 'treat interview.' Leave a few different nuts, etc in a bowl accessible to her and see what she goes for. We did this with Chipper and eventually found that he likes almonds and walnuts.

 

[taxidermynerd]

Chirp was clipped when I got him, and I had him clipped twice more after that (before I knew better). He was never allowed to fledge, so he had no clue how to use his wings. I taught Chirp by doing the flapping thing- I'd get him on my hand and bounce him up and down, so he'd flap. Then I started tossing him onto the bed, then we moved to upstairs (big room) once he got good at not dropping like a rock. Eventually, he figured it out, now he's a champ at flying! It takes a lot of time but it's sooo worth it.

 

[Monaco]

I was told to do a 'treat interview.' Leave a few different nuts, etc in a bowl accessible to her and see what she goes for. We did this with Chipper and eventually found that he likes almonds and walnuts.

Thank you! I will keep looking. There are lots of things she likes, and will eat, just not that motivate her.

Chirp was clipped when I got him, and I had him clipped twice more after that (before I knew better). He was never allowed to fledge, so he had no clue how to use his wings. I taught Chirp by doing the flapping thing- I'd get him on my hand and bounce him up and down, so he'd flap. Then I started tossing him onto the bed, then we moved to upstairs (big room) once he got good at not dropping like a rock. Eventually, he figured it out, now he's a champ at flying! It takes a lot of time but it's sooo worth it.

I would love to have an upstairs. I agree it will be worth it. I haven't looked through your new posts, I hope he's doing OK.

 

[OK Mike]

Blu was clipped when we got him in November of 2017. After his flight feathers grew back he was attached to me enough to want to be on my arm any time he was out of his cage. I started his flight training by putting him on his perch and offering my arm. I started off close enough for him to step off the perch and then gradually increased the distance. Now if he's on his perch or the outside of his cage I can offer my arm with a slap on it and he will fly to me much like a falcon to a lure. After that I got an Aviator harness and we progressed to outdoor flights. His recall to my arm outside is still a work in progress but he and I both get a lot of exercise running (me) and flying (him) around the yard.