BirdManDan
Rollerblading along the road
Yes that is using it as a tool not for protection.
What's the difference, @Clueless statement was the T perch is golden to transport Secret without getting bitten and others as well. Your opinions seem literally textbook knowledge. Whats good for the goose isYes that is using it as a tool not for protection.
Shinobi,
You are correct that the beak is like a third hand and is often used for stabilization. I do however advocate that the beak should not be used for helping the bird with any bodypart contact unless it is necessary. In other words I teach my birds that it is okay to use their beaks on other things but not my body. If they use their beaks for stepping up on my hand I don't reward that behavior with a treat but do if they don't use their beak to step up on my hand. I will however reward them if they use their beak to step up to a perch. This will help prevent any accidental biting.
This is not about trust. You still didn't answer the question I asked you. How would you handle a bird a that is head over heels in love with your spouse and has blood in his eyes if you even enter the room or look at her? According to you this bird will need to spend the next 18 months inside a cage while you try to win him over which isn't going to happen because he only sees you as competition. The spouse does not handle the bird (because it just feeds the problem). Only you do.
It seems like everyone is missing the point. Don't handle an aggressive bird until you have trust with them, then a T-bar wouldn't be necessary
Never once did I say anything about 18 months so don't put words in my mouth. I personally don't think you should handle a bird until you have established trust so the it is a positive experience for both you and the bird. I just haven't forced a bird to trust me and haven't used a t-bar to keep from being bitten but rather earned trust first then worked with the birds outside of the cage afterwards. Typically just a few days. If done properly trust can be earned in a very short period of time even in as little as a day or two. I have no problem with using tools but the way it came across initially was to keep a bird from attacking you using the T-bar. That's not a tool that's a defensive weapon. Two of my macaws were lungers and biters and after clicker & touch/target training with positive reinforcement one was great after 2 days of proper trust building methods and the other took 4 days, both stepping up without biting. Who ever is having the issue (aggressiveness from the bird) needs to use clicker & target/touch training from the cage and make it a positive experience for the bird. Even getting a reward for reaching towards the target stick. Until the bird is comfortable with that person the reward or treat can be dropped into the treat/food bowl until it can be handed to the bird without aggression. I would not put the bird in the situation where you need to keep it away with a T-bar. You need to set yourself and the bird up for success not failure. I think using a T-bar for protection is setting you and the bird up for failure. If the bird loves one human and not the spouse the one that is loved needs to put the bird back in the cage before any interaction/training (mentioned above) is done with the spouse that is hated. You (the disliked spouse) don't need to handle the bird in the open if it is aggressive towards you until the trust is built first. You can't force a bird to love the spouse it has to be earned.[/QUOTE]
I would love to have an example of your success. Please share your secrets otherwise what's the purpose of this post?. My way has been working wonderfully for me for dozens of birds rehabilitated and tamed for handling so that they can be rehomed into loving families with birds they or anyone that visits them can handle
Never once did I say anything about 18 months so don't put words in my mouth. I personally don't think you should handle a bird until you have established trust so the it is a positive experience for both you and the bird. I just haven't forced a bird to trust me and haven't used a t-bar to keep from being bitten but rather earned trust first then worked with the birds outside of the cage afterwards. Typically just a few days. If done properly trust can be earned in a very short period of time even in as little as a day or two. I have no problem with using tools but the way it came across initially was to keep a bird from attacking you using the T-bar. That's not a tool that's a defensive weapon. Two of my macaws were lungers and biters and after clicker & touch/target training with positive reinforcement one was great after 2 days of proper trust building methods and the other took 4 days, both stepping up without biting. Who ever is having the issue (aggressiveness from the bird) needs to use clicker & target/touch training from the cage and make it a positive experience for the bird. Even getting a reward for reaching towards the target stick. Until the bird is comfortable with that person the reward or treat can be dropped into the treat/food bowl until it can be handed to the bird without aggression. I would not put the bird in the situation where you need to keep it away with a T-bar. You need to set yourself and the bird up for success not failure. I think using a T-bar for protection is setting you and the bird up for failure. If the bird loves one human and not the spouse the one that is loved needs to put the bird back in the cage before any interaction/training (mentioned above) is done with the spouse that is hated. You (the disliked spouse) don't need to handle the bird in the open if it is aggressive towards you until the trust is built first. You can't force a bird to love the spouse it has to be earned.
I'm sure you're very capable at rehabilitating birds Dan. You like I am not scared of any parrot, vicious or not. We handle them with confidence/positive energy and without fear. You are not the average bird owner who has suddenly been attacked by their large parrot that has turned on them and who has now become fearful of their bird. If they don't have a safe method (T stick) of moving and handling that bird (confidence and control) they will stop handling it (it still needs handling every day). Basically relegating it to its cage. All movement forward stops.
I'm done.
Shinobi,
You are correct that the beak is like a third hand and is often used for stabilization. I do however advocate that the beak should not be used for helping the bird with any bodypart contact unless it is necessary. In other words I teach my birds that it is okay to use their beaks on other things but not my body. If they use their beaks for stepping up on my hand I don't reward that behavior with a treat but do if they don't use their beak to step up on my hand. I will however reward them if they use their beak to step up to a perch. This will help prevent any accidental biting.
You don't cross that bridge until you get there.What about for a one-legged bird? Java is molting, and though he isn't aggressive, he hasn't gone into breeding season yet, so I'm not sure what to expect when he's flighted and hormonal. Also, clipping his wings is not an option.