Parrot Training Mistakes…and a New Parrot Training DVD!

I have just returned from Finland where I was fortunate to present a two day seminar on parrot training. This was my second time with these folks and it was just as much as fun as the first time. I wanted to share one of my moments of learning from the weekend.

We had a nice big group….around 60 people. Almost every person brought a parrot too. In Finland it is common practice to keep parrots fully flighted. This has helped many parrot enthusiasts in Finland already get acquainted with training with positive reinforcement. We definitely had some great trainers in the room. However all those birds flying around at the same time could get a bit chaotic. Fortunately we were able to split the group into separate rooms for training and made some progress.

One of the challenges with bringing parrots to a new location for training is that sometimes the behaviors they present so well at home fall apart in a new environment. This can be due to a number of factors such as environmental distractions or perhaps the behavior was not generalized to new locales. One such behavior for several of the parrots was going back into the travel cage. Whenever the parrots were to be left unsupervised (for example during the lunch break) we wanted the birds to be safe in their cages. While most cooperated we had a few who probably needed more practice going back into their travel cages for positive reinforcement.

One such bird was Wilma, an Amazon parrot. On the first day when Wilma decided out on a perch was better than in the cage, we got a little sneaky. We basically took parts of her travel cage off so that we could lower it over her while she sat on the perch. The process was pretty uneventful and Wilma was secure. However it was not ideal since Wilma did not voluntarily climb into her travel cage.

The next day I forgot to mention to Wilma’s caregiver that it might be better to work with Wilma in her less distracting hotel room until the crate training was solid. Come lunchtime Wilma was already out and about in the big room. Although what Wilma really needed was a few training sessions, the schedule was tight and we decided to try our sneaky technique from the day before. Here is where we made our mistakes. We all were hungry and anxious to go to lunch..so our patience was limited. Wilma had also learned from the day before that lowering the cage over her would mean she would be in the travel cage and not by her choice. She very quickly started choosing to move away from us. Despite this we tried a few more times……more bad choices on our part. Finally we got smart! We decided Wilma could stay out in the room and someone would remain with her to supervise. We could take turns grabbing lunch.

After lunch, workshop organizer, and parrot trainer extraordinaire Milla volunteered to train Wilma to go into her cage. However because of her trust depleting experience with the cage Milla needed to find a high value reinforcer to get Wilma interested. A lovely pastry did the trick. Another great idea Milla had was to rearrange the cage so that it was easy for her to position her hands so that Wilma might enter the crate. You can see the arrangement in the photos. She also placed Wilma’s perch close to the cage so she could climb from the perch onto the cage and into it on her own. In about 20 minutes Wilma was going in the crate on her own. After so many pastry nibbles we thought she might be ready for a drink of water. We added her water cup to the cage and Wilma took the last few steps she needed in order to get a drink. Success! Wilma still needed more reps on the behavior before it would be solid, but we were happy she made it this far. Everyone felt much better about the process….especially Wilma.

I must admit one of my favorite parts of the live parrot workshops is the interesting training scenarios that occur. Each bird and behavior presents different challenges. And the feedback I often hear is that the parrot training demos are extremely educational. Reading about it from a book just doesn’t present the whole picture. This leads to my mention of the new DVD. A while back we filmed one of my live parrot training workshops. It is finally available. It includes 3 discs and 4 hours of information. You will learn how to train your parrot, read his body language, solve parrot behavior problems and watch me demonstrate these techniques with parrots I am meeting for the first time. Most of all you will learn how to have a great relationship with your bird based on trust. I hope you will check it out and discover how these training methods can help you have a fun, well behaved and interactive companion parrot. To order the Basics of Parrot Training: A Live Workshop DVD just click this link.

At the seminar in Finland we also taught parrots to drop things on cue, get comfy with a towel, allow us to bring nail clippers to their toes, get used to a harness, turn around on cue and more. I also hear there is some embarrassing video of me jumping up and down to encourage a very sweet umbrella cockatoo to put her crest up. My fingers are crossed that clip does not make it to the internet : ) In any case the workshop was great fun. I hope to meet those of you who read this blog at a parrot training workshop in the future.

PS. I also learned that sitting naked with strangers in a sauna and then jumping into a lake is a typical Finnish tradition. But making eye contact with a girl or boy you like in a bar is totally embarrassing!

Barbara Heidenreich

http://www.goodbirdinc.com/

Copyright Good Bird Inc 2010

New Issue of Good Bird Magazine Available

The latest issue of Good Bird Magazine (summer 2010 Vol 6 Issue 2) is now available at this link.

Articles include:

Tubby or Trim? Body Score Reference Chart

Addressing Exploratory Biting
Training Your Parrot to Step Up onto New People
Training a Reluctant Macaw to Crate
Best Parrot Shows on Earth - Discover Tikal, Guatemala
Quietly Communicating with Your Parrot

I also wanted to remind everyone that as of the Spring 2010 issue Good Bird Magazine is now a digital publication. We are no longer offering the print version. However the new format includes video, audio, searchability and so much more. It far exceeds what we could accomplish with print. You can take a test drive of the new features at this link.

In addition by the end of 2010 the magazine will also be compatible with most popular ereaders for portability. Subscribers also get access to members only areas with additional benefits. Learn more about the Good Bird Magazine Subscription and WingNutz membership here.

Enjoy! (Especially the video clips! They are awesome.) Visit this link to subscribe and get access to the latest issue and a bunch of additional perks.

Barbara Heidenreich

www.GoodBirdinc.com

A Place for People Who Are Crazy About Parrots - The Good Bird WingNutz (TM) Club

I have been biting my tongue for months now. Working on a new project is exhilarating, so much so you just want to tell the world. The day has finally come. I can officially announce ....drum roll please........

Good Bird Magazine is now a part of the NEW Good Bird WingNutz (TM) Membership Program.

What does this mean for you? It means if you become a member you get access to tons of additional resources from Good Bird Inc and the newly redesigned Good Bird Magazine. You can Learn How to Train Your Parrot! Solve Parrot Behavior Problems! Get Inspired! Expand Your Knowledge!

WHAT MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
Members will receive access to special online resources including the following:

* Selected Back Issues of Good Bird Magazine
* Parrot Training Videos
* Latest Discounts
* Sneak Previews
* Parrot Training Video Tips
* Selected Articles by Barbara Heidenreich
* Special Messages
* Product Reviews
* Bonus Materials
* Surveys

THE NEW GOOD BIRD MAGAZINE
Included in your membership is the quarterly publication Good Bird Magazine. We changed the format to make Good Bird Magazine a better resource for parrot enthusiasts. The new digital format is unlike anything seen in the parrot world before. It has video, audio, hyperlinks and flips pages just like a paper magazine. You have got to check it out! Take a test drive of the NEW Good Bird Magazine at this link (Be sure to click on the bottom right corner of each page to get the page flip!)

Here is a complete list of all the NEW features in this innovative digital parrot training and behavior resource.

* All Color - Parrots are just too beautiful for black and white
* Video - The perfect tool to teach readers how to train their parrots
* Audio - Audio adds a new dimension and features such as parrot call identification
* Links - Get connected immediately to resources, references and advertiser special offers
* Searchable - Find exactly what you are looking for
* Sticky Notes - Easily add a note to any article for future reference
* Book Marks - Save your place with a custom label
* Zoom Capabilities - No need for reading glasses. Get a close look at just what you need
* Highlighting - Emphasize sections of interest for easy referral
* Page Flipping - Read a digital magazine just like a regular magazine
* Printable - If you still love a printed product, you can easily print a copy
* Downloadable - If you are an ereader user, download Good Bird Magazine for easy portability
* Super Easy to Use - User friendly in every way

GET ACCESS NOW
To get access to membership areas including the latest issue of Good Bird Magazine all you need to do is become a member. Click the link below to start your membership and get immediate access. Membership is only $19 per year.

Become a Good Bird WingNutz (TM) Club Member

After you complete your order go to the Good Bird WingNutz (TM) Club home page

Next click on "register" in the Membership Login Box on the top left side of the page. Fill out the short form. Be sure to use the email address associated with your membership order. This process will confirm you have a placed your membership order.

Once this step is complete you can return to the Good Bird WingNutz (TM) home page and log in using your email address and the password you chose during the registration process. After logging in you will have access to additional materials available in the WingNutz (TM) members only sections.

(Your membership will automatically renew so no need for annual reminders. You can cancel at anytime. Just send a note to info@goodbirdinc.com)

I hope you will enjoy this great new resource designed to help you have an amazing relationship with the parrots in your life.

Barbara Heidenreich
http://www.goodbirdinc.com/

Teaching Parrots to Like New People and Places - Making Progress!

Beni and Wrigley are progressing nicely. To keep things moving forward we traveled to another new environment. Travel in the crate would be a bit longer this time as our destination was about 20 miles away. My friend Heather is an animal lover and also manages a hotel. She was happy to have us visit.

I had a feeling based on our last excursion that the baby parrots would do fine. So I came prepared to videotape their reaction to the new environment. As the video shows, to them it was just another fun place to be. There were no flights in which the parrots seemed confused or unsure of where to go. They simply headed to their perches, to me or Heather, however Beni did discover that the luggage cart was quite fun. He ended up sliding down the sides like a fireman. Who knew enrichment was so easy?



Both parrots responded well to Heather. One factor that could have been a distraction for them was that Heather was wearing dark nail polish. I have not worn nail polish around the parrots, so this would be a new experience. I had Heather offer a few treats slowly at first. Fortunately neither parrot reacted to the nail polish. They did however really want to work on the buttons on Heather’s shirt. A few treats, toys and head scratches for staying on the hand or a perch seemed to get their minds off of buttons.

As in our past excursions, both parrots started playing with toys. Beni sat calmly while I put the harness on him. And both parrots were recalling like champs in the new space. After about 45 minutes of training and fun, Wrigley starting grinding his beak as if he was ready to take a little snooze. I decided it was time to return to the crate. As usual Wrigley was a dream. Beni hesitated, but went in. Back at home they both went in and out of the crates freely for goodies and toys before they returned to their cages for an afternoon nap.

Our next goal is to find a larger space and add a few more people to the mix.

Barbara Heidenreich
www.GoodBirdInc.com
Copyright 2009 Good Bird Inc

Training a Scared or Aggressive Parrot To Step Up

In 2002 when I first struck out on my own as an animal training consultant I did some work with a parrot sanctuary in Texas. At this facility, the birds were stepped up onto hands wrapped in towels. Often this approach means force is being used to train the parrots to step up. We all really wanted the birds to learn to step onto hands voluntarily. It was my job to train it with positive reinforcement. I had 50 parrots to work with. All either showed fear responses or aggressive behavior towards hands. (Many of these birds can be seen in my first book “Good Bird!” A Guide to Solving Behavior Problems in Companions Parrots”)

What I quickly discovered was that asking a parrot to go from two feet firmly planted on a perch to one foot on the hand was a BIG approximation, one that most birds would not do with that kind of history. I had to find a way to make smaller approximations. So I developed a technique of placing my hand at the end of the perch and using the target to get small steps towards my perching hand. This way if your parrot is not ready he does not need to get on your hand, but can still make progress towards making it happen and you can reinforce it. Here are some photos of me demonstrating it in my DVD and another at a facility where I consulted.


At the time few skilled training professionals were working with parrots with such challenges and I am quite confident I had not seen this particular method elsewhere in my years of training. Certainly early in my career I learned from other great trainers the importance of letting the bird approach the hand and reinforcing small approximations. But what to do with a parrot that is really struggling with aggressive behavior or fear responses towards hands right when he is at the cusp of touching a hand was not something I had seen someone demonstrate. It was actually fun to explore options and experiment until I found a technique that worked pretty consistently.


Since then I have had the chance to practice it and fine tune it with at last count over 1000 parrots at workshops I teach. I do very freely share this technique in my DVDs and almost everyone gets to see a demo of this at the live seminars. In the DVD you get so see a parrot go from lunging so hard at my hand that he almost knocks over the perch, to eagerly pulling my hand closer so he can step up on it.

The bird is a blue and gold macaw belonging to a friend. I had never really interacted with him much before we filmed and by no means was he already trained. We filmed over a weekend. It took two twenty minute sessions to go from lunging to "can't wait to get on your hand!" I still smile every time I play that clip at a seminar. Makes me happy to see a parrot's behavior change so dramatically.

The DVD that features this clip is called Parrot Behavior and Training #1 . Click here and you can see the "before" and "after" with the lunging blue and gold macaw about half way through the video featured in the player on this page.

Hope it helps inspire a few parrot people out there! Happy training : )


Barbara Heidenreich
Copyright Good Bird Inc 2009
www.GoodBirdInc.com

Sneak Peak at Parrot Training Videos

This has been a long time coming. And I am finally glad I have it to share with you. My filmmakers were kind enough to put together a 3 1/2 minute video that shows clips from all three of my DVD's. It kinda gives a sneak peak as what to expect from each one. If you see some things in there that intrigue you, you can learn more about the DVD's at this link

If waiting for a video in the mail ain't your thing ; ) that is OK too. If you sign up for the Good Bird Inc mailing list, you can receive three video clips over the next three days that demonstrate how I trained a parrot to let me trim his nails from start to finish. They are free as I hope they will provide inspiration for people to learn more about training their parrots with positive reinforcement. It really does work.

In the meantime here is the video featuring clips from all my DVD's. Enjoy!





Barbara Heidenreich
http://www.goodbirdinc.com/
Copyright 2009 Good Bird Inc

Einstein the Talking Texan Parrot

I thought I would post a short note on a new parrot friend of mine named Einstein. She is featured on one of our recent podcasts (Visit Wings n' Things at http://www.petliferadio.com/)

Einstein is not the same one that appeared on Pet Star, but she has a pretty extensive vocabulary. You get a sample of her skills on the podcast. Check her out and also the article on her in the latest issue of Good Bird Magazine http://www.goodbirdinc.com/magazine.html

You can also visit her website at http://www.einsteinparrot.com/

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of www.Einsteinparrot.com

Get Your Parrot to Play with Toys

I have been inspired by a question posted to my yahoo group. The question was asked how do you get a parrot used to a new toy? I think that is a marvelous question. All too often we assume because it is a toy, our parrots should automatically be eagerly interacting with it. In general parrots tend to show hesitancy around new items or situations. As positive reinforcement enthusiasts, most of us know that we can train our birds to be calm and confident with change. But it does take some investment on our part. Not a financial investment, but a commitment to teaching your bird via positive reinforcement training strategies. But if in this moment your bird has clearly demonstrated new toys create a fear response, what can you do?

I usually start with systematic desensitization. This means I place the toy a distance away from the parrot. I also make sure the bird is presenting calm relaxed body language. I then leave the toy there for a period of time, maybe even days. Over time I gradually place the toy closer and closer to the cage. Again making sure the parrot is relaxed and comfortable. Eventually I may hang the toy on the outside of the cage, but near the bottom of the cage. I can gradually move it higher. When the parrot is ready, I can try moving the toy to inside the cage. I usually put it away from food and water bowls and preferred perches. This is because if the bird has any concerns with the toy that I failed to notice, it will not be a hindrance to his physical needs and comfort.

Once the parrot is comfortable with the toy in his cage, now I can consider some of my other positive reinforcement tools of the trade. I can use a target to help encourage the parrot to move closer to the toy. I could pair positive reinforcers with the toy, by placing them near or on the toy. I could also “free shape” the behavior.

To free shape, rather than use a target or a food prompt, I would just wait until the bird presents an approximation I can reinforce. For example if the bird looks at the toy I can reinforce that. After several repetitions the bird may move in the direction he has been looking. I can reinforce that. Eventually the parrot may move closer, and over time try to touch the toy. This is all shaped by looking for the slightest approximation towards the desired goal behavior of interacting with the toy.

I recently used this strategy to help my puppy get past a fear response he had with a new vacuum cleaner. First I reinforced him for looking at the vacuum from far away and then reinforced him for approximations he took moving closer to the thing. He then sniffed it and eventually touched it with his nose and paws, and even moved it. The entire process took about twenty minutes. I have promised my yahoo group http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GoodBirdGroup/ I would get the video clip on my You Tube site. http://www.youtube.com/GoodBirdInc I will notify everyone once it is up!

Hope this gives readers some ideas for ways to get your parrots playing!

Copyright 2008 Good Bird Inc www.GoodBirdInc.com

Parrot Training Marketing Secrets Revealed

Today I must admit, I find myself very saddened by some of the things I am seeing on the internet. My colleague Sid Price expressed the same concerns in his recent blog. http://avianambassadors.com/BirdTraining/ There is a current trend in email marketing that while apparently not illegal sure seems to border on the unethical side.

I found a site that featured a super cool you tube video clip on a web page of a talking parrot. Under the video the people who own the site listed all the things the bird could do, which are really very, very impressive. However below that were instructions for the reader to buy their training product if you want your bird to learn to do the things showed in the video. Well, I am cool with people selling their product. There are plenty of us with something to offer.

But one thing was a little difficult for me to overlook. The video clip is one of a colleague of mine who works at a zoo. The bird she was training belongs to the zoo. So I asked my colleague…..did you know you and the zoo’s bird were being used to sell this person’s product? I wasn’t surprised to hear she had no idea. Like me it sure rubbed her the wrong way….. and the news was sent to the zoo director. Here is a fabulous very experienced trainer and a bird that has been doing shows for somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 years or more for a very prominent zoo being used without their consent to sell someone else’s product. Bummer. And in this trainer’s opinion…unethical.

I admit I too share videos of other trainers, but as someone who wants my copyrights respected, I am painstakingly careful to make sure those who have generously shared video with me are credited each and every time I present their videos. Those of you who have been to my parrot behavior and training workshops can attest to that.

Of course more emails featuring zoo professionals unwittingly being used to sell someone else’s product followed.

All this makes me wonder …if this training system is so wonderful, why doesn’t it feature birds trained by the seller or clients of the seller? Are these self proclaimed experts not really what they claim to be? If the product is so wonderful I would think providing plenty of examples of the real results of people using the product would be the ideal way to sell the item.

To add insult to injury, on the very same day I read a very old article from Winged Wisdom’s online magazine on reading bird body language. Shortly after that I received a marketing email sharing the “secrets of bird training” that also featured the subject of body language. “I’m game, I’ll read that one.” I thought. Yowza. The email was almost word for word the 10 year old article by the author I had just read. Of course that person could have given permission for the use of her article, but sadly it was presented as new, original teachings of the person selling again secrets to bird training. Again in my opinion very misleading to the public. If someone is professing to be an expert, but in fact is using other’s people writings (with permission or not) and putting them as his or her own ideas it is misrepresentation. It leads me to ask just what are the seller’s credentials if any? I am guessing they are lacking, if they indeed are resorting to using and/or buying other people’s material. Unfortunately how can the general public know the difference?

This misrepresentation of one’s knowledge and experience is easily sucked up by those naïve to the bird training world. And no doubt has been successful for those sellers who use those methods, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. A behavior that is repeated has been reinforced. So indeed money talks in this case.

So what to do, what to do? And is there anything to do? In my opinion there is. My hope is that there are enough of us out there willing to take a bit of stand against these practices. For one if something appears to be lifted, contact the person whose rights were possibly violated. They have the right to know and decide what they would like to do. Secondly I would suggest steering prospective learners in the direction of teachers you trust. It certainly does not need to be me, although I do appreciate the support. But there are a number of really, good, honest, ethical experienced, professional trainers out there and I promote them in Good Bird Magazine and on my website. Use them. Support them. Refer people to them. Buy their products.

And if asked for your opinion of these marketing practices, I hope you will share this story as well as your own experience. I personally don’t feel comfortable standing by and watching good people and colleagues misrepresented in this manner. I hope you feel the same.

You Tube Parrot Training Video Clips

This is just a small little blog to let people now I have a You Tube Channel. If you are interested in viewing clips of parrots trained to do behaviors, parrots in the process of learning behaviors, parrots just being cute and also other species of animals, check it out. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/user/GoodBirdInc

You will see Toby the Meyer's parrot who used to bite his caregiver. With positive reinforcement training he has become a completely different bird....in a good way : ) There are some clips on training parrots for medical behaviors, for training parrots for trick behaviors, and more. There is also a news piece on a zoo animal training seminar and also some clips from a Parrot Behavior and Training workshop presented in Sweden last year.

Enjoy! More to come.
Barbara