Life Saving Training: Scale Training Parrots

One of the easiest and most important behaviors to train your parrot to do is to step onto a scale. It is very helpful to your veterinarian to have a record of your bird’s weight throughout its lifetime. Ideally, you want to weigh your bird about once a week. This will give you a very good idea of what is normal for your parrot. If your bird loses or gains a lot of weight this can be a signal to you that something may be wrong with your parrot. 

The first thing you need to train your parrot to do this behavior is a gram scale. This is the type of scale that will measure your bird’s weight in grams. You want it to measure in increments of 1 gram. This will give a very precise indication of your bird’s weight. You can find this type of scale in stores that sell office supplies. In this type of store you will find the scale in the mailing supplies section. Some people use scales to weigh items that are going to be shipped. Another place you can find a gram scale is in a kitchen supply store. Some people use scales to weigh food when cooking or preparing a recipe. 

The scales you will find in these stores will usually have a flat top. This surface might be slippery. To make it more comfortable for your bird you want to attach something to the top like a piece of thin foam or fabric.  I use thin foam from a craft store and attach it with double-sided sticky tape. Also look for a scale that sits low on the table. This will make it less likely the scale will tip over when your bird is standing on it. 

Some birds may find it more comfortable to stand on a perch. You can also modify a flat top scale by adding a perch to it. Some companies make a perch that you can rest on top of the scale. You can also secure a perch to the scale with hardware. For a bit more money you can also find scales made specifically for birds that have perches already attached. Any of these types of scales can work to weigh your parrot.

When you are ready to train your parrot to get on a scale, be sure to place the scale on a very stable surface. If the scale moves or wobbles it may frighten your parrot. If you have a parrot with a long tail, such as a king parrot or conure I recommend placing your scale at a corner of the table. This way your parrot can stand on the scale and his tail can hang over the edge of the table. By making sure his tail is not touching anything you will get a more accurate weight.

In order to train your parrot to step onto the scale, it is helpful to train your parrot to target first. This means you want your parrot to orient his beak towards a chopstick or closed fist as a target. You can then use this to lure him towards the scale and eventually onto the scale. Remember to offer him a treats every time he moves closer to your target and scale. 

Some parrots may show a fear response to the scale. If you see this try placing treats all over and near the scale. Let your parrot explore the scale and get the treats on his own. Don't try to force him onto the scale because that will only increase his fear.

For scales that have a perch on top, this will be just like asking your parrot to step from your hand onto another perch. Look for body language that says your bird is interested in stepping on the perch. If he is leaning away, then he is afraid. Approach the scale slower and offer your bird treats for staying upright and interested.  Be sure to offer your bird lots of goodies when he steps onto the perch.

Pretty soon your bird will learn that he gets treats whenever he goes to the scale. As soon as the scale comes out, he might try to get to it as fast as he can. You veterinarian will be very pleased and impressed if you train this behavior. Most of all it makes it super easy for you to monitor your bird’s health and it is stress free for your parrot. Try this one at home with your parrots!

Barbara Heidenreich has been a professional animal trainer since 1990. Her company Good Bird Inc (www.GoodBirdInc.com) provides parrot training DVDs, books and workshops. She has been a featured speaker in twenty countries and has been published in nine languages. Barbara also consults on animal training in zoos. 

Barbara Heidenreich

For more information on how to train your parrot visit Good Bird Inc  

Barbara's Force Free Animal Training www.BarbarasFFAT.com

Copyright 2014  First appeared in Fledglings Magazine by The Parrot Society of Australia

Get to Know the Wild Side of Your Pet Parrot

Having a parrot as a pet is pretty special. Because so many families have dogs and cats as companions, many people are very familiar with the behavior of these animals. But parrots are a bit different. Even though our companion parrots live in our homes, they still do things their wild cousins do. This means it is very important for people who live with birds to learn about the natural history of the parrots in their lives. For example if you share your home with a cockatiel you may have noticed he likes to spend time on the ground or that he prefers certain types of treats for training, like millet spray. If you were to look at wild cockatiels you would understand that foraging for grass seeds is a very normal behavior for them and it would help explain why your bird likes being on the ground and eating millet sprays so much.

I recently was lucky enough to work with a very unusual parrot named Sirocco. Sirocco is a kakapo. This is a very rare parrot found in New Zealand. Even though kakapo are parrots, they are very different from other species of parrots. Learning about kakapo natural history became very important when it came time to train Sirocco. Here are some things I learned about kakapo and how they affected Sirocco’s training.

Kakapo are nocturnal. This means they are active at night. Because of this our training sessions with Sirocco did not happen until the sun went down.

Kakapo are very solitary birds and do not preen each other in the wild. This meant we would not be able to use head scratches to reward Sirocco for good behavior. To him this would not be a fun experience. So instead we focused on using his favorite treats.

Kakapo are flightless. Even though kakapo have very big beautiful wings, they do not fly. Instead of training for flight we focused on things like targeting, step up and walking alongside us.

Kakapo can eat very large amounts of food. Just before breeding season the males put on a lot of weight so they can focus on calling for females instead of spending time on eating. When I was working with Sirocco it was at the time of year when the males are gaining weight. Sirocco was very interested in treats and our training sessions could go on for a long time. This meant I needed to have lots of treats with me and also have lots of ideas for behavior to train during a session.

Kakapo are excellent climbers. They like to roost in trees in the daytime. Remember kakapo can’t fly, so they have to climb up there. This means they have very powerful legs and a strong grip. For some of our training we wanted Sirocco to stand on a platform or station. This meant we had to build something that was easy for a kakapo to climb.

All the facts I learned about kakapo were very helpful to know when it came time to train Sirocco. Pick up a book about wild parrots and study the species you have in your home. If you can, go outside and watch parrots in the wild. There is so much information you can learn about wild parrots that will help you be a better caregiver and trainer to the feathered companion in your home.

Barbara Heidenreich has been a professional animal trainer since 1990. Her company Good Bird Inc (www.GoodBirdInc.com) provides parrot training DVDs, books and workshops. She has been a featured speaker in twenty countries and has been published in nine languages. Barbara also consults on animal training in zoos. 

Barbara Heidenreich

For more information on how to train your parrot visit Good Bird Inc  

Barbara's Force Free Animal Training www.BarbarasFFAT.com

Copyright 2014  First appears in Fledglings Magazine by The Parrot Society of Australia

Easy Parrot Training. Capture a Behavior!

One of the very cool things Palm Cockatoos have been observed doing is holding a stick in their foot and tapping it against a hollowed out log. It is believed they do this to announce this area is their territory. As an animal trainer I think this is a very interesting behavior. And if I had the chance I would love to train a Palm Cockatoo to present this behavior on cue. To train a behavior like this we use a process called capturing. And it is very much like it sounds. We try to catch the animal in the act of doing what it is we want and reward in that exact moment.

To capture a behavior we try to create an environment in which the bird is very likely to present the behavior. For example, if I were training a Palm Cockatoo I would want to have a hollowed log set up and lots of sticks. I might ask the bird to perch on the log and offer him a stick. And then I would wait and see if maybe he would be inspired to drum. The moment he hits the log with the stick, I would give him a treat, head scratch or something else I know he enjoys. This teaches the cockatoo that drumming is very worthwhile. It causes humans to dispense goodies. If the bird really likes what I have been giving him, he will keep drumming. When this starts to happens I can an insert a cue just before I think he is about to whack the log with the stick. Pretty soon my cockatoo will learn to drum whenever I give the cue.

This process is a little different from other ways that we train behaviors. Instead of teaching a bird how to do something by breaking it down into tiny steps, we just set up the right environment and wait for the behavior to be presented.

While not everyone has the chance to work with a Palm Cockatoo, capturing behavior is something you can do with any parrot in your life. There are many behaviors our parrots just “do” throughout the day that are very pleasant to put on cue. For example maybe you have a cockatiel that whistles a pretty song over and over. You could easily capture the song by offering a bite of millet spray whenever he whistles the tune. This is the same strategy you would use if you parrots talks or sings.

Some people really like it when their cockatoo raises his crest feathers or their parrot stretches their wing out over a leg while balancing on the other. These moves can also be captured. One of the challenges with capturing behavior is you may not get a lot of repetition of the behavior at first. You might have to wait a few minutes, hour or days for your next opportunity to catch your bird in the act of doing what behavior you want. That’s OK. Your bird can still learn what it is you want him to do. It just may take a few days for him to catch on to the idea.

Spend some time watching your bird and makes notes of all the different things your parrot does that you could capture and put on cue. Pick one behavior to capture first. Once that behavior is on cue, move onto the next behavior. You will find once your parrot learns one behavior via capturing, he will quickly figure out how this game works. Pretty soon your bird will know an impressive list of behaviors.

Barbara Heidenreich has been a professional animal trainer since 1990. Her company Good Bird Inc (www.GoodBirdInc.com) provides parrot training DVDs, books and workshops. She has been a featured speaker in twenty countries and has been published in nine languages. Barbara also consults on animal training in zoos.

Barbara Heidenreich
For more information on how to train your parrot visit Good Bird Inc
Barbara's Force Free Animal Training www.BarbarasFFAT.com
Copyright 2014 First appeared in Fledglings Magazine by The Parrot Society of Australia

How to Make Friends with a Parrot

If you are a fan of parrots like me, you look forward to those moments when you get to make a new parrot friend. Unlike a dog or cat that may respond to a new person right away, birds can sometimes require a little extra effort on our part. Birds are often a bit nervous about meeting a stranger. Here are some things you can do to help them to be more comfortable when you are getting to know them.

1.      Give the bird space: Although it is very tempting try not to go right up to a bird. Give him some time to get used to you being in the same room. Once he is looking relaxed and comfortable you can move a bit closer to the bird.

2.      Move slowly: Birds can become frightened when people move too quickly. You don’t want to scare your soon-to-be new friend.

3.     Approach from the front: Be sure to approach the parrot so that he can easily see you coming. Many birds don’t like it when someone is moving behind them.

4.      Show him something special: Before walking closer to a parrot, it is a good idea to have some treats, parrot toys or other special item with you. Ask people who know the bird what he likes best. You can show the bird what you have to give him before you get too close.

5.      Watch his body language: When you show the parrot the special treat or item you have for him, watch how the bird responds. If he leans towards you he is saying he would very much like to accept your gift. If he leans away he might be saying he is not sure he is ready to make friends right now.  If he is not ready, you can always try again later. 

6.      Offer him the special treat: If the parrot leans forward and reaches his beak towards what you have to offer, you can move closer and give him what you have. Whenever you offer a treat or toy to a parrot for the first time try to present it so that the bird has to lean forward to take it with his beak. This way you don’t have to get too close to the bird’s beak. This is so you can be extra sure the bird is ready for the treat. Sometimes when we get too close or offer the item to fast, a bird might respond by biting. 

7.      Offer more treats: If the parrot takes the first treat or toy and enjoys it. He might look or lean towards you for another one. If he does, that is an invitation to really start getting to know each other. Continue to offer him special treats or items. This will cause your new parrot friend to really look forward to your visits. 

Once a parrot understands good things happen when you visit, you will begin to notice he will really want to get to know you better. He might be eager to step onto your hand. He might even talk or sing to see if he can encourage you to come closer with a special treat. If he feels very comfortable with you, he might even let you stroke the feathers on his head. This is a good sign that you were very careful not to scare him and have done a good job earning his trust.

Making friends with a parrot sometimes takes a little extra effort. But it is a very special compliment when a parrot accepts you as a friend. Pay close attention to your actions when you are meeting a parrot for the first time, offer him yummy treats and fun toys. Soon you will find yourself surrounded by many new feathered friends.

Barbara Heidenreich has been a professional animal trainer since 1990. Her company Good Bird Inc (www.GoodBirdInc.com) provides parrot training DVDs, books and workshops. She has been a featured speaker in twenty countries and has been published in nine languages. Barbara also consults on animal training in zoos. 

Barbara Heidenreich

For more information on how to train your parrot visit Good Bird Inc  

Barbara's Force Free Animal Training www.BarbarasFFAT.com

Copyright 2014  First appeared in Fledglings Magazine by The Parrot Society of Australia

How to Touch a Parrot

Isn’t it fun to pet your dog or your cat? Most of our pets usually liked to be stroked from the top of their heads down towards their tails. Have you ever tried that with a parrot? If you have, you may have noticed the experience was not quite the same. Your dog or cat may respond by cuddling up closer, rolling over for a belly rub or relaxing and falling asleep. Usually when we touch a parrot in this manner the bird either tries to escape, bite or just tolerates our touch.

Does this mean we can’t touch our parrots? Fortunately for us, parrots usually do like to be touched. But the way they liked to be touched is just a bit different from the other pets in our home. The next time you have the opportunity to touch a parrot try the following tips.

 Touch on the Head

Try to avoid touching your parrot on the back, wings or tail. Most parrots prefer to be touched on the head. This is similar to how many parrots interact with each other in the wild. Because parrots can’t reach to preen the feathers on their own heads, they often appreciate the help of a friend for this job. When touching your bird’s head you may encounter something that feels like a little plastic tube. This is a new feather. When the feather is still growing it can be sensitive to touch. But once it has finished growing the last step is for the keratin wrapping to come off. You can help by pinching this “pin feather” in between your nails or fingertips. This will cause the wrapping to break away and expose the new feather. If the feather is still growing and not ready to be unwrapped, your parrot will let you know with a little squawk.

Stroke Head Feathers towards the Beak

Instead of petting from the beak towards the back of the bird, use your fingers to stroke the feathers towards the beak. A parrot who is really enjoying this will fluff up all his head feathers. Many times the bird will tuck his beak into his chest and close his eyes. When you see this body language you will know your parrot is really enjoying being touched.

Move Slowly

Bring your hand up to your bird’s head slowly. This will give you time to look at how he is responding. If he is moving away from your hand, he may not be in the mood to be touched. Come back and try again later when he is more receptive.

Look for a Relaxed Parrot

Many parrots are very receptive to touch right before they are ready to take a nap or go to sleep. Slowly move your hand towards his head and offer a nice head scratch when your parrot looks ready for a snooze.

Teach a Signal that Means Touch

Teach your parrot a signal that means you would like to touch him. An easy way to do this is to wiggle your fingers a little bit right before you reach to touch his head. Your bird will quickly learn that wiggling fingers means the opportunity exists to get a head scratch. Over time your parrot will lower his head and fluff his feathers when he sees you wiggle your fingers. That will be his way of saying to you “Yes! I would like a head scratch. Thank you for offering.”

Once your bird realizes you know the right way to touch a parrot, you may find your bird is open to being touched on other parts of his body. This can make it easier to train your bird to allow you to trim histoenails, stretch out his wings and even train him to wear a harness. It can be a very wonderful feeling when your bird trusts you enough to let you touch him. Try these tips with the parrots you meet and you will find you will have many new bird friends.

Barbara Heidenreich has been a professional animal trainer since 1990. Her company Good Bird Inc (www.GoodBirdInc.com) provides parrot training DVDs, books and workshops. She has been a featured speaker in twenty countries and has been published in nine languages. Barbara also consults on animal training in zoos. 

Barbara Heidenreich

For more information on how to train your parrot visit Good Bird Inc  

Barbara's Force Free Animal Training www.BarbarasFFAT.com

Copyright 2014  First appears in Fledglings Magazine by The Parrot Society of Australia