Conference 7.286::pet_birds

    
    
    I don't know if this will work, but it is worth a try.... 
    
    I use Pine-Nuts as a reward.... these are a small seed in about
    the size of a sunflower seed (shelled).  Buy them shelled and
    use these as a treat.... You can find them in a good candy store
    (that has help yourself counters) or a health food store.  These
    are expensive, but you only give them for rewards.  
    
    I have taught my parrot how to display his wings, but the way I
    did it, was to have the parrot sit on my finger and then I would
    take my hand and drop it down a bit (quickly) and my parrot would
    flap his wings to catch his balance (but he held on) and then I
    worked this in conjunction with a word (for association purposes)
    so that when I say a certain word this means display your wings.
    Also reward the bird in getting him to learn this trick.  I am not
    sure if this would work for a Budgie, he might just fly away on
    you.  My parrot doesn't like to fly away, he hangs on to my hand
    for dear life.... kind of unusual but I like it that way, this way
    he isn't flying all over the house. 
    
    Good luck, I think your budgie will like the pine-nuts.
    
    David.......

    There are a number of points about trick training.  First, you are on
    the right track with the reward idea.  I have a video tape that
    discusses training in greate detail.  Steve Martin (the guy who made
    the tape) says that the treat should be something that the bird really
    enjoys.  Then, you eliminate it from his regular diet. In my case,
    Zackery goes nuts for cheese, so he no longer gets any cheese for his
    meals, he only gets it during training.  The next point that Steve
    makes is that you need to "bridge" the performance and the reward. 
    What he means is that you should use a plesent word imediatly after the
    bird does what you are trying to teach him.  I use "good", so when I
    give Zack the command to do something (either verbal of hand singal)
    and he does it, I say "good" and then give him a small piece of cheese. 
    Also the reward should be small enough that he can swallow it in one
    bite.  
    
    Next, Steve says that it is best (and easiest) to train your bird to do
    things on command that he does naturally.  For example, Zack often
    scratches his head with his foot.  Well, it sort of looks like he is
    waving at you, so, I trained him to wave to a certain hand signal.
    David method of training his bird to spread his wings is basicly the
    same idea.  The bird has a natural tendency to spread his wings when he
    thinks that hs is loosing his balance.  Now you get him to associate
    spreading his wings to a command.  The thing that we are working on
    with Zack is to say things on command.  He has a reasonable vocabulary,
    but he says very little on command, what we have to do is to always
    have cheese available and bridge and reward him whenever he says the
    words.  This has worked to some extent, Zack like to laugh, using that
    I can get him to laugh when I say "Zack, isn't that funny?" about 80%
    of the time.  The way that I did that was to say "Isn't that funny" and
    then laugh, after a while he would laugh too, then I would reward him. 
    Then, I would not laugh and only say the pharse and when ever he would
    laugh with it, I would reward him.
    
    I know that I am rambling, but I hope that this is helpful
    
    Dom 

    Thanks Dave and Dom !
    
    Dave, I will try to buy some pine nuts today.
         
    Dom, Where did you buy the Steve Martin tape and how much did it
    cost ?  
    

    
    
    Doug,
    
    If you live in the area, I know that the Village Crossing Mall on
    Rt 9 in Shrewsbury has the pine nuts in a candy store that is
    located in the mall, It might be Pinches and Pounds, it has all
    sorts of loose candies, cookies and nuts.  Also, keep them in
    an air tight container to preserve freshness.  You won't be
    feeding your bird too many of these so they need to be stored
    well.  I think these seeds/nuts are about 5 to 6 dollars a pound.,
    but you needen't buy too many they go a long ways.  Personally
    I think they taste awful, but birds like them.  You can use
    the nuts in certain cooking recipes for human consumption that
    is....
    
    Good luck, and let us know if you have any success... be patient
    the bird is young yet, but he will learn....
    
    David......

    I got the tape from an ad in Bird Talk...When I got it it was $65, now
    you can get it and another, a tape of Steve's bird show I think for
    $65-70.  I will look through my Bird Talks tonight and bring in the
    address tomorrow.  If you buy the tape, which I think is excellent, I
    would like to borrow the second tape just to see it. 
    
    PS - This is not the comic Steve Martin, but a wel-known bird trainer
    Steve Martin
    
    PPS - I might be able to let you borrow the tape if you want.
    
    Dom

    Here is the address for Steve Martin's videos:
    	Parrot Video
    	Box 24393
    	Apple Valley MN 55124
    
    		-OR-
    Mastercard/Visa 1-800-835-2246 ext.281
    
    Steve has two tapes. 
    The one I have is "Parrot Care and Training" - $39.95
    The other is "World of Birds Show" - $39.95
    or both for $69.95
    
    As I think I mentioned, I paid $69.95 for one, then a month or so
    latter, they dropped the price...figures.  Although I would really like
    to see the other tape, I do highly recommend his training tape.  It is
    entertaining and informative.  Some if the things that his birds can do
    is really amazing
    
    Dom

    I bought the pine nuts and offered them whole and broken to bite size,
    but the budgies turned their beaks up at them both ways.
                                                           
    I found an old box of Oats that I had though and they love them.
    So Oats it will be.
    
    Thanks                                                       
    

    
    Well, if it is Oats then Oats it will be.... just don't give them
    to your budgie all the time, only for rewards... good luck, .....
    you will stumble on some other goodies that your bird will find
    irressitable (sp?), and what ever it may be use this as a training
    tree too....
    
    David......

    I have found the key to my birds stomach's.  I don't give them much,
    just for rewards.  It is APPLE RAISIN CRISP cereal.  They love the
    those flakes! 

    Thank you for the information about those parrot videos. I am going
    to order those at once, but one question about the address:
    where is that Apple Valley ? Is MN shortend for something ? 
    I live in Finland so excuse me not to know those things.
    
    Regards,
    	P�ivi

    This is an address in the United States.  MN is short for Minnesota,
    though it is perfectly fine to abbreviate it MN.  At the end of
    the address, just specify the country, USA.
    
    	-Nancy

    
    Thank you, Nancy, for the information !
    
    P�ivi

    I veiwed the Steve Martin tape last night and it is great!
    I highly reccomend it to everybody. You can read about the ways
    to train a bird, but seeing is an entire different thing.
                                                  
    Thanks for reccomending this tape Dom.
    
    Doug

    After following the instruction from Steve Martin, Buddie will now
    on command:		turn around 
    			wave
    			give kisses
    			put his wings up
    
    Giving kisses took about 2 days and the other tricks range from
    4 days to a week.
    
    The oats worked good as treats although they do take a while for
    him to eat.
    
    The next trick I am working on is nodding yes, and I have bought
    him a little wagon I hope to get him to push. And of course I am
    still trying to teach him to talk, but he is not even 4 months old
    yet.
    
    I recently saw a movie "Bill and Coo", if you ever want inspiration
    to train a budgie or Lovebird this would do it.
    
    Doug