need help training confused and overwhealmed

[hooked on fids]

My name is Aaron I have 4 fids, A Lesser Sulpher Crested girl named Cleo born in 1994, An Umbrella girl named Maggie born in 1994, ( both from the same aviary ) A Cockatiel boy named Moony born in 2007 and an a Blue fronted Amazon boy named Murdock born in 2000. Cleo had trust and major biting issues when i went to meet her but thankfully her wanting and needing me was stronger. Maggie had at least 2 homes before I met her and GIGANTIC fear issues she is LITERALLY afraid of her own shadow no exageration, but she has bonded with me very well and has grown back most of her feathers and is finally keeping them. Moony I got from 6 months old and is the sweetist little bird ever. Murdock had a short but good stay in his first home than he went to his second and longest home before I met him, This is one interesting bird and can he talk clear when he wants too. The problem is they ONLY want CUDDLES and ME, I can't seem to teach them anything they just aren't interested. I buy them toys and their like yeah whatever and they ignorr them. I buy them a huge new cage and they mostly stay in one small area. I leave and they perform wild stuff, I come back and NOTHING they just look at me and beg to come out. I mean I love the attention but their ADDICTION to ME is keeping them from acting like NORMAL BIRDS like I see and read about all the time it's just not healthy. I want to teach them as much as I can to benefit their thirsty bird brains, to have a more colorfull life with them and just to enjoy the majesty and ability they posses. One problem that may be a big one I don't know anything other than the model rival method and have friends but none that could help me. I have quite a bit of knowledge about birds and also many of the different species, but my training knowledge is sadly very limited. I really need help there is too much advice and way too many imposters out there, although I feel this is a fairly safe and reputable place to turn. Could anyone please either educate me or point me in the right direction for the sake of my fids ???

[Karcar]

HI Aaron,

Go to http://www.goodbirdinc.com

[birdhouse]

This is a lot of information on how to create an environment to help keep your birds amused & active

 

http://www.parrotenrichment.com/

 

I hope you'll find many hours of fun for you & your fids.

[Spinner]

And unfortunately, what you describe is usually how 'toos behave - they want purposeful attention almost all the time. Now, Murdock shouldn't be quite so dependent.

 

Are you the only one in your household that interacts with them?

 

What happens if you simply sit in the same space as the birds (without any vocalization or interaction)?

 

KarKar did point you to one of the best sources for help. Barbara Heidenreich has some great DVD's that might provide some good guidance.

[hooked on fids]

Well Cleo is a Too and still nowhere near as bad as maggie, I've seen other umbrellas and they are needy but normal needy for a Too Maggie is a whole new thing for me. But no Murdock isn't bad really just very well sleepy, it's hard to get him excited about anything more than a few times a week. Mostly my birds just quietly watch me when I'm in the room and eat sleep and poop lol. Right now yes I'm the only one who teaches them, I just moved a few months ago to our basement suite but they seem at least a bit better down here more consistant. My gran comes down now and then they enjoy her visits and go all wacky but it's short lived. Any game, any words, anything I try to teach them my birds just get all squirmy and want to go, but let them sit on my shoulder and rub their head and that's ALL they want. On the upside I can do almost anything with them, I go bike ridding, roller blading, walking and on the bus or in the car with any of them on my shoulder and no problem. Cleo fly's to me and back to her cage, Maggie goes to her cage most every time she has to do her business than she comes back. Murdock greets me with a hello and calls me dad when I come home. But I'm greedy I want more for and from my fids, I know they have HUGE untaped potential. My biggest fear is even if I learn how to teach them really cool things they wont care at all to learn any of it. They just seem totally permanantly board and I feel like a failier.

[Spinner]

Ah, gotcha! That makes a lot of sense, and it really does sound like you've got balanced birds.

 

I think I'd figure out one thing to teach one of the birds, and work exclusively with that bird in the training exercise. You might find that the others will take a keen interest in the activity and clamour for some of their own. Flock peer pressure is rather amazing. I do the same thing with my baby greys, by letting them see one of my older greys train with me. They start to pick up things really fast.

 

Keep up the great work on having a flock that loves to be with you!

[Birdnut]

Aaron, it sounds like you have a wonderful rapport with your fids, and that is anything but a failure! The behavior you describe is actually pretty normal. I don't often see my birds play with their toys much. I always wish I had a one-way mirror in the door to the bird room, so I could watch them acting normally. As soon as I open the door, they drop what they're doing and look at me and want to fly to me for attention, just as you describe with your birds.

 

You have been offered some excellent resources for training, but don't get too stressed or pressured about training. Your birds can pick up on your stress. Keep it fun and relaxed.

 

You mentioned teaching them words. With my birds that talk, if I set out to teach them words or phrases on purpose, they tend to just ignore it, or it takes a lot time for them to pick it up. But they will quickly pick up a phrase that is associated with some fun or exciting activity. My conures love to swing on things, so if I swing around a dishtowel, they will fly to it and grab hold and swing around, and we'll all say, "Wheee! That's fun!"

 

Have you tried playing with the toys yourself? Or playing with the toys with the birds? My birds love foot toys. They love to throw the toys on the floor and have me say, "Uh oh!" and make a big fuss about it and then bring the toy back to me to throw again. They will play that game for as long as I'm willing to.

 

Often the birds teach me the games they want to play.

[Karcar]

Val, thanks for the info on the parrot enrichment, great site!

Karen

[birdhouse]

Glad you liked it. I think those activities books have a lot of interesting ideas.