Echo is coming along very well. just need some opinions on some matters.

[aunali9]

hi guys, i think im well on my way to taking care of echo well. there are just some things regarding which i would like some advice. i think the best thing would be if you could let me know what has worked best in your own experiences. he is 5 months old now.

 

1) how long do your companions stay out of the cages on average. i know most people say when they are home the parrots are out. but i would like a quantification.

2) there are things i cant have echo chewing up. like papers, leather items, and wires. now some are important to me, and others are dangerous for him. i dont know if the best decision is to keep him away from them, or do you all eliminate the temptation and remove them from sight. im a messy person in general and my house if full of tech and papers. my hobby and profession require copious amounts of both.

3) echo doesnt play with things. ive got him things like wooden beads but he will not touch them, instead he will destroy all the furniture which is also wooden. he wont chew the old belts ive hung for him, but he will wreck the leather sofas. everything is a perch. and the phone dummy ive left around for him is useless. he still wants my laptop, or my phone. button necklaces dont attract him but he removes the buttons from the seats, printer, and mostly all my clothes.

4) do your birds thrash around in their cages if you dont let them out? echo goes bonkers at the site of me. his digging and scrabbling (made a previous thread about this) has resulted in some bent feathers and a broken tail feather. he doesnt really look shabby, but i dont want him to do this all the time in case it leads to picking, over preening, skin disorders etc etc.

5) training is impossible. i can not get him to focus on anything. he is like a squirrel on redbull AND coccaine. he is the tazmanian devil from the loony toons. which is fun and cute but there is no means of instilling any discipline! this is made more difficult because he has no favorite food, and doesnt play with toys, so there isnt much i can reward him with.

6) he has identified the sounds of doors closing/opening as the sound of me leaving the room or house and that really drives him nuts. should i be changing his location in the house to a more populated spot? or leave him alone in my bed room?

 

beyond that he is extremely energetic and fun when i can give him my 100% attention. he is now a little over 5 months old and imitates the number of clicks people make at him. if i make 2 he makes 2 and if i make 5 he makes 5 and he rarely repeats his name ^^

Edited September 22, 2014 by aunali9
spelling error

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

You are ECHO's toy, treat, and treasure! A typical response, Nancy

[Brat Birds]

Nothing unusual in that! LOL

Have you tried almonds with Echo? I use tiny pieces of almonds for training purposes and rewards for going back into their cages on command. You really should find something you can do with Echo to help the training.

As for your mess - if you are telling the truth - me too ! But there isn't much in the living room that is that important to me. When there is I cover it up with a sheet. I tried blankets, but they were more of a toy and a place to hide, so a sheet worked better for us.

Mine are out if I am home and that can be anywhere from 12 t0 15 hours a day. When I worked - many years ago - I only had a TIEL. But, a very special TIEL that never got into anything and never saw the inside of a cage the last 8 years of his live.

[Inara]

Sounds like Echo is one smart little cookie! Your description of Echo's energy level just cracked me up, I can just visualize it. Busy, busy, B U S Y !

 

HRH Inara is out of her cage for about 1-2 hours in the morning. She comes out, helps me fix her breakfast and make coffee. Then we sit together at the table, and she eats her breakfast while on my arm with me sharing bites of it (good social eating time). Then she likes to look out each window to search for The Squirrel, and we talk about the trees and the day's weather. Then, we do some flying time (well, obviously she flies, I stand), then she sits on my lap for awhile and plays, then she gets a shower, and by that time she is ready to go home. She is nice and wet, well fed, has burned off energy by flying and playing with plenty of my attention and interaction, and is more than ready to be home in her cage where she forages around for hidden nutriberries. Her evening routine is very similar, and at times she will come out for short period during the day if she asks to come out.

 

She is not much for playing with toys, despite my having tried numerous types. She does love her string of birdie cardboard rings, a couple of foraging toys, her little wooden dutch shoes that I hide nutriberries in, and she does have a wooden block toy with various knots that she will chew. She is more interested in what is happening around her, and what is going on outside. We live in the mountains and out each window are various trees and different wild life throughout the day.

 

As for destroying things -- that is the nature of birds, kids, puppies, and all young and curious animals. You can work with Echo on what you'd like to have be safe. If you have leather furniture, for now, put some thick blankets over it, so that Echo can't chew it. Wires are always a danger, so either move them, or run them through PVC pipes so that Echo can't get to them. If Echo goes for the buttons on your shirts, pull an old T-shirt on over your good shirt when you are holding Echo. If you're messy, well, then it's your problem if Echo chews things as Echo doesn't know the difference between something important and something that isn't So pick up and put away things that you don't want damaged, or that could be dangerous to Echo.

 

Echo can learn self entertainment. Put him on a basic schedule/routine that is pretty predictable. Parrots are creatures of habit so having a basic daily rhythm is important. Inara's morning routine is an example. Find out what works for you. Always make sure that when you put Echo back in his cage that you give him a wonderful little treat. Try laying out several different little things on a table or plate in front of Echo, and see which one he goes for first -- then let that be his yummy treat. Only give it to him for training, never at any other times. He will soon associate it with something good happening. It may take you a bit to find it, but once you do, it's priceless if you are consistent.

 

Look for books, and/or videos by Barbara Heidenreich. She is excellent in her training methods, and very well respected. It is worth the effort now, to have a long and relaxed relationship with Echo for the next 30 or so years. Young birds learn from their parents and flock members in the wild. All they have is us in their current situations and it is our responsibility and duty to teach them how to live with us, not just let them try to figure it out on their own. Young animals don't raise themselves, and it's not fair to expect them to. That's why your questions are such important ones, and show that you are really on the ball about wanting to be a good companion for Echo.

 

Use specific training techniques and keep the times of your sessions predictable and regular, and Echo will soon be looking forward to them. Don't try to just wing it, I'm serious on the Barbara vids/books. It takes a lot of patience, and dedication on your end, but again it will be so worth it in the end.

 

It is normal for Echo to want to climb all over and try to get out of his cage when he sees you. You are his flock mate. he wants to hang with you. Find one place in the house for his cage and leave it there. Don't move it around. He needs to know that home is home and that it is not going to change. If he sees you, stop and give him some attention, then walk off and ignore him until he settles down. It could be awhile before he does, but he will. The instant he settles down, walk over to him and give him attention and a little treat. Find a word or two that you use consistently such as, " OK going to work now." Then go do whatever it is you need to do. When you come back to his cage say something like, "I am back." Then eventually you can string these together into, "OK, I'm going to work now. I will be back." Again, read or watch some excellent training methods. It's much too complex to put into one forum post.

 

Time, patience, and consistency are your best friends. Echo is off to a great start, and you can make it even better

[aunali9]

thank you guys. and inara that was exactly the detailed routine i was looking for! i have got the videos of Barbara from my girlfriend. she has 2 indian ringnecks. i was able to get echo to focus on my closed fist and the most response i got from him was using a head scratch as a reward. need to change that quickly because saying "good" makes him prostrate himself on whatever surface even if im talking to some one on the phone. ive changed that to "good bird echo" and stick to that. i was wondering what was going on. and almonds worked haha. he loves them. so im trying those now for treats will update soon!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Excellent job Inara! Thanks for helping our fellow bird lover. Nancy