jbsmomto1 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Is it possible to teach your parrot to stay? Storm has suddenly become a very busy boy. He never wants to stay where I want him to, always flying around, his newest destination is the kitchen sink,not sure what the fascination is about it other than that I do NOT want him there. i move him, ask him to stay, he looks at me with his eyes pinning and holds up his leg for me to pick him up, if I puck him up he's fine, if I just walk away it suddenly becomes a race to see who can get to xxx faster......I pick him up, replace him and say stay. I have 2 huge boings hanging from the ceiling. one in the kitchen and one in the boot room so he can people watch out the door. He has a cage in the living room, a play stand in the living room and a table perch that goes wherever I take it ....he has TONS of areas to play and LOTS to play with. He has foraging toys, chew toys, noisy toys, foot toys etc etc this boy lacks for nothing. He will be 3 in a couple of months and I suspect that may be part of the issue. I really do not feel comfortable with him having so much access to the house, I have a blanket blocking the kitchen from the living room...this blanket now is full of holes that allow a certain parrot to go through to get to the kitchen. He is afraid of hats so I even went as far as hanging up a hat..it worked for a few weeks but now he kinda likes those hats lol.... SO how does one teach a very stubborn parrot how to stay where I put him..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Sounds like he has everything but the kitchen sink. <sorry, I couldn't resist> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedawg Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Maybe some others have an idea but I would say you really can't make him stay. You have to find a way to work with him. You were onto something with the hats... Just find something new that he doesn't like and use it until it wears off or even better give him full access to the kitchen sink until the fascination wears off (Just make sure it's safe of course). Dayo loves being by the kitchen when I am doing the dishes so I put a shelf up and made a play area there for her. I also find that if I am persistent and have the time to do it, If I return her to to where I want her to be 4 or 25 times, then she gives up and stays put. I think all the flying back tires her after a while but that requires time and patience.... the payoff is being able to do what I was trying to do without a parrot hanging off my hair or the front of my shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Perhaps he wants a drink. So turn on the water and get him wet. He will soon leave the sink alone, or get a bath when he does sit in/on it. Win win for you I believe. Edited April 28, 2015 by luvparrots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Is it possible to teach your parrot to stay? Storm has suddenly become a very busy boy. He never wants to stay where I want him to, always flying around, his newest destination is the kitchen sink,not sure what the fascination is about it other than that I do NOT want him there. i move him, ask him to stay, he looks at me with his eyes pinning and holds up his leg for me to pick him up, if I puck him up he's fine, if I just walk away it suddenly becomes a race to see who can get to xxx faster......I pick him up, replace him and say stay. I have 2 huge boings hanging from the ceiling. one in the kitchen and one in the boot room so he can people watch out the door. He has a cage in the living room, a play stand in the living room and a table perch that goes wherever I take it ....he has TONS of areas to play and LOTS to play with. He has foraging toys, chew toys, noisy toys, foot toys etc etc this boy lacks for nothing. He will be 3 in a couple of months and I suspect that may be part of the issue. I really do not feel comfortable with him having so much access to the house, I have a blanket blocking the kitchen from the living room...this blanket now is full of holes that allow a certain parrot to go through to get to the kitchen. He is afraid of hats so I even went as far as hanging up a hat..it worked for a few weeks but now he kinda likes those hats lol.... SO how does one teach a very stubborn parrot how to stay where I put him..... First off, your bird isn't stubborn. The only parrot that will stay in one place is the type that's been trained to go from one perch to another and not fly away until a signal is given but that only happens with a bird that's being trained to fly from one perch to another or one hand to another. That only occurs when a bird is being taught how to fly with a harness. Other than that a bird won't stay in one place just because you tell him to stay. Only domestic animals can be trained to stay in one area. Parrots are wild animals. In order for you to achieve what you want, you would need a large area to put the bird in when you don't want him flying all over the place ( like an aviary.) *******He has a cage in the living room, a play stand in the living room and a table perch that goes wherever I take it ....he has TONS of areas to play and LOTS to play with. He has foraging toys, chew toys, noisy toys, foot toys etc etc this boy lacks for nothing.******* None of these things have anything to do with him staying in an area that you would like. A bird would like to be out of a cage or cages much more than in a cage. Toys have nothing to do with staying in one place. There are no toys that are made that advertise that their product will help to train a bird to *stay*. A perch is simply a landing spot and when he wants to leave, he'll just leave. You need to deal with your bird totally different than any domestic animal you have or know about. A bird needs to be confined in order to stop him from going from one place to another. Edited April 28, 2015 by Dave007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 EXCELLENT posts by everyone! Of course, this opens up a sensitive discussion " To trim, or not to trim"... I'm a firm believer in letting babies learn to fly, develop chest muscles. I am also supportive in " trimming back SLOWLY", during terrible twos that usually extends thru the threes.THIS requires finding the BEST trimmer... a trimmer that knows your bird from the beginning! I can't tell you how many horror stories I have heard from people, unable to find that perfect trimmer! ( I have one that has known Sophie from the beginning!). Sophie was " clipped", when I first adopted her. Since she was already two, she was quite easy to train, and our open cage concept was successful. It wouldn't have been, if she was free flighted! In retrospect... it took her a decade to learn how to fly, and thats not a good thing! We want them to fly... we want them to learn... I believe we need to find a " balance". You can't unless you have an amazing trimmer that knows your amazing bird! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 My greys were lightly trimmed by their breeders when I got them. I believe breeders think that new owners are not as careful as they should be when they first get a grey/parrrot. They are probably right. Anyway, I have never clipped my greys since I got them and never plan to. They do not stay where I put them but I have boings and wooden perches around my home that they enjoy flying to. If I don't want a parrot in a certain room, I close the door, problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I have a shower curtain hanging between my living room and kitchen. So far it has worked to keep both of mine out of the kitchen. I pull them to the side if I am going into the kitchen and want them to come too. Have you thought about those bead curtains from the 60's? Those might work to scare him away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Misty is fully flighted. I use "Stay there" if I don't want him to follow me out of a room. He kind of gets it but if he does fly to me I put my hand up palm out and he will return to his previous perch saying "Stay there". Other times he can tell from my body language as I walk out and he will say "Stay there" and not try to follow. Unlike dogs though Greys to not take well to being commanded. In that regard they are more like cats. Steve n Misty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 ha not only can I not get marco to STAY .... but STOP is another word she cares not for!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ask me how many times Ive swept up the seed she dumps as shes pulling and yanking on her seed holder cup I give her one firm stop, two firm stops and before I can get up and run over there ... shes dumped it x-( maybe I need to stop at 1 firm stop and then run :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SullysMom Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Sully has flight feathers on only one wing, he lost a couple a long while back and we are still waiting for them to grow in. And even with him not being able to fly he goes where he wants. He just climbs down his perch, or down the stairs and pitter patters down the hall to where ever he wants to go. But when I want him to stay (usually when he's on his perch in the living room and we are watching a movie) I usually just pick him up and return him to where he was several SEVERAL times lol He usually gets angry near the end almost yelling "No!" or "That's bad!" but stays lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 EXCELLENT posts by everyone! Of course, this opens up a sensitive discussion " To trim, or not to trim"... I'm a firm believer in letting babies learn to fly, develop chest muscles. I am also supportive in " trimming back SLOWLY", during terrible twos that usually extends thru the threes.THIS requires finding the BEST trimmer... a trimmer that knows your bird from the beginning! I can't tell you how many horror stories I have heard from people, unable to find that perfect trimmer! ( I have one that has known Sophie from the beginning!). Sophie was " clipped", when I first adopted her. Since she was already two, she was quite easy to train, and our open cage concept was successful. It wouldn't have been, if she was free flighted! In retrospect... it took her a decade to learn how to fly, and thats not a good thing! We want them to fly... we want them to learn... I believe we need to find a " balance". You can't unless you have an amazing trimmer that knows your amazing bird! Nancy First off, a person should only be given proper or possible solutions to particular problems. All of the situations that the OP has mentioned have nothing to do with ***this opens up a sensitive discussion " To trim, or not to trim*****Nor does it have anything to do with ***THIS requires finding the BEST trimmer*****. None of these actions will help to arrive as a solution. When a bird is in a situation that this person is dealing with, a bird being clipped or unclipped won't stop the behavior that's going on especially if it's occurring in a house. Flying around a house with unclipped or clipped wings won't stop a bird from doing these things. There's thousands of people out there that can give proper wing clips. There's nothing special about it. Thre's no big trick to finding one. For some people, yes it is, for others it isn't. THis person is simply letting the bird go where it shouldn't go, probably because he doesn't have the basic knowledge of what a bird can do. When an inexprienced person finds out about these things or experiences these things, anxiety builds up. An inexperienced bird owner usually goes looking for possible solutions. Unfortunately, a mistaken solution appears on a board ( especionally a responsible board) and that person decides to use it. Only the bird feels mental and physical pain and only the owner feels sorrow and is at a loss for what to do next. The damage is done. The wings are gone. The birds cannot do what birds should be doing. Please refrain from using past discussions from certain subjects that at the time were relevent such as bird clipping. In the OP's disussion, it all had to do with control or lack of control, not shortening the natural abilities of a creature that has natural assets. To use another thing as a comparision, a person has a cat that likes to scratch things that upsets the owner.-----should the conversation be about how declawing the cat solved or didn't solve the problem? Did that cat lose natural functions? Concerning wild creatures, lots of thought needs to be learned before wrong answers are given. Don't mix other subjects in areas where they don't belong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedawg Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 (edited) Clipping wings is relevant to this topic as it would tend to slow him down quite a bit since he would not be able to fly. However, this is not a solution I would ever recommend as it goes against his very nature as a bird and would be a huge breach of trust. It also, from what I have seen, makes them very unhappy. Better to work with the bird than against him . Edited April 30, 2015 by bluedawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 The goal for all parents, is of course, to have a flighted bird. " How you get there", requires lots of investigation on the parents part. While I can't say " stay" to Sophie, and expect her to listen to me, I can certainly say " no", to Sophie, and she backs up three steps and goes off to find something else she can get into! The only " regret" I have, is not knowing Sophie, before the age of two. Things would have been different. She would have learned how to fly, develop her chest muscles. I'm sure I would have still trimmed her back, developed mine and Sophie's relationship with Paul, her secondary care giver.It took us awhile to get where we want to be.... but we are here. A beautiful bird, my best friend, my child,, a best friend to my kids, and spoiled rotten as she should be. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 (edited) I believe Dave has brought out some very important points when it comes to our greys, amazons or what ever parrot you may have. 1. You can`t compare apples to oranges, and 2. domesticated and wild do not share the same definition. Stay, stop and no, how many times a day do you say this to your parrot. I can tell Corky no!! and she will stop what she is doing for a moment And turn her head side ways and look at me with one eye and on the other side of her head she is looking with her other eye at the wood work and planning her next harvest of wood splinters. You have to isolate the room she wants to be in with as other members said some kind of curtain or a door. Putting something they are afraid of may stop them for a time, but if they want get there bad enough, and after a time they find out that this thing that they are afraid of won`t eat them, well you know. We need to do the imposable and that is out smart them, ha, ha, ha lol. Edited April 30, 2015 by Ray P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I agree Ray. Even though Sophie has her own birdroom, and it is closed, the moment I get home, she is on me. She doesn't fly every where, nor do I have to close the entire house... she has no interest, as we aren't there! Sophie isn't afraid of ANYTHING in our house ( outside of the shower). She doesn't have a closed cage, even though her room is closed for a few hours. She has two windows she is fascinated with, and enjoys " knocking", at the window and doesn't destroy the woodwork anymore. I enjoy her company, and we have worked out the boundaries. Greys can be taught. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I am pretty lucky when it comes to my CAG Gracie. She is out of her cage all day long except at night to sleep. Her only temptations seem to be lamp shades and mirror and picture frames. I have some plastic above the shades and towels hanging over the mirror and picture frames. it has worked so far (though she chews up the towels). "Ah-Ah", "No", "Stop", "Stay"...all useless except that Gracie sometimes says those words before she gets into trouble as a pre-admonishment (it also alerts me to when she is up to naughtiness). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 JeffNOK...How lucky you are that Gracie is giving you a warning! I can't believe she is almost four! ( my favorite year!) Sophie also would warn me of " incoming trouble" at Gracie's age. Once she turned four.... it was just amazing. Her comprehension grew in " leaps and bounds". She still can get into almost everything....but I really do think she doesn't try to destroy things that are important. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) Yes JeffNOK . Misty sometimes gives me warning of impending disaster with "That's not for you" or "Trouble trouble trouble" as he makes grab for some precious, to me, and forbidden object! I suspect he says that to tease me! Steve n Misty Edited May 4, 2015 by Mistyparrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Mistyparrot... Well your easy to tease! LOL Sophie and I have missed you! In all honesty... When Sophie ever started to say " no" to a certain bad activity, she eventually stopped.Of course she picked up something else to get into that required a no! But mostly around the age of four, if she had a conversation about a certain behavior, and she was saying " no", I knew she was beginning to understand the " meaning", behind my no, and relating it to the behavior. They DO want to please us, and try their best! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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