i honestly just want my birds to be themselves and be happy, i couldn't ask for anything more.

The first thing I work with everyone on is Step Up. Papi believe it or not still needs some work every now and thenb. But at this point its more a matter of reading Amazon sign language. Itys not that hes afraid anymore, its that he doesnt want to. LOL. And sometimes thats ok, I'll come back later.

As far as harness training goes. The trats, the clicks, whatever does work to an extent, but I think the important thing to keep in mind is it is an extremely uncomfortable, un-instincual thing. Birds dont have things wraped around them in the wild. I worked with carmen for weeks since she was a month old. She did great, every day going outside, then as soon as she started flkedging, she decided no more.

I think as far as training in general goes, trick training serves a pupose, as to enrich their minds and excersie their body. It also helps to strengthen the bond and trust between us. But for me, its important to know their limits and respect them, which is also a part of strengthening trust. Iguess that means for me is certain things like step up are saftey... I need to be able to move them in an emergency. Things like having Jewel lay on her back in my arms. Its nice and she loves it, but if she felt uncomftable, I would be upset.

Teaching Papi how to forrage, play with toys, and stuff like that is important for his health. I never intended on "training" Papi. I just wanted a better home for him. As the years have gione on, things have just happenbed. I can remember the first night he just walked from his cage to the couch, climbed up my leg and sat there looking for scritches.

Currently, I'm working on recall with everyone. Its going well. I dont really are so much as to how fast it happens. I have realized that as they trust me more, things will happen in their own time.

I really hope some of this made sense, I've been typing for so long, I dont remeber what the question was.... is the answer 14?

Well the good thing Kris is that he DOES step up on command, just not consistently. From what I've read and am finding out, when learning to stepup, their homes and where they feel dominant are the LAST places they will cooperate.
Cleo is by FAR not stepup trained. At this point, she'll do it some, but not stay on my hand. I'm still rewarding her for just staying on a little bit, a few feet.
So, if you are saying that she'll stepup everywhere but the cage and swing, she has to know that stepping up from the cage is what will get her rewarded.
There are some different things to try. I have had great success with, I guess it could be called "assigning" treats. She ONLY gets a grape to "go home" on cue. She loves the grapes and she knows that go home, not just in, but she does not get the grape until she goes to the perch I want her to go to, will get her that fat juicy grape. That's only once a day, but sometimes twice on the weekends.
So, I might assign her most excellent favorite treat ONLY for stepping up from her playstand. That way she associates the desired goal with one specific thing. She can do the goal, not just everywhere and everytime. Then, when she associates the assigned treat with steppin up from the playstand, she'll associate it with stepping up from the cage or wherever. If she doesn't stepup , she doesn't get the most excellent special treat. Since it's a mobile situation, I'd try small bits of things you can keep in your pocket. Let her see it in your hand when your training, if she holds back, let her see you put it in your pocket. Cleo digs the cockatiel food, Zupreem, as a treat.. It's small and I carry it around in my pocket when I'm off.
Have several practice sessions on the playstand a day where she becomes conditioned that "stepup" means "I get that one good thing I wanted"..no matter where.
Don't chase her around the cage to stepup.. that conditions her to game and they love a game. If she doesn't stepup, walk away....taking the things she wants most with you..her flock and her one good treat. Wait a couple of minutes and go back.
If she's not in the mood, you may have to wait awhile.

Work up from the part that the bird can do and build on that. Make them want to do it and make it fun, but most of all, the conditioning requires consistency. Like tonite, in a matter of about 10 minutes, I taught Cleo to gimme 5 using a 1/2 a potato chip. Part of that was built on previous clicker training. Even though we didn't have the clicker tonite, we were watching TV, she realized that I make the same noises and verbal praise (and the chip chip) that I did when she was clicker training to wave. I worked from the part she knew and she enjoys.

It was really hard on me cause Cleo couldn't and wouldn't do a THING! So, it can be done.
Hope this helps,
Mark

Dood, that made me laugh.

I agree with Josh. Stepups are vital. If you can't get a bird to stepup, the tornado siren is going off and your chasing a green bird around the house with a towel.
I am so not there with Cleo on stepups. But, she has made tremendous progress in the last week and will actually steup most of the time now. But keeping her on my wrist is another story. She'll do it in the neutral room. I had gotten away from that and was trying her in the main part of the house.
But, I need to go back to acclimating her to walking around in the neutral room on my hand. See...two steps forward, one step back..
Mark

So, what would you like Peanut to do? It sounds like he would do good with clicker training.
Mark

Yes I need a clicker, not sure how easy it is to get a clicker here, when I have asked at a few pet shops they have asked what I mean, this is Africa things are a little slow here.

I think Chris Biro's suns are just the best, I hope I can teach my birdie to collect things.

You made perfect sense Josh - the two statements I've quoted above are how I think and operate. I first work on establishing trust and everything else is following. The budgies were the only ones that needed work, Lulu is pretty trusting naturally. But I've found that once you have a budgie's trust, they are very loyal.

Recall is what I'd like my guys to do. Jerry is pretty good at it - I haven't been working as diligently on him as I'd like, so he's sort of reverted back to only recalling when he sees a treat. And Winston will only recall when there's a treat involved - but that's ok, it's a great start. I'd like to teach Lulu to recall but I haven't found her motivator yet.

Josh...you crack me up LOL!!!!

Mark, I hear what you're saying. Sometimes he's treat motivated, sometimes not. He really loves to eat...but I honestly can't think of one particular thing that he ALWAYS wants. I try not to chase him about the cage if he doesn't want to step up, but sometimes (like if we are leaving the house and he has to go in his house) we don't have a choice. Unfortunately he's not flying yet. He's starting, occasionally he will get sick of being on his play stand and fly across the room, land on the floor and waddle over to his house. His previous owners clipped him, so he's not fully flighted right now. And it probably doesn't help that Maple HATES to fly and walks everywhere. I notice he takes a lot of his cues from her. (He got down and wandered around the living room a couple of nights ago).

But now that I say that out loud, I am wondering....since Maple is a step up goddess compared to him, maybe if I get her to step up and reward her right in front of him, right before I try it with him I might have better luck. Hmmmmm? Because I have noticed that he tries to repeat phrases she already says regularly, that even tho he didn't preen much when he first got here he does a lot more now and usually when she is.....hmmm.....should try that.

I don't really know anything about clicker training, but maybe I should look into it. Harley can be very intimidating if you don't know him. Number one..he looks insanely large next to Maple...but also because he has "my bark is bigger then my bite" syndrome. He LOVES, and I mean ADORES.....to make this god awful scary LOUD ACK ACK ACK noise whenever you go near him, and you think he's going to eat you!!! When in fact, he's just bluffing and promptly kisses your nose! He's a big faker. Anyway...point being, it's very off putting. Even to me sometimes. I can't stand when he does this, so we have been trying to ignore him when he does so. It's getting better, I am not sure why he does it, but I really want it to go away. Maybe clicker would help with some of his issues. I know he wasn't fed, handled, or socialized properly at his old home.

Maybe it's more frustrating for me in particular because I don't share a bond with him like I do with Maple. Maple yearns to be with Mommy every second...and will do (almost) anything I want her to so she can be. Harley couldn't care less about me. He'll play by himself or with Maple ALL day....ignoring me and anything I ask of him, but when Daddy walks through the door he's throwing a party! I know I know...they can't ALL love me...but as I mentioned before, with my hubby being military, sometimes he's away and I have to be able to at least handle Harley lol.

Anyway, that was kind of long winded...I feel like Josh now...not even sure what I was talking about anymore ...haha!


EDIT TO ADD: Camille....getting in his harness is the ONE thing he's good at!! LOL...and I have no idea why.

You might try having Harley step up on YOUR hand FROM daddy's hand when he is home. Or having daddy close to the playstand in a neutral room and stepping up onto you, or him first then stepover onto you.
At any point, I've found that you must start with something that the bird feels successful at and gets rewarded in any form.
You're right about everybody can't love you, LOL, but like Cleo, it's paramount that Harley be able to be contained if needed for THEIR safety or the safety of other humans or birds. Towelling is easy for some, guess you'd need a beach towel for Harley. LOL.
But a towel in my hand right now just scares Cleo mindless. She likes to play with a Kleenex in my hand, it's a game i'm building on. Kleenex in her face some, laying on her head. Of course she shreads it if given the chance, but the second she allows it to touch her, I giveher BIG praise and carry on.
These are really good thoughts on helping us with our birds! I'm glad you asked that question.
Mark

Mark, Harley has an issue with towels too. I think it's because the only time he saw one was when they were toweling him for nail trims and the like. Maple on the other hand LOVES towels...calls them her "grrrryyyyyy" and plays, chews and hides in them. We are slowly getting Harley used to towels too. When he came down to wander the other night he even went over and gave Maple's favorite red "grryyy" a nibble. I threw a party and laid roses at his feet .

Harley is pretty good about stepping onto me from Rob. But (just like Maple is with me)...he will promptly attempt to climb over anything in his way to get back to Rob. Daddy is his safety zone, as I am for Maple. I understand that...but his bites hurt and I want him to like me enough at least not to bite me when I have to make him step up lol.

Oh well...I'll keep on it. I'll try out some new tactics and let you know. I have to go vacuum now...sigh...lol.