Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to update you on Dozy. She came home on Saturday. She has been very, very quiet. She didn't eat much the first day. On Monday she finally started eating a little better although I have not seen her eat her veges or fruits and will only do so if I hand them to her. She loves her Beak Appetit so I give that to her just before she goes to sleep at night-nothing like a good warm meal before going to bed.

I know she needs time to settle in and I hope I am not adding to her stress level by putting her in her harness and flight suit daily. She doesn't like putting them on and bites at the material after it is on. She doesn't bite me but makes it clear that it is not her favorite thing to do and puts up with it.

I really hope she comes around soon!

P.S. I'll get pictures once my camera is charged.

Thanks for the update! I was just thinking about Dozy yesterday and hoping she was settling in well. I had to do hand feeding of foods even when I brought home my older birds to get them eating. I think they may be so in awe of the new environment they forget to check out all the good food.

Try giving her a very special treat that she loves, and only gets when you put her flight suit on. She'll learn to expect a nice treat and a walk outside is coming when she's getting into her harness.

Sounds good. Thank you!

Hi All!

What is the best way to make Dozy step up/step down when she doesn't want to? She steps up/steps down most of the time but there are sometimes she ignores me. I don't give in and she eventually does. She's just a baby. I know how important the step up/step down command is and want to reinforce her training.

Thanks

I would suggest positive reinforcement and have those very special treats handy that she just loves and only gets for a job well done!

I highly recommend Barbara Heidenreich. She is an excellent teacher to teach us how to teach our parrots with positive reinforcement. She has a magazine that's comes out quarterly and she has 2 great teaching DVD's available.

Parrot Behavior and Training #1

The first in our series of Parrot Behavior and Training DVD's, this DVD covers the basic fundamentals of training with positive reinforcement. We give you detailed instructions on how to shape behavior. Our training subjects are companion parrots learning behaviors for the first time. Be the first to experience these special moments of learning captured on film.

NEW! Training for the Veterinary Exam #2

Make you bird’s next visit to the veterinarian stress free! This DVD shows you how to train your parrot to cooperate in his own medical care. Step by step instructions demonstrate how to train each behavior.

Good Bird Inc - Books & DVD's

Great! I'll give that a try!

I would just pick her up by the feet and say some welcoming thing like come here Dozy or something...or even say step up even though it's not a step on her part yet.....although it's hard to describe in writing lol. Or scoop under her belly with two hands like a football. I'm not a big fan of the whole stepping thing, to me it's more important to build the bond and trust then they'll step because its how they walk anyway. Then you can say the confirming phrase step up when you see her doing it. I know alot of people love step up, though....

You may be hesitating so she isnt understanding. Try going a bit more fast or "confidently" but calmly if that makes sense.

For the food it may be her schedule they will need to eat about 30 minutes after waking which will be strictly at dawn when the light first comes in....and early afternoon preparing for overnight. Then after that depends on bedtime and dimness of the room.

If she's in dim or artificial lighting or offered foods at the "wrong" time she wont want them. Because her metabolism is controlled by her lighting. There's a sensor in the brain pituitary gland. So for example at night isn't a prime eating time. Unless they're kept up later and by then they get hungry.

I forgot to say are you letting her walk all over you all the time? She's in a new situation without anybody she knows and lost everything this week so she needs to develop confidence in who you are. That is easier if you are a stable object of niceness versus someone with the step up which she's not confident in now. Since that leaves them hanging out in mid air in an unfamiliar person's control.

I'd let her on my head, shoulders, back, arms legs while lying on the floor. She'll explore around probably and get more comfortable with your hands and personality then. It's all about confidence and trust.

Hi Cindy, Thanks will give it a try. I let her walk on me but she doesn't like to stay there. Thanks again!