Scared of the target stick

[Polly-anna97]

OKAY. So, basically the main reason behind my issues with keeping my little meyers parrot, was that I had recently found out that in the not so distant future I am going to be busier than I am now.
The little meyers being so needy and always wanting to be with me worried me a great deal. I knew that I was not going to have the time it takes to nurture him properly through adolescence and beyond.
I knew he was not going to be happy, and my boyfriend would not allow me to get another bird as company for him, as I have my two cockatiels and a little dog to give plenty of quality time to.
I found someone who could give him the PERFECT home, and after an extremely thorough vetting and home check, I decided to let him go to this great family. He is now out of the cage all the time - in the day, and is way better suited to this family than he is to mine.
I really did go to a lot of effort to find the right home, and did not enter into this decision lightly, and I know I have done the best thing for the bird, although it truly broke my heart, and I miss him so, so much. Keeping him would only serve to make me feel less guilty, and not like a s*** person, and it would in no way be in the best interest of the baby. I did not know about the change that is going to happen when I got the baby. I am not one of these people who got a bird without a moments thought, and disposed of them just as readily.

However I still wanted a larger parrot , as I have said before, this is instead of my having a child, and I long for one in the say way that most people my age long for a child. I just knew I had to get a much older bird, who was mature, and that seemed to like both myself and my boyfriend.
I found out that the pionus that I was interested in, was still for sale. This is a bird who needs to be an only bird ( my cockatiels would never be around her), is very content to be alone for a couple of hours, ( which I know the meyers wouldn't have been), is very calm, steady, and chilled, and seemed to really like us.
Anyway I got her. I know that I will be able to do right by this waaaay lower maintenance bird. As soon as I had her home, all the crazy anxiety and worry that had consumed me for the last couple of weeks dissolved, and I knew that I had done the right thing by both birds.
I was worried about passing on the meyers at such young age, but I thought that surely it would be worse to wait until my changes came into play, by which time he would thoroughly settled and bonded.
I have been in touch regularly with his new owner since, and apparently he adjusted almost straight away, wanting to be out, and on his new owners instantly.

I know those of you that read my other threads about the meyers will be thinking me a thoroughly selfish unmentionable, but I have done the right thing by both these birds. I am expecting some abuse, and I did think about leaving the forum- or even starting again under another name, to avoid it, but honesty always feels best, and I do not want my new bird to not benefit from the exemplary, advice and knowledge I can glean from being here.

SO! Down to why I am posting in the taming and basic training bit.
The pionus is apparently four years old. Her past is not 100% known to me. What I do know is that I got her from a lady who had only had her for two months. She sold her on because she was scared of her other birds (conures). While she was there she would venture out of her cage and eventually would sit near the lady and get head scratches ( which she is absolutely crazy for).
These people bought her from someone who apparently had had her since she was weaned, and had kept her in a TINY cage, which she was seldom let out of, if at all. She could barely fly when the people I bought her from first got her.
It will be a week on Saturday since she has been with me. She very quickly started saying hello, wolf whistling when we did this to her, and just really being quite gregarious and jolly it seems. She loves music. She only once almost said hello in her previous home, so it certainly would appear that she is happier.
I have been giving her the odd head scratch, which she tentatively accepts, but I don't want to over do it. By the way she is non aggressive, only biting her previous owner once, when she picked her up with both hands and put her in a travel cage when she brought her home.
I have been singing a lot to her, and have gone through most of the beatles albums. She digs the white album.
Today I decided to start her on some target training, and am very worried that I have screwed up big time.
For a start, she is scared of the stick, and promptly turned away when I introduced it. This is where I really messed up. I kept sort of following her with it, trying to get her beak just to make contact, so I could give her a tiny bit of toast ( which she loves), but I fear I scared the living daylights out of her.
She will still take food from me, and I gave her a tiny bit of a head scratch, so I think we're cool, but I don't know how to proceed with the target training.
Over ten years ago,I used target training with a totally untame hahns macaw, and had results in minutes. She became the most wonderful, tame, gentle creature. I thought that considering this bird is already semi tame, I would have no problem, I mean, I didn't expect to get so lucky, so quickly, twice, but I didn't expect this.
Can anyone advise me as to how to proceed with this lady? She does seem content in her cage, but she does love human touch, and I'm sure I can turn her into a bird that I can take in and out of the cage, and pet a bit while she is out of it. She is not one bit cage territorial....


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[Exitos872]

no offence... but shame on you.
You started out this story saying you dont have time for one bird but do for a bigger one? and apparently have time for your cocktails? seems to me you were looking for a reason? As far as your targeting issue get the parrot wizards book and read it. You probably should have done so before you attempted any bird ownership.
I mean im sorry to be rude but gee wiz.

[Wolf]

As with all thing parrot, this will take patience. If you really want to use a stick then get a few of them and put them in places that she will encounter them just lying there. When she gets used to them that way, try hanging one on the outside of her cage and when she is good with that move it inside the cage, when she is good with that you can try using it again. Or you can use your finger as a pointer instead of a stick.
Also, because you brought it up. It is not my place to judge you. I may agree or disagree with you and tell you what I think, but I will not pass judgment ever.

[Wolf]

no offence... but shame on you.
You started out this story saying you dont have time for one bird but do for a bigger one? and apparently have time for your cocktails? seems to me you were looking for a reason? As far as your targeting issue get the parrot wizards book and read it. You probably should have done so before you attempted any bird ownership.
I mean im sorry to be rude but gee wiz.

I don't follow her logic either, but I have also made a lot of mistake in my life, it is unfortunately a part of how we learn. The issue is not whether she is right or wrong with what she did. The thing to do is try to make the best of what is. It is fine to disagree and tell her why, but let's try and refrain from being either rude or withholding information, due to our objections as that does nothing to help the bird.

[Polly-anna97]

There is a lot more to this situation than I have divulged, particularly relating to the unfortunate news I had, which means that I will not have the time for a needy baby, but will be able to manage the pionus absolutely fine- as I have been told, with an older bird- what you see is what you get- I thought it made sense to rehome the meyers as I had found undoubtedly, a person who could give him a better home than I will in a few months time. Surely it would be worse to rehome him after such a long time with me as opposed to a couple of weeks. The baby was ADORABLE and extremely loving, cuddly and entertaining, it would have been very easy for me to have kept him- and indeed I wanted to- but I did the right thing for him. I KNOW I can meet the needs of the pionus- more than- and that is why I gave her a MUCH needed home. I know I would have come across many hurdles in the growth of the baby meyers, and know that I most likely would not be able to offer the time -and more appropriately- the energy to get him through okay. He is now with a person - who, to the best of my knowledge -can do so.
Since hearing my news I have ordered a 6foot wide, three foot deep and six foot high indoor aviary for my two cockatiels, to fill with lovely things, and to be placed in a room with excellent light quality. I will be able to give them at the very least two hours of time out of the cage with me each day,so they should be quite content.

I am quite sad that I feel the need to justify my actions, but I guess I care about what people think, a great deal more than I would like to- even those who I will never have anything to do with, and indeed live way across the pond, mostly.
Thank you Wolf for not passing judgment, and for your advice. I want to give my birds the best life I can.

[Exitos872]

I also answered your question in there. Get the parrot wizards book. IMHO he answers your question pretty well in it about the target stick and desensitizing your bird to it and to other things. Older birds are definitely NOT what you see is what you get. Have a look at Santana, an adopted green wing. watch the videos on you tube. I feel like a Parrot wizard advertisement.

As far as you defending yourself against what i said. Dont bother. It really doesnt matter what i think of you or your choices. However i do understand life changes may dictate rehomeing a bird. What i dont understand or even disagree with is that a larger breed is less maintenance. Im sure you will find out on your own that that statement is just plain silly. All i ask is when you figure out how wrong you are and rehome that bird PLEASE dont get another

Good luck with your targeting issue

[Exitos872]

no offence... but shame on you.
You started out this story saying you dont have time for one bird but do for a bigger one? and apparently have time for your cocktails? seems to me you were looking for a reason? As far as your targeting issue get the parrot wizards book and read it. You probably should have done so before you attempted any bird ownership.
I mean im sorry to be rude but gee wiz.

I don't follow her logic either, but I have also made a lot of mistake in my life, it is unfortunately a part of how we learn. The issue is not whether she is right or wrong with what she did. The thing to do is try to make the best of what is. It is fine to disagree and tell her why, but let's try and refrain from being either rude or withholding information, due to our objections as that does nothing to help the bird.

wolf
I dont feel my answer was nearly harsh enough to be honest i held back. AND i did answer her question sir

[Wolf]

In a sense yes you did by telling her to buy a book. Not, in my opinion a great answer but as you say an answer.

[Tman007]

Polly just a few things like wolf said lay a stick here and there, also put a few treats down and around the stick and let her decide what she wants to do. You will see that if she really wants the treats she will over come her fear of it. Since she is a four year old, you have to realize someone else raised her and you just don't know what happened to her. Someone may have hurt her with a stick or something. work on getting to know her more, the closer you two get the better for training it will be. And in closing I will say this. Parrots are work from a small GCC to a big green wing macaw. They all take up a lot of time. But it sounds like you know this since you worked with parrots before. Good luck with her and just take it a step at a time.

[Polly-anna97]

Thank you Tmanoo7