Gettng my Quaker to sit still

[kateb]

I have recently posted on a behavior my new Quaker parrot has - quaking! As soon as I am around he starts his head bobbing / wing flapping thing that is unique to Quakers. He is not scared, nor is he begging, it is apparently just something they do when they are young and I've read he should grow out of it.

In the mean time, this is making playing and training difficult. I have started training my Quaker to wave (thanks for the great video Michael!) and he seems to be very good at it after only two sessions. He also seems to love the attention and having something to do! The problem is, I have to (gently) hold him still and in place so he doesn't quake about or run away to check out something else. His quaking is so severe that waving without being held somewhat still would not be possible.

Any tips on how to get him to stop quaking so much or at least sit in the one spot without being held would be fabulous! I thought about putting him on a perch, but recent attempts to train him on his fold out cage door and kitchen table have resulted in him trying to fly off and smashing into the wall (he is clipped, although it seems to make little difference, he is determined to try and fly at everything as soon as he is raised off the floor). And while I don't have a problem with the flying per se, I am so worried about him hurting himself.

Thank-you!!

[kateb]

Oh, I should have said, the idea of training him on a perch came about from the fact that he stops quaking when he steps up onto my finger. It would be impossible for him to quake and balance at the same time, so the quaking ceases as soon as he steps up. Again, this makes me think that there must be some way of training out the quaking behavior because clearly he can control it at will!

[Roger P]

My experience (limited though it is) is that Quakers quake simply because they do (or want to, not sure). I don't think this is something you will be able to train out of him. That said, you did indicate that when he steps up on your finger this stops, so I think a perch might be a great way to focus him in other areas, which may help him grow out of it more quickly.

To keep him there, I have found that if there is a special treat that he really likes (with my Merlin it is almond pieces), use those only when he is on the perch or training. You could begin by just "treating" him for staying on the perch. Then he learns that as long as he sticks around, he gets treats. If he flies away, place him back on the perch and then treat him for being there. The idea is to make being on the perch more rewarding than going somewhere else. When he has this figured out, then expand from there: now staying on the perch also requires him to turn around or wave or something else.

Merlin reacts as soon as he gets on the perch now, and runs through his entire repetoire of "tricks" repeatedly, trying to get a treat, because he knows being there gets him treats. If I am working on the computer or something and he is not being paid attention, he finds his own fun which usually involves leaving the perch. As long as he receives attention (and treats), he sticks around.

Good luck, let me know how it goes!

[kateb]

Thank-you Roger - I'm going to try those suggestions tomorrow

[Roger P]

Happy to help! Let me know how it works.