Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

You Can Do It!

Discuss topics associated with teaching birds to fly. Training parrots recall flight, target flying, and other flying exercises.

You Can Do It!

Postby RJGIII » Tue May 15, 2012 2:54 pm

My :senegal: Mali is scared to fly and only flies when he's scared. Ive had him for about a month and he is very clever and learned to spin, wave, and shake his head "NO" within a week. He is a bit shy still but will often even let me scratch his head and he steps up almost every time with little hesitation. When I purchased him from the store he was clipped prior and they where almost grown in so I asked that they only trim his nails and leave his wings.He has spooked when shown a new toy and Ive seen him fly quite a far distance so I know he is capable of flight. Ive decided to start to help him develop his flight skills and he loves to flap his wings while on a moving hand and so we made a game of it to build up his muscles.
Ive begun to try to teach him to fly to his cage. First I started by holding him within grabbing distance of the cage but still keeping him far enough away that he had to flap in order to climb up. When i move him just out of grabbing distance he begins to spin around on my hand and shakes and vocalizes a bit and acts like he wants to target onto the cage but is petrified. Eventually it ends with him holding one foot outstretched towards the cage and him simply waiting like that as if expecting me to just place him down. Its the cutest thing but actually problematic since he will wait there for 5+ minutes usually forcing me to cave since he has more time for mind games than me. I know its bad to give in because I'm reinforcing the behavior but what else can I do to encourage flight? Do you think I should just keep trying and eventually he will grow a pair? :lol:

Thanks
RJGIII
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
Flight: Yes

Re: You Can Do It!

Postby marie83 » Tue May 15, 2012 3:42 pm

I would use perches rather than his cage to make landing more comfy for him.
Other thing is don't do flight training unless you have time to do so, otherwise it's him training you because he doesn't know flight is a good thing yet so he wants you to carry him back. Get him used to stepping onto a perch from either another perch or your arm and gradually increase the distance.

Good luck.
User avatar
marie83
Cockatoo
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 3565
Location: Midlands, UK
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Yellow sided Green Cheek Conure
Pineapple Green Cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: You Can Do It!

Postby RJGIII » Wed May 16, 2012 5:56 pm

Thanks I'll give that a try!
RJGIII
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
Flight: Yes


Return to Recall Flight & Flighted Tricks

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store