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Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Exchange information about how to teach specific tricks to parrots. Most of these techniques should apply to all bird species. Share your success stories.

Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby heyihaveaparrot » Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:46 pm

I have got my bird lying down obediently in the palm of my hand when I say "lay down." Problem is I don't know how to teach him to let go of my finger! He gets up straight away every time I try to take my finger away.

any tips on how to do this?
anyone have their bird doing this trick?
steps on teaching it?
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Re: Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby Graeme » Tue Dec 31, 2013 9:52 pm

I would be interested in knowing as well.

At the moment Bailey (Sun Conure) will roll over and lay on his back, but will hold on with one foot. He really enjoys having his belly scratched and also some rough playing, rolling him around and flipping him up.

It would be nice to e able to get him to do it on cue.
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Re: Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby heyihaveaparrot » Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:02 pm

Gosh I wish mine would learn to hold on with only one foot! He has to have booth feet on my finger.
He does do it with verbal command though, I say lay down and put my hand under him or put him over a surface. He always seems very eager to lay down and it is adorable to watch!
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Re: Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby Opi » Wed Jan 01, 2014 9:58 pm

I haven't myself got to the point where I'm teaching Apollo tricks like these. I have noticed a difference in behaviour when it comes to training and playing.

When playing, which is normally on my shoulder when I'm giving him pats, he will flip over and hold on to my finger then continue to nibble on things around him. He will not however let go of my finger and if he does, he will immediately flip over just like you explain.

Recently I've been doing some taming training, giving him peanuts for letting me touch his beak, back, wings, etc.

This was a process over a few days where at first I had to get him used to my cupped hand being near him. Then I moved on to touching his back for progressively longer times. Then once he was okay with that I started to put some pressure on his wings as if I was going to pick him up. Then now he is at the point where I can grab him around the wings and flip him on his back for a few seconds before he wants to get back up. Afterward each time, of course, he gets peanuts for being good :)

I was trying to follow the same method from Michael's video with Truman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNGOyeLjxhI&list=PLAC3C0A2495F6E11F where he was getting him used to a towel.

Hope this helps.
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Re: Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby Graeme » Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:26 pm

Well Bailey loves having his back scratched and also doesn't mind me scratching under his wings. he loves it when I am a little rough with him as well, I can grab him, from the front or the back, then flip him upside down and twirl him around. He always comes back for more.
I have a small cotton towel that he loves, if I put that on my lap he will immediately land on my lap and proceed to go nuts, sliding around on his back and grabbing my fingers and nibbling.
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Re: Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby JaydeParrot » Thu May 08, 2014 1:53 am

I'm not great on tricks but the way I get my parrot to let go of my fingers is slightly the same way you'd get a dog to let go of something that it refused to let go of.

I gently hold the body or neck of the bird in my hand and twist my finger away from the bird, the bird eventually has to let go as it's toes can't turn as far as my hand is turning. Alternatively, you could use a puedo item for the bird to hold onto, I taught my bird to lie on it's back in my hand by first getting it to cling onto a small stick or twig, putting my hand on it's back, slowly moving the bird backwards until it was lying in my hands, I then let go of the stick. The bird continues to hold the stick in a comfort, not realising there's now no one holding it.

Generally I've found the bird eventually realises there's no one holding the stick and lets go, however, if this doesn't work, gently grasp the bird's neck or body and twist the stick away until the feet can no long hang on to it, the bird will eventually realise it's safe on it's back and that it doesn't need to constantly hold something.

If anyone was wondering about dogs:

In dogs, grab hold of the object they have in their mouth and slowly turn the object upside down in a 360 circle, the dog will eventually have to let go as it is incapable of turning it's head 360.
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Re: Teaching your bird to "lay down"

Postby marie83 » Sat May 10, 2014 9:01 pm

I just gently removed Ollies foot, then let him put my finger back really quickly and gave him the treat before he had chance to get up. As soon as the treat was in him mouth I put him back upright myself. As soon as he caught on to the fact he was getting the treat whilst on his back he was distracted enough waiting for it for me to gradually push the time he wasn't gripping my finger.
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