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Training Senegal Parrots

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Training Senegal Parrots

Postby Wolgrub » Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:50 am

I have been watching some of Michael's training videos on YouTube. I am very impressed at how Kili is prepared to chase the ball, run around, roll over and generally cooperate with the regimen. However I was wondering how I might apply the techniques to my own pair of poicephalus. The trouble is that Michael has the full, willing participation of Kili while Bubble and Squeak are much more wilful. If I tried anything like that it would more likely go like this:

Me: "Chase the ball."
Squeak: "Chomp!" (bites my finger)
Me: "Owowowowow!"
Squeak: "Har har har!"
Me: "Play dead."
Bubble: (flies to the top of the curtains and hangs upside-down, cackling like a maniac)
Squeak: "Har har har!" (sits on my head and does a big poo.)
Me: "Eeuch!"
Me: "Bang!"
Squeak: "Chomp!"
Me: "Oh good grief!"

etc, etc, etc.
Wolgrub
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 11
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: African Grey and Senegal parrots
Flight: Yes

Re: Training Senegal Parrots

Postby Michael » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:55 am

I don't know if you are being literal or kind of saying more what's going on in your head. But definitely don't react to bites whether out loud or in your face.

A good place to start is the two guides I wrote about basic training and flight training:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=227
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=228

Bear in mind that a major difference between you and I (it seems) is that:

A) I have one bird but you have a pair (they are likely more bonded to each other than you)
B) Kili has had a training regime since I got her so she is used to training

This does not mean that you could not teach everything Kili knows to your Senegals but it will most likely be harder and you will have to make a MAJOR lifestyle change that is more training oriented. Most likely would require at lest these things as a basis:

1) Separate the pair
2) Some food management, treats only during training, 2 meals a day and training before meals
3) Start from square one like clicker conditioning and target training

Yours may not like the change in lifestyle because it sounds like they lived freer otherwise. Kili wouldn't know the difference because this is always how it's been with us since I got her. This is the life she knows.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask here. Now I have a question for you because you have both Senegals and a Grey. I'm thinking of getting a Grey so perhaps you could answer my questions about Senegals getting along with greys over here: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=293
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Michael
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrot, Cape Parrot, Green-Winged Macaw
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Re: Training Senegal Parrots

Postby Wolgrub » Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:28 pm

Thank you for the good advice. Be assured the reponse to nipping and biting is only in my head. The real question is how far I want to go down this route. Bubble and Squeak are quite well-behaved most of the time. But I'm not assuming that will persist indefinitely.
Wolgrub
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 11
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: African Grey and Senegal parrots
Flight: Yes

Re: Training Senegal Parrots

Postby Mona » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:57 pm

I respectfully believe that you can train two Senegal parrots together....even birds that don't have a history of training. It will depend on how much time and concentration you want to put into it.

I often work with all three of my Senegals out together. It is fun because they will have a bit of a competition. The first cued behaviors that I taught Bailey were "fly back and forth to perches"...the backs of chairs. I was working with Jack and Babylon, Bailey saw what was going on and clearly wanted to participate. He was on the couch with my husband. I put him on a chair and before I knew it, he was eagerly flying back and forth to a perch as cued.

Senegals really like being interactive (in my experience) which makes them very easy to train. You just need to work on setting up the communication by using the "cue, bridge,reinforcement" scenarios. The limits really are yours IF you have social parrots.

Thanks!

Mona
Mona in Seattle
Phinneous Fowl (aka Phinney) TAG
Babylon Sengal
Doug (spousal unit)
Jack and Bailey (Gremlins)
Kiri (CAG)
http://www.flyingparrotsinside.com

youtube: Avian Flyers
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Mona
Poicephalus
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Number of Birds Owned: 5
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrots, Congo African Grey, Timneh African Grey
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Re: Training Senegal Parrots

Postby Cozzy » Sun Dec 13, 2009 6:18 am

To train a pair, it is easier to let them out of the cage one by one, train one bird at a time.
Cozzy
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 124
Location: Hong Kong
Number of Birds Owned: 4
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrot
Budgie
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