What do you do with your bird?

[cham87]

Hey Mike,

I love this forum and the fact that you share your knowledge about bird training to the public. It is something to be proud of. Of course it comes at a price and that price is getting bombarded with questions. So once again I appreciate you always getting back to me in a timely fashion.

I was going to buy a green cheeked conure but then I saw your articles and saw that you trained a budgie and said all the tricks and training translates from all types of birds. So I figured why spend 400 dollars when I can spend 16.

What is your opinion on the budgie. I will be honest it is not my favorite looking bird and its size is pretty small. But all that aside is a budgie the same as an eclectus or an african grey? If no then what makes them different?

Also I love the articles that you have it really is informative but then I wonder what do you do with a bird when you are not training it? I mean what do you do with a bird? Does he stay in his cage? That seems boring. Do they just follow you around the house like a dog or a cat? I am just unsure of my bird I have zero experience.

Another thing is you are full of knowledge on the subject. I am like that with music and a couple other hobbies that I am into. I can just give so much information out and it was all acquired over years of exposure to the subjects. Is that the case with you? I really like your style of training so I for sure want to emulate that. What do I need to do? Be able to have a bird execute all of the tasks in your articles? Is there literature that is a must read?

Pretty much I am just wondering will my bird surprise me or is a budgie not that exciting? I do not know if I have unrealistic expectations or if I am just unaware of what owning a bird means.

Thanks Mike

[Michael]

Thanks. I'll try to answer some of your questions point by point.

I was going to buy a green cheeked conure but then I saw your articles and saw that you trained a budgie and said all the tricks and training translates from all types of birds. So I figured why spend 400 dollars when I can spend 16.

Well this isn't shouldn't really be a deciding point. But yes, I know first hands that budgies are very capable trick performers. Some tricks they are even quicker at picking up on while others are impossible with their physiology. However, they can potentially learn most of the typical tricks including target, turn around, go through tube, turn around, flight recall, fetch, wave, etc.

What is your opinion on the budgie. I will be honest it is not my favorite looking bird and its size is pretty small. But all that aside is a budgie the same as an eclectus or an african grey? If no then what makes them different?

The big thing that sets budgies apart from other parrots (and them of each other) is species personality. Although Budgies are exquisite operant learners (almost roboticly good at learning tricks), they don't develop the same kind of connection with the owner as some of the larger parrots potentially can. It is difficult to describe in words. It's like a more unique experience. The larger parrots develop more personal relationships. Meanwhile budgies couldn't give a damn who it is as long as they've got the millet. I don't see much room for conditioned reinforcers with budgies. They just do what gets them millet. The larger parrots will do things for attention, warmth, petting, playing, etc.

The larger parrots demonstrate higher levels of intelligence and greater thought. This may be catching onto something just from looking at it, solving puzzles, and just being more insightful about owner's emotions. This can be desirable but also makes things very difficult. For these reasons budgies are often regarded as "beginner birds". Not only do they require care on a smaller scale, they are also dumb to the bigger things. Their memory seems to be shorter term. Not the memory involved in classical and operant conditioning, these are almost automatic. But when it comes to memory about relationships it's almost like they are meeting you anew every time. Not completely but to a large extent. This may not be surprising when they live in huge flocks and all look alike!

Thus they are less likely to hold a grudge over improper handling, easy to train even with the wrong steps, and difficult to psychologically screw up (even though in the short term it may still be aversive to them). The mistakes people can get away with making on a budgie could lead to a plucking, screaming, biting, monster in a larger parrot (as the result of higher intelligence and bigger beak). The bigger parrots tend to be more bold, aware of their strength/power, and they can often become controlling over their owners and train them instead of the other way around.

Also I love the articles that you have it really is informative but then I wonder what do you do with a bird when you are not training it? I mean what do you do with a bird? Does he stay in his cage? That seems boring. Do they just follow you around the house like a dog or a cat? I am just unsure of my bird I have zero experience.

Naturally my videos and articles focus on demonstrating trained behavior. The non-trained behaviors are difficult to capture because you don't know when they'll occur. Other than training they are just my pets. They'll hang out with me by sitting on nearby perches or on me. They'll fly over for a scratch or go to their stand to play with a toy. I take them to the park, flying, on drives, to other people's houses, etc. Training is fun and keeps them tame/social enough that they can be good pets at other times.

Another thing is you are full of knowledge on the subject. I am like that with music and a couple other hobbies that I am into. I can just give so much information out and it was all acquired over years of exposure to the subjects. Is that the case with you? I really like your style of training so I for sure want to emulate that. What do I need to do? Be able to have a bird execute all of the tasks in your articles? Is there literature that is a must read?

I minored in psychology. I've read a ton of books and watched videos about training. But more than anything I learned from my own birds. In the application of it I learned what works and what doesn't. Working with flighted parrots provides the best feedback because they operate at will. So I'm just sharing what I've learned any my experiences with others. You can buy books and what not but I doubt you will learn much more than in all the free resources and discussions provided. More important is that you can't buy the patience to accept, process, and apply the knowledge. Whether you pay or not, you have to take the time to put it to use.

Pretty much I am just wondering will my bird surprise me or is a budgie not that exciting? I do not know if I have unrealistic expectations or if I am just unaware of what owning a bird means.

Budgies are wonderful little birds that embody a little of everything from the larger parrots but are easier/cheaper to keep. Many of the same precautions and skills are necessary but they are generally more forgiving while a new parrot owner is learning what to do. This can also be bad in that it allows for the development of bad habits that would not be effective for other parrots (like flooding). What kind of parrot to get depends entirely on the person. For plenty of people a budgie is most definitely suitable. And I don't want to see you or anyone get another parrot because they want it to learn tricks unless they teach at least 10 to their budgie first. Cause for most things you'd want to teach, the budgies are as capable. Just because they are so cheap doesn't make them any less lovable as pets. Good luck.

[GlassOnion]

Okay, I'll give my thoughts as I have a Budgie- I've had her since she was a baby and she's a little over a year old now.

Unless hand-fed, Budgies are generally very flighty. They don't really like hands in general, and once Fleury's wings grow out, he probably won't let you grab him unless you do it in his cage or in smaller space. They are very fast, very slippery! That being said, my Spice will step up for me but that's just about it. She isn't scared of me, she just doesn't like me lol. It seems that most Budgies end up being pretty wild and flighty, but if you keep a SINGLE one until he bonds with you, you can have a fun relationship. I've seen these happen.

Now, what do I do with my Budgie? I watch her, basically. Once Spice's wings grew out, she became this crazy, clownish ball of feathers who will rip up toys, do aerial acrobatics, go all out insane against her swings, make all sorts of cool sounds and cockatiel squawks... Swings and playstands and shreddables are your Budgie's best friend! She's super fun, but the time she wants to spend with ME is very conditional. Spice loves dark, warm spaces, so every so often, she'll fly on to my shoulder and bury into my shirt/hoodie/etc while making cute little noises.

I do think that if you keep your training sessions consistent, and NOT get Fleury a friend for a long time, you two will bond. But do remember, I firmly insist that a single budgie will never be as happy as a budgie with a birdie friend.

As for green cheeks... They are a whole diferent ball game. They are MUCH smarter than Budgies, much more interactive, hold things with their feet, cuddle into your sweater, squawk a lot, and just a lot more bird than a Budgie.

[Khaiqha]

The budgies I had as a child were very interactive and playful. They enjoyed being petted and followed me around. I can't tell you if it's common behavior, only that it can be done.

Birds are not like dogs. They don't start off wanting to be your friend. You have to make things fun and exciting for them. As long as they feel safe and content, they'll probably start interacting with you just out of curiosity (key word is probably).

[Michael]

Birds are not like dogs. They don't start off wanting to be your friend. You have to make things fun and exciting for them. As long as they feel safe and content, they'll probably start interacting with you just out of curiosity (key word is probably).

Spot on

[Andromeda]

Hi, Cham. There are two threads where some GCC owners describe what it's like to own a GCC. There might be some useful information in there (if you have not already seen the threads): Do green cheek conures make good loving and training pets? and Green cheek conure questions.

I love my green cheek conure. He is an adorable ball of colorful feathers and all he wants to do is hang out with me or my husband and cuddle all day long. He rarely bites (maybe once every few weeks) but he does nip regularly. His nips are not painful but that seems to be his way of saying "No, thanks." He knows several tricks (target, turn around, wave, flight recall, go through a tube) and I have taught him all those tricks in the span of a month and a half.

From what others have said on this forum, though, it seems that I have an angel of a GCC. They can be bullies full of attitude that are prone to biting.