Hello! I'm getting interested in parrots

[DogTrainer]

Hello!

I just started working at a big box pet store that sells small birds and also has a Green Cheeked Conure and a Sun Conure. I am an experienced dog trainer and one of the things that really interests me is getting some training experience with other species. I'm just a training nerd

If I can get permission to work with the birds, what should I teach them that will enrich their lives the most? I'm thinking step up is the best place to start? What else would help them live happily in a home?

I know the birds are young - about 6-10 months. They are not fearful or outright aggressive, but not really tame. They like sunflower seeds. The Green Cheek is really curious about people walking past her cage and the Sun Conure is really active and loves to hang upside down from his ceiling.

[Michael]

A lot of store birds just arent time. Step up, touch, and grab are a great start. Keep in mind that parrots are a lot smarter than dogs. This does not make them easier to train, in fact harder.

[GreenWing]

Hi, welcome to the forum

Michael's right, parrots are smarter than dogs. That said, parrots, like dogs, are food motivated for trainings. I think it's great you're spending time with these birds and interested in working with them. Spending time with them as is, is helping socialize them, which definitely benefits the bird.

[DogTrainer]

I got permission to work with the birds!!! Ahhh, I'm really excited I'm going to start tomorrow before my shift, I can't wait!

My plan is to start with targeting to a chopstick. The birds are friendly and curious, but not overly tame. I do not anticipate the birds being too frightened to learn. My other option (as far as I can tell) is to start with acceptance of handling, but my thought is that approaching an object is less stressful than being approached by a hand, and puts the parrot in control of the training session and lets them offer behavior. And I don't want to teach the bird to bring his head towards my hand because this doesn't seem very safe.

The store had a problem when the birds were worked with before (different birds). The birds became more aggressive towards other people. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

[Polarn]

I actually don't know how well it works really but a lot of parks etcetera limits handling with hands, no cuddling etcetera for this reason. I try to keep my birds friendly to everyone by introducing them to a lot of people keeping them socialized. Petting/cuddling a bird is something you may want to watch out how and where you pet the bird anyways. But one reason to why they wern't successful working with the birds before may be just that they did touch them on their bodies and not limited to their head, creating a sexual bond between trainer and trainee.
You can get away with petting the tummy/back etcetera with young birds but once theyre closing in on puberty this will cause them to start regurgitate and if poi's they'll the the skirtdance when on your hands etcetera... something that may be flattering but so wrong for so many reasons, and therefor shouldnt be encouraged

[DogTrainer]

HAHA! WELL. That did not go as I anticipated.

The GCC was out of her cage already because the conure display was being cleaned, so we actually had a nice distraction free space to work in. I didn't have a perch handy, so I propped up a wooden ladder to use. I had fresh chopsticks to use as a target stick. I had fresh millet.

did not want millet.
wanted to bite me.

A lot.

So I just put her back and didn't try to force the issue. Thoughts for next time:

[*]The birds have free access to millet. If I don't have anything the birds want, I can't train them. It will be easier to have a better, special treat than to try to have them stop being given millet, there are too many different people who do the daily feeding. I was thinking fresh fruit, like an apple?

[*]The rungs of the ladder were a little too narrow I think. I can make a training perch out of 3/4" PVC I have on hand, is this acceptable? If not, what is a good alternative?

She's really cute, I like her a lot I'm excited to work with her more, I know she's uncomfortable and stressed which is why she's biting. Later I walked past her cage and she bobbed her head at me, is that good or bad, haha?