a few general queries...

[aasiaafzal]

I have a few questions, not pertaining to one single group, so im just putting them here...

first lemme tell u that i have a 6 month old CAG. He/she is with us for 1 month now. He came clipped,,though im desperately waiting for the day he would start flying... is very friendly. From day 1, didnt mind being held on the hands

so the question is that im training him these days..at the moment concentrating only on target training, n step up training. he is doing very well with target training,, n im able to target him to almost all accessible places within 4-5 feet radius..but if he thinks the place is too difficult for him to reach, like some unusual side of the cage, being still very young, n clipped too, he doesnt bother much...which i think is fine..the problem is with step up training....im at the stage where im trying to remove the target stick, n trying to get him to step up on my verbal cue...but everyday atleast initially for 2-3 times, i have to show him the targt stick to get him to step up on my hand...then he comes into the routine, n starts stepping up on verbal cue...
Also another problem is that while in the training he steps up easily, but otherwise in routine,if i just ask him to step up, he does so only if he himself wants to, otherwise he would keep on going sideways on his perch, n would not step up, despite my verbal cues n all....

is it that he just needs more time n reinforcement or im doing anything wrong in training??

my second problem is that for the last 2-3 days, he is developing this new thing, that he seems afraid of my mom...doesnt like to be pet on the back by her...n today she just came home, n walked by his cage n he gave a loud cry or i would say a startled response...she was just walking by..hadnt even touched him...n the response was quite similar to what he has been showing in the last 2-3 days, when she tries to stroke him...he is still coming to my hands..but requires more than usual persuasion... not like his routine friendly bhv...at the moment im just concentrating on not letting this bhv stick around...by just telling my mom to withdraw a little when he panics, to the stage he is comfortable..n then stay there until he is relaxed...what else can i do?? im quite worried,, i dont really want to misinterpret or miss any early signs of some behavioural problem he might be developing...
i added a few step ladders n toys to his cage a few days ago, but he is quite comfortable with them, moving up n down, so they cant be the cause of his nervousness....


my 3rd question is that for his age, should i be concentrating on any more training exercises or for now just target training, step up, n potty training are sufficient?? n when is the appropriate time to start training for harness?? i got a harness for him n i really want to start the training, so that i can take him outside with me, even if he cannot fly...but on the other hand, i dont want to burden him much by too many new things..


my 4th question is regarding temperature control...we live in a warm climate..infact summers are really very hot, n long..roughly 8-9 months a yr...with outside temperature ranging 35-45 Celsius. so air conditioning is always on at home...inside temperature is maintained around 25 degree C plus minus 2,...so should i keep him at a place where air conditioning is not always turned on,,or exactly opposite by leaving the air conditioning on, even when im outside of home...? because i sometimes feel as if he shivers occasionally... i dont know if im making sense or not... i tried to search on the topic, its mentioned that a broad range of temperatures is fine for most parrots...but im still unsure

i still have a few more queries in my mind but i guess ill not bombard any more questions for the time being:) waiting for any suggestions, responses questions..

[Pajarita]

He is too young to be trained the way you are doing it, you are flooding him and making him anxious and insecure, that's why he is responding to your mother and even yourself the way he is. Parrots are not dogs and even dogs are not started on their training until they are fully grown (a 6 month old gray is a baby). And grays, in particular, are very sensitive to anxiety (and that's why so many of them pluck).

As to the temperature, yes, he needs different temperatures with the different seasons. 45 degrees is quite hot and he will 'wilt' if kept at it for days but maybe you can regulate the AC so it's nicely warm for him.

[Michael]

My advice is to break up unrelated questions and post them as separate topics. It's too much to answer all at once and scares away posential helpers.

[janetafloat]

I would say that, generally speaking, stroking is not a natural thing for a bird. Some birds don't like to be touched on their body at all and some birds are affectionate and like a cuddle sometimes but it needs to be done very much on the bird's terms. My Senegal, for example, is often quite cuddly and wants to be stroked and scratched around his head, neck and beak but if I were to try and do that when he's not inviting it he'll give me a nip to say 'back off'. I think you're doing too much too soon and you need to slow down and give your bird more time to settle in and build trust. It would also be very helpful if you - and your mother - stop touching him unless you see he is inviting it, and note where he likes to be touched when he is inviting it.

[Pajarita]

Janetafloat is correct about parrots not liking to be touched ALL the time. Plus, you should NEVER caress a parrot's back, it's a sexual caress and a no-no.

[aasiaafzal]

@ pajarita

ahan, i realize that 6 month old grey is just a baby..n i dont know why u think im flooding him with exercises n training... lemme explain my schedule..at the moment we r only concentrating on target training n step up training.....n that too, not on regular basis strictly...Because of my job requirements, sometimes i dont get time for 2-3 days to train..On my comparitively free days, we do 15 min sessions max in one stretch...n he actually likes those sessions....so i dont think he is getting stressed out by these training sessions...
but if you still think that 6 month old parrot should not be trained altogether,, do lemme know...

yes i asked about harness training...but im not gonna start it now...i know he is too young for that...thats why i asked the question of when should i go for that??..because i really want him to be able to go out n play with me, or enjoy some sun..n outside weather....


regarding caressing the back....oops i didnt know it is considered a no-no..,i knew that overall stroking or caressing a parrot, needs to be done on his terms...i never do it when he doesnt want it..but most of times he enjoys that...yes he doesnt like to be touched on his wings n beak...but neck n back he doesnt mind...my concern was his reponse when my mom tried to touch him....now u have given me another concern:) will look into that.. thanx a lot for ur replies n suggestions.

n thanks michael for the suggestion, but i guess its too late now...

[Eric&Rebecca]

1. The bird should be left at least 2 weeks before starting training in my opinion. I don't think the cage is necessarily a problem but I trained my birds after 14 days (only because they were settled) sometiems its taken up to 2 months to be fully settled. At this stage you might want to make training sessions more regular and try and make time to do it everyday. Stick just to one thing and then move onto the next. You've had him for a month but thats really not enough to start advanced things like harness training.

2. Harness training- you need to use Michael's guide for this. There's so much more preparation that goes into harness training before you even get to the harness training part if that makes sense. You can just take his cage outside to get fresh air for now, that'll be better for his health. Also he's going to bulk up a bit more over the next 2-3 months so harness sizes might change. You need to do way more preparatory training before you get to this stage. Before the preparatory stage you should stick to step up or recall or target training. Once that is completed you can move onto the next stages. Michael's training guides follow a logical order. You can't rush these things- the bird will go at its own pace. So to answer your question you should start harness training once you have completed the stps of Michael's guide.

3. Yes the touching on the back is a complete no-no.

As for age, I'm not really sure where the too young to train thing comes from but I've only had cockatiels and smaller birds so I'm not really the best person to comment. I believe Michael has said that around tis age is actually a good time to train them (but this may have been for a different bird so please don't take my word on that). I trained my most recent cockatiel at around 12 weeks old, just simple trainings like step up, etc. Things that are necessary for their safety. My avian vet said this is fine, providing they have been weaned for at least 2 weeks and settled within their new environment for a further 2 weeks there's no reason why you can't start some simple trainings. He's a very very good avian vet. perhaps look up this on Michael's guide or other thread on the forum. I think its a matter of opinion on age but more about how healthy and settled the bird is.

[Pajarita]

Age has to do with the species. Grays stay learning from their parents (what to eat, where to forage, etc) until they are 2 years old while macaws stay for 4 years. Rule of thumb is the larger the bird, the more time it takes to mature.

Step up is fine but you do need to do it on a schedule (everything for a parrot needs to be done in a schedule -the been able to anticipate an action and this action taking place when they 'think' it's going to take place gives them a sense of control over their own lives and and overall sense of security which reduces the stress of captivity).

Babies need company for hours and hours and hours every day (in the wild, they are NEVER alone), and, for parrots, company means their body touching your body (not necessarily been touched by your hand but like perching on your shoulder and his body touching the side of your head, for example)... maybe this is what is missing and why he is not reacting favorably.

[feathermum]

i have helped in raising a few CAG & 1 TAG, & i have to agree, i think the target training is a little much right now, he may even be trying to tell u he is overwhelmed by his actions & reactions. It's very important to read a parrots body language...if u are unsure try and get a book (recent) about CAG body language, and what certin signs mean & how to respond. or you could talk w/ your Avian vet. every parrot(singaly) is diffrent from the next,just like ppl. what works for 1 CAG may not be right for the other. I think, from what you have said; steping up on verbal command & haveing him well socialized are most important. mabey just work on those things for now. esp. the socializing, really the most importent thing. Grays in genral, are prone to emotional plucking & behavrial issues, as was stated above.