Inauguration Day!

We have a new president and it's an exciting day, indeed!  

All 3 birdies now step up to the perch, although Ricky most easily and quickly does it.  I continue working on this skill, as the babies become tamer and calmer.  They all seem to love their freedom outside their cages, and will fly (or try to, anyway) across the small room to the other side and land on top of another's cage.    They will then relax there and preen and nap.  They are quite content to stay there until I am ready to get them back in their cages which also is getting a lot easier.

Roxy and Sammy step-up to the perch today!

Both Roxy and Sammy stepped up to a hand-held perch today.  Sammy did it in her cage and I slowly took her out and she flew across the room and joined Ricky who was sitting on top of his cage.  (Ricky had already stepped up to my finger and flown over there minutes before.)  Roxy was still leary of stepping up to the hand-held perch, but when I turned my back for a second, she flew out of her cage and onto the floor.  From there she stepped up onto the hand-held perch and I delivered her to the top of Ricky's cage as well.

I am so excited, but it must have been tiring for the cockatiels, as they were all very quiet, and all almost immediately fell asleep on top of the cage.    They really like their freedom, although they don't quite know what to do with it (yet)!

Hooray for all three!

Graduating to the finger!

Ricky now reliably goes on a hand-held perch/stick when I put it near him and use the word 'up'.  Today I started putting my finger out for him, rather than the stick.  I started with the stick/perch first, and clicked and treated him 4 times.  Then I put them perch down and put my finger in there and used the word 'up'.  Of course he was a bit leary, but the ran by my finger, stepping on it on the way and got clicks and treats each time.  He managed to use my finger for a split second as a springboard to get out of his cage and get his freedom (which is loves and which I believe he is working for).    It seems he can no longer get height when he is flying and perhaps for now that is a good thing.  He flew across the room expecting to land on the top of the other birds' cages but landed on the floor, instead.  I was able, with a bit of coaxing, to get him on my finger to bring him up to the cage tops, where I let him sit and wander around for half an hour or so.  I then used the perch and 'up' to get him back in his own cage (easily) where he got his 'jackpot' - a piece of a millet spray.  

This technique is explained in very good easily understandable language in "Getting Started:  Clicker Training for Birds" by Melinda Johnson, a Karen Pryor Clicker Book.  I highly recommend it.

Meanwhile, both Roxy and Sammy are yet to get on the perch/stick.  But they are making slow progress to it.

Ricky's advancement!

Ricky has, for the last two days in a row, stepped up to the perch I am holding inside his cage and as I move the perch out of his cage, he steps up to the roof of his cage.  He then flies across the room to the top of one of the other cages.  I let him stay there for several minutes, then I get the perch again, bring it up to his body, he steps up on it, and I bring him back to his cage.  He is rewarded with a small piece of spray attached in his cage.