Brand new rose breasted cockatoo and some questions

[brianlinkles]

I am picking up my brand new rosie today. He will be 8 weeks old this Friday (I have a lot of hand feeding experience so I don't want to upset anyone) My question is this, how long does it take for them to be fully grown. I feel like he looks so small but I am guessing he still has more growing to do.
I also am wondering what the best way to train/trick train him while he is fully flighted. I have never had a flighted bird before and would like to keep him flighted. I do not however know how to train him without him deciding he is bored and off he flies. I plan on having him in a harness daily and to take him outside with the harness for a bit every day. I do not want him to associate being out of the cage and then right away putting the harness on. He doesn't love the harness and I want him to like to come out so I think everyday in small increments of time and allowing him outside with it on (he loves being outside) is the way to go. This said any help in training a flighted bird would be much appreciated!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Hi Im kind of in the same predicament . Im getting my male RB2 from Georgia on the 29. The breeder has taught him how to fly and come on demand. Ive never had a bird do this. What I plan to do with him is get him on the same schedule as my other birds. Then set aside time to work on the recall training with me. I also want him to get used to a harness. My Macaw is the only that I use one with. Its been a long time since I had a baby !! I know that heres my chance to introduce [what Im hoping they will get used too] I used to have a female RB2 she seemed full grown and filled out in a year.Your guys still a baby at 8 weeks . Any names yet?

 

[Featheredsamurai]

You'll post pictures of your new baby right

I do not however know how to train him without him deciding he is bored and off he flies.

With trick training, and other training you always want to stop the session before they become bored.

• Teach him something easy like "wave", most birds love to do this and catch on quickly. When teaching him something new that is challenging, and may frustrate them, slip in a few waves every once in a while to give them back their confidence.

• Use more than one type of treat, and make them bite size. This way your bird will never know what treat they will expect as a reward and be excited to see what they get.

• keep the sessions short and sweet. There is nothing wrong with a various 3-10 minute training sessions scattered through out the day.

Larger birds aren't as flighty as smaller bids, I don't think he will fly as much as your expecting. Smaller birds like budgies and tiels fly without hesitations, larger birds have to think a bit more as they have less room indoors to navigate.

 

[brianlinkles]

Yes I will post pictures of Nigel tomorrow. Right now he is still looking a little messy since his feeding. He is a very messy eater!LOL He still looks a bit wet from being cleaned off! He is doing great but he does fly off and boy can he fly! My breeder said that a just fledged rosie can fly circles around an African grey that has been flying for years! I believe it! As young as he is he whips around this house! I am freaking out over my standing lamps, they are open on top and he landed on the edge (the light bulb is very hot and I freaked out when he got over there!) We are going to look at different lightbulbs to see if there is one that doesn't give off heat like regular ones. My daughter said there is but if not, I guess new lamps are in order! I haven't found a treat that he likes yet so training is going to be a bit tough! Dorothy my grey will do anything for a pistachio! I have to say I am out of my element with a flighted bird. I am so determined to keep him flighted so I guess we are going to figure this out together! He is still so young, and very eager to come out of the cage which is awesome!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

How exciting! I agree, they are very skilled fliers! Rosie is able to turn on a dime which I find very impressive.

Does he already know you? It sounds like he's going to settle in really fast

 

[brianlinkles]

How exciting! I agree, they are very skilled fliers! Rosie is able to turn on a dime which I find very impressive.

Does he already know you? It sounds like he's going to settle in really fast

We have been visiting him three times a week for the last I think 3 weeks. We have been practicing with the harness as well as the breeder. I think that he does know us, the breeder says that you can tell he is ours because he is always ready to come out of the cage where his sisters just kind of hang out with each other. I think he loves to come out however I also think he likes to get out and fly!

 

[Featheredsamurai]

How exciting! I agree, they are very skilled fliers! Rosie is able to turn on a dime which I find very impressive.

Does he already know you? It sounds like he's going to settle in really fast

We have been visiting him three times a week for the last I think 3 weeks. We have been practicing with the harness as well as the breeder. I think that he does know us, the breeder says that you can tell he is ours because he is always ready to come out of the cage where his sisters just kind of hang out with each other. I think he loves to come out however I also think he likes to get out and fly!

That's awesome
Maybe before you start training sessions you should let him fly a bunch to release the excess energy, that way he'll be a little calmer when you want him to stay on a training perch

 

[brianlinkles]

How exciting! I agree, they are very skilled fliers! Rosie is able to turn on a dime which I find very impressive.

Does he already know you? It sounds like he's going to settle in really fast

We have been visiting him three times a week for the last I think 3 weeks. We have been practicing with the harness as well as the breeder. I think that he does know us, the breeder says that you can tell he is ours because he is always ready to come out of the cage where his sisters just kind of hang out with each other. I think he loves to come out however I also think he likes to get out and fly!

That's awesome
Maybe before you start training sessions you should let him fly a bunch to release the excess energy, that way he'll be a little calmer when you want him to stay on a training perch

That's a great idea! It's so strange/funny to have a bird truly flying around the house! It makes me feel bad for Dorothy, she can glide but not truly fly. However she LOVES to come hang outside with me and wouldn't be able to do that as easily/often if she could fly!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I thought we were going to see some of pictures of 8 week old Nigel