CaseynCasper

[CaseynCasper]

Hi Everyone!

I am taking my uncle's 26 year old male Umbrella Cockatoo, Casper, tomorrow evening. He has accepted a job that requires him to be away from home day and night during the work week and asked me to care for his bird, although he expects this will turn out to be a long-term arrangement. I have wanted a Cockatoo for many years but didn't get one because until the past few years I worked full time and had two children, which isn't the best situation for a Cockatoo.

I am 42 years old and stay at home due to a medical condition. I am married, have a 15 year old son and a 21 year old daughter who will be moving the first week of June. We have a calm, peaceful household--arguments are rare and screaming fests forbidden.

I have a 15 year old Quaker Parrot named Peaches and a 2.5 year old Siberian Husky named Sarah who share our home. I will be working with Sarah while also working with Casper. Ultimately I can never trust Sarah with Casper, the Siberian prey drive is instinctual and impossible to eradicate, but I am confident that we can provide a safe home for Casper in spite of Sarah's prey drive. Diligence is key. Sarah does not bother Peaches at all while in the cage, and when Peaches is out of the cage Sarah is in her crate. I anticipate a similar setup with Casper, though Casper does not fly (he's fully flighted but according to my uncle has no desire to fly, has only flown 5 feet once in a year.) Given that, I plan to have Casper's cage in the family room and allow him to hang out outside his cage when I'm in the room (can't let him stay out alone with Sarah.)

ETA: Casper's cage is 47"wide x 31"deep x 6 feet tall.

Casper has been rehomed at least twice that I know of, but he is a friendly bird for all that. I know we will have issues to resolve but I am confident that Casper will fit into our home and lives very well after the initial adjustment period.

My uncle has not done any training with Casper, and he has no information on whether or how the previous owners trained Casper. He knows the step up command but other than that I know of no tricks or other commands Casper knows. I will be approaching training Casper the same way I train Sarah--positive reinforcement and environmental management.

I've been going to visit Casper nightly this week and instead of forcing him to step up to my arm, I offer my arm to him and let him decide whether he wants to come to me (he hasn't as of now.) My uncle thinks that is nuts, that he'll never come to me if I don't force him, but from what I've read regarding parrot training the concept is the same as Siberian training--give the animal choices and work within the animal's innate nature. Any insight or tips regarding training would be greatly appreciated.

Casper's previous owners did not expose him to fresh foods. My uncle has discovered that Casper loves bananas but other than that, has stuck to the pellets and dehydrated fruit/vegetable mixes he gets at a local bird store. I plan to introduce Casper to fresh foods over time.

So that's us. I've learned a lot reading on the forum over the past week and appreciate all the information.

 

[MonicaMc]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you'll make a great parront for Casper!

As for training, yes, you've got the right idea in mind! Although, it does help to give parrots an incentive! If you know about clicker training in dogs, then you would know how to condition a bird to clicker training, then teaching desired behaviors as well as capturing desired behaviors.

 

[CaseynCasper]

Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you'll make a great parront for Casper!

Thanks! I sure hope I'm up to the task. Reading so much negative about the Umbrellas gave me pause. Then again, many people insist Siberians can't be trained and are holy terrors, but I know better. Dealing with Siberians requires different techniques than other dog breeds but it's very possible. IMO people have problems with Siberians because they want the dog to conform to their needs when only the opposite will work, particularly at the beginning of training. I'm thinking it's the same with the Cockatoos--accurate?

As for training, yes, you've got the right idea in mind! Although, it does help to give parrots an incentive! If you know about clicker training in dogs, then you would know how to condition a bird to clicker training, then teaching desired behaviors as well as capturing desired behaviors.

Sarah hated the clicker so I abandoned it with her. Do you prime the clicker before beginning the Cockatoo training program? Or do you jump right in?

I found capturing to be tough with Sarah but shaping and luring worked great with her. Are cockatoos more amenable to capturing?

It's such a relief to hear that the training philosophy I prefer will work with parrots. I'm not keen on the traditional methods and I strongly disagree with my uncle's position that one MUST force the bird to obey, as it seems to me that's a great way to get bitten. Then again, most people think I'm insane because I recognize that a dog is a dog, a bird is a bird, and there are some behaviors that simply ARE, and that cannot be completely eradicated, eg Sarah's prey drive. That's where environmental management comes into play.

Anyhow, thanks again!

 

[MonicaMc]

You don't *have* to use a clicker, but it's the same concept. Reward for behavior that you want and for behavior you don't like, try to replace it with a better behavior. If you need to use lures to start a behavior going in the right direction, you can later phase out the lure.

You may enjoy the articles and information by people such as Barbara Heidenreich, Susan Friedman, Karen Pryor, Melinda Johnson, Steve Hartman, and many more! There's also some great blogs out there by owners who use the same concept of training! Not to mention, websites!


Like dogs, birds can vary to what they find rewarding as well as bad. Some birds hate the clicker while others don't. Some owners have found different items or noises to use instead of the click. Some use phrases. The phrase "good", a tongue "click", a pen that clicks, etc. Anything that can be used with precision.

 

[CaseynCasper]

You don't *have* to use a clicker, but it's the same concept. Reward for behavior that you want and for behavior you don't like, try to replace it with a better behavior. If you need to use lures to start a behavior going in the right direction, you can later phase out the lure.

You may enjoy the articles and information by people such as Barbara Heidenreich, Susan Friedman, Karen Pryor, Melinda Johnson, Steve Hartman, and many more! There's also some great blogs out there by owners who use the same concept of training! Not to mention, websites!


Like dogs, birds can vary to what they find rewarding as well as bad. Some birds hate the clicker while others don't. Some owners have found different items or noises to use instead of the click. Some use phrases. The phrase "good", a tongue "click", a pen that clicks, etc. Anything that can be used with precision.

I love Karen Pryor and Pat Miller. Pat's book taught me how to use the positive reinforcement techniques with Sarah. You wouldn't believe the number of people who insisted that a dog cannot be truly trained using positive reinforcement techniques. I left a vet in large part because his office manager harangued me for refusing to put my 10 week old sick puppy in a choke collar. Every time we went in there she berated me in front of everyone for refusing to use *her* training philosophy. Funny thing is, according to our now-vet Sarah is the best behaved Siberian they've ever seen in their practice. But Siberians can't be trained, especially not using positive techniques.

I'm thinking that Casper needs some time to acclimate to our home before we begin serious training. True? What signs should I look for to determine that the initial acclimation is complete and training may begin?

Is it more important at the outset to develop the relationship with the bird, or to begin training? With Sarah I initiated training immediately, from the first step through the front door, but she's a dog and I question whether the timeline that worked with her will translate successfully to a Cockatoo.

Do you know of any good sites on Cockatoo body language? I've seen a couple of small sites and a lot of the information is conflicting. I need an authoritative source.

Thanks again!

 

[MonicaMc]

Not sure of any good sites off the top of my head, but Barbara Heidenreich does have a DVD on understanding parrot body language... which is for birds in general. Most body language is the same between all the species, although certain species will of course have specific body language to them, and I think this is what you are after? The DVD though goes over not just what one behavior may be, but what it could mean in other situations.

I would have to say to go at Casper's pace. If he's interested and ready to start working on day one, then go for it! If he's not, then give him a few days to settle in and just get to know him before you start training.

 

[CaseynCasper]

Not sure of any good sites off the top of my head, but Barbara Heidenreich does have a DVD on understanding parrot body language... which is for birds in general. Most body language is the same between all the species, although certain species will of course have specific body language to them, and I think this is what you are after? The DVD though goes over not just what one behavior may be, but what it could mean in other situations.

I was hoping for something specific to Cockatoos but there doesn't seem to be much online to that effect. I'll find the DVD and start there, thanks!

I would have to say to go at Casper's pace. If he's interested and ready to start working on day one, then go for it! If he's not, then give him a few days to settle in and just get to know him before you start training.

I know this is a dumb question but what kind of behaviors should I look for to indicate that he's ready? Such as, when I offer my arm to him and he refuses to step up, consider him not ready? I know this is kind of a duh question but I really want to start on the right foot with him. If he were a weanling or very young I'd be more confident, since the bird would be open to what I do and not interpret my actions based upon past experience. Given Casper's age and the many unknowns of his life, I want to do it all correct the first time, or at least avoid any huge errors.

I don't recall if I mentioned this earlier but my uncle has had him for a year but didn't attempt any formal training so I can't get any background information on training from him. (My theory--training happens every minute of every day, formal training is just more intense training than the every minute training.)

Thanks for tolerating such newbie questions.:smile019:

 

[CaseynCasper]

Another dumb question--is working on developing a trusting relationship with Casper more important than initiating a training routine? Is it like a puppy where immediately beginning obedience and general housebreaking is key to having a well behaved dog?

I wonder because dogs are hard-wired to trust humans whereas parrots are basically wild animals (or non-domesticated) without that hard-wired trust.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Another dumb question--is working on developing a trusting relationship with Casper more important than initiating a training routine? Is it like a puppy where immediately beginning obedience and general housebreaking is key to having a well behaved dog?

I wonder because dogs are hard-wired to trust humans whereas parrots are basically wild animals (or non-domesticated) without that hard-wired trust.

Trust is important, and training can be a way to gain trust when done correctly. Birds enjoy learning, trick training is a great way to bond.

 

[CaseynCasper]

Trust is important, and training can be a way to gain trust when done correctly. Birds enjoy learning, trick training is a great way to bond.

Ahhh, okay. Thank you!

 

[MonicaMc]

Judge his behavior by how comfortable he appears within his environment, not whether or not he's willing to step up, as that is also a learned behavior that must be taught.

Is he afraid and shivering? Cowering in the corner or at the back of the cage? Or does he show curiosity? Is he interested in coming out? Begging to come out?

Go based upon those kind of feelings.

 

[CaseynCasper]

Judge his behavior by how comfortable he appears within his environment, not whether or not he's willing to step up, as that is also a learned behavior that must be taught.

Is he afraid and shivering? Cowering in the corner or at the back of the cage? Or does he show curiosity? Is he interested in coming out? Begging to come out?

Go based upon those kind of feelings.

Perfect--thank you!