Going back to school (Kiwi, not me!).

[Kiwibird]

Bit the bullet and ordered Kiwi a full range of new educational toys this morning. These should keep us busy all summer! I'm not sure if Kiwi will ever be a competitor for worlds smartest bird:54:, but I did decide on 2 color/shape teaching tools, along with 2 'just for fun' puzzles I think he will LOVE. They should be arriving next week so we can get started right away. I am SO excited to be teaching him something fun and educational!

First up is the zoo max teach box and memory twin shapes:

I think the amount of shapes, plus the learning to put the coins in the bank will give me lots of options to try and teach him shapes and colors. He can't verbalize, so I already have a plan with those white background/color center pieces from the 'twin shapes' set to compensate for the fact he can't talk.

I also decided to just get some plain, fun puzzle toys that I am 150% sure would be appealing to Kiwi. First is the "swizzle sticks" puzzle:

Next is the shapes puzzle:

And not that this one is educational in any way, shape or form, but Kiwi is going to LOVE his special surprise (he is a teenage boy after all, and what teen boy doesn't have his own skateboard):

I was looking at the roller skates and scooter too, but somehow, I just don't see those happening right now. Maybe once he gets used to the skateboard we can graduate to ones he moves on his own:52:.

 

[Doublete]

Oh I can't wait to see him using them! Chiqui is still working on figuring foraging toys out... She isn't very exploratory yet. I think for four years she just didn't have toys.

 

[JerseyWendy]

WOW, April, what a super assortment of education toys!!

Oh yes, those will keep both of you busy! Can't wait to hear how Kiwi does with them.

That skateboard is out of this world!!

 

[Kiwibird]

Oh I can't wait to see him using them! Chiqui is still working on figuring foraging toys out... She isn't very exploratory yet. I think for four years she just didn't have toys.

Don't worry, Chiqui will learn in time Kiwi didn't know what to do with toys either when we first got him. Now we have just about all the puzzle-forager on the market and they aren't even a challenge for him anymore:52:. Just keep offering those fun, rewarding challenges! Amazons are SMART birds.

 

[Terry57]

April, those toys are amazing! Where did you find them? I bet Kiwi is going to love having all those new challenges to figure out. I am so looking forward to skateboarding videos soon

 

[Kiwibird]

The swizzle sticks, puzzle and skateboard:
Trick Training Bird Toys

The zoo-max bank:
Zoo Max Teach Box N Bank Bird Toy | eBay

The twin shape game:
Zoo Max DUS504 Memory Twin Shape Educational Toy 24 PC Bird Toy | eBay

 

[Terry57]

Thanks so much for the links, April! I think Ekko would love these things

 

[Allee]

No way, April! I can just see Kiwi waddling off with his backpack to summer school! At least he gets a skateboard to ride after class.

Just kidding of course, I love the creative ways you interact with Kiwi. Kiwi is wonderful proof that birds have the ability to adapt and continue to learn even after a bumpy start in their long lives.

I LOVE that skateboard! You know he'll demand a halfpipe ramp or an empty pool....
We expect photos of your little athlete.

 

[Kiwibird]

Thanks so much for the links, April! I think Ekko would love these things

If you end up getting them, you'll have to update us on Ekko's progress

No way, April! I can just see Kiwi waddling off with his backpack to summer school! At least he gets a skateboard to ride after class.

LOL! Kiwi with a little backpack would be so cute! Unfortunately, he would just eat the textbook and bite the teacher He's going to have to be homeschooled for now:54:

Just kidding of course, I love the creative ways you interact with Kiwi. Kiwi is wonderful proof that birds have the ability to adapt and continue to learn even after a bumpy start in their long lives.

I LOVE that skateboard! You know he'll demand a halfpipe ramp or an empty pool....
We expect photos of your little athlete.
Today 10:59 AM

I love that Kiwi is so interested in learning and interacting on this kind of level. My parents birds were just more....wild. Not badly behaved, they just don't care about tricks or interactive toys.

And of course, there will be photos. Especially of him on the skateboard No serious tricks though until he also learns to wear a little helmet

 

[Anansi]

Definitely looking forward to following Kiwi's progress with this! Great toys! And I think you've inspired me to pick some up for Maya and Jolly! Thanks for the links!

 

[henpecked]

What a good birdie parront . Kiwi is such a lucky zon.

 

[Taw5106]

when I first saw the title, my first thought was oh no, he repeated the shower incident and is getting schooled again, lol. The skateboard must be for PE, lol!

 

[Kiwibird]

when I first saw the title, my first thought was oh no, he repeated the shower incident and is getting schooled again, lol. The skateboard must be for PE, lol!

Thankfully that was just a one off incident. He must have woke up on the wrong side of the perch that day. Kiwi does not often 'test' his humans, but when he does, it never quite turns out how he's like it to:54:

Though, playing games and keeping him happy, social and busy will probably reduce the risk of further 'shower incidents':20: Plus, he's just so darn adorable when he's excitedly waddling around being interactive and intrigued with you because you're playing a game with him.

 

[RavensGryf]

Summer school is starting already?! Lucky Kiwi It will be fun seeing how he interacts, learns, and shows progress! He just might be the next "Alex" the Amazon version

 

[Anansi]

Uhmmm.... what "shower incident"?

 

[Kiwibird]

Uhmmm.... what "shower incident"?

http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/52974-when-blue-fronts-attack.html

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

WOW, April, what a super assortment of education toys!!

Oh yes, those will keep both of you busy! Can't wait to hear how Kiwi does with them.

That skateboard is out of this world!!

I simply LOVE that skateboard! I am also very curious on how Kiwi will do! take a video if you can..I wanna see!! lol.

Jim

 

[Anansi]

Uhmmm.... what "shower incident"?

http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/52974-when-blue-fronts-attack.html

Ohhhhhhhhhh! That shower incident! Hahaha! I'd missed that thread, but wow! Well handled. Springtime hormones are no joke!

 

[Birdman666]

One of these days, I've got to get one of those little remote controlled cars...

Though I've always been a bit leery of them. Someone injuring a foot or something bailing on one if they get scared...

Always wanted to. Haven't tried that one yet. Not exactly a high priority.

Easiest way to skateboard train is to use it as a perch to begin with. Carry him around on it for fifteen minutes, the same way you would a stick.
Once he's 110% comfortable perching on it, you set him down on a table with it. Use it as a pull toy. That's how I trained Sweepea, my mac. That skateboard didn't have a chain, however, I taught her to gently hold onto my finger, and I just pulled her across the table.

Make a game of it. Eventually, he gets to the point where he'll get on it, and go...



I've never actually taught a bird to push one. Just hop on and ride... (the conures) or "pull toy" it. (The Macs.)

With the conures, I used the little skateboard as a foot toy and got them playing with it, and jumping on it in play, while I held it in place and played with them with my fingers... Then, when they were 110% comfortable with it, they hopped on to attack it, and my fingers weren't holding it in place...

I taught Py first. Demitre learned by watching Py. He hated Py getting all the attention, chased Py away from it, took a running start, hopped on, and literally shot across the table... Skated all the way off the end of the table, and flew onto the couch. After that he was hooked... All I had to do was get the little boards out, and set them down on the table. He would play with them on his own...

Demitre was a hoot and a half sometimes... !!! (The rest of the time he was A 100% pure stinker!)

 

[Kiwibird]

Those are awesome photos Mark! They all look very intent on what they're doing Amazing you taught 3 to rite the skateboards. I'm thinking Kiwi will probably love getting pulled around, though I do anticipate some initial fear of the movement we'll have to overcome.

I've also always debated getting one of those cars every time I see one at a garage sale. Then I think of the likelihood my poor "driving skills" of one would end up crashing poor defenseless (and flightless) Kiwi into a wall. I do think if he likes the skateboard enough, I may try him with the scooter or roller skates he can move on his own. But before I overwhelm the creature with new things to learn, I'd really like to work with him on the colors and shapes. I've always envied people who have birds of that level of intelligence. The more Kiwi shows me of his personality and intelligence, I *think* I might just have a smart one here lol. I know if you tried to teach any of my parents birds to identify a shape or color, they'd just 'laugh' at you and fly off.