Is it possible to target train a Bourke's Parakeet?

[Cymmie]

Just like the title says, I will be hopefully getting a male soon, and am wondering if I will be able to target train him? Or at least teach him to come to me? That way if I ever have him flighted it would be easy to get him back. He already knows step up, and has been hand raised.

 

[DallyTsuka]

Any bird can learn, but some individuals catch on slower or maybe not at all. Your best bet is to give it a shot and work hard

 

[Cymmie]

Thanks for the response ^^ it makes me hopeful, because he seems rather smart when I go to visit him, he has a rather large vocabulary from what the breeder says. I don't know for sure though. Here's to hoping <3 Oh and is it possible to get him to respond to a new name? His current name is kind of... odd.

 

[DallyTsuka]

Yeah you can change his name if you choose, he should learn to pick it up eventually

 

[RavensGryf]

I agree that you can give it a shot, but unless he's substantially tame, might not work. Bourke's and the related small grass parakeets are usually aviary birds for a reason - they have a very "different" sort of nature from other parrots. They are as if they're half finch type bird.

 

[Terry57]

My Bourkes was wild when we got him, and he was 8 years old as well. He will step up, he did it from the beginning, but I doubt I could ever get him to do anything else. I think the step up is more that he looks at my finger like a perch and is not afraid, rather than him accepting any training
It is definitely worth a try, though
Changing his name shouldn't be any problem, he will learn the new one...is he a baby?

@Casey....So thrilled with your new counter at the bottom of your message

 

[RavensGryf]

Just like Terry said... my mom's hand fed Bourke's is the same way. I think if you want a cute, sweet, quiet little guy to sit on your finger or body at best, go for it. If you want a bird with more of a "parrot" personality, it might be best to look at another species

 

[Cymmie]

He is young only a year and a half, but the only reason I want to target train him is so he'll come back to me if he wanders off. I otherwise have no real desire for a trained parrot at the moment. He's totally hand-tamed and sweet. He will step up and just sit with you for like hours though the most I've done is 30 minutes. But if he doesn't end up target training I'll clip his flight feathers to where he can't get airborne and all he can do is glide. Right now he can't even do that with the way she clips them.

 

[DallyTsuka]

He is young only a year and a half, but the only reason I want to target train him is so he'll come back to me if he wanders off. I otherwise have no real desire for a trained parrot at the moment. He's totally hand-tamed and sweet. He will step up and just sit with you for like hours though the most I've done is 30 minutes. But if he doesn't end up target training I'll clip his flight feathers to where he can't get airborne and all he can do is glide. Right now he can't even do that with the way she clips them.

Why not get a harness? Clipped birds can still fly away and go missing in the right conditions. Harness training should be possible for him too

 

[Cymmie]

I hear weird things about harnesses o.o like they are hard to get off and stuff? is that true?

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I hear weird things about harnesses o.o like they are hard to get off and stuff? is that true?

not to much, I recommend the aviator harness, the best in my opinion.

Better to have something that's hard to take on and off than a bird who flew off. Especially small birds, doesn't take much wind to give them lift.

 

[Cymmie]

ok getting a harness is on my list to do. I was wondering, what you guys think about Icarus as a name? It's one of the possibilities though I won't be naming until I know the personality of my new little friend better. Who I am picking up tomorrow! 8D

 

[DallyTsuka]

i better hope you share photos!!

i like the name

i use harnesses myself and i find its harder getting them onto the bird than getting them off, but i use the flight suits

 

[Cymmie]

Lol there will be so many photos 8D

Nibble nibble little birds XD Do you recommend flight suits over harnesses?

 

[Cymmie]

So I got my little one today, I am wondering though if he needs the perches that are currently in there (will be adding more as soon as mom gets home) down lower. Considering he can't technically fly at all right now. His wings are clipped soooo freaking short >.< He flew out of my hand and plummeted to the ground immediately.

But I was wondering... is it normal for him to stay on the bottom? He seems a bit overwhelmed in my honest opinion. This cage is huge compared to his last one

IMG_01811_zps213da240.jpg Photo by HawkfrostA | Photobucket

IMG_01821_zps034c061a.jpg Photo by HawkfrostA | Photobucket

IMG_01831_zps76580b55.jpg Photo by HawkfrostA | Photobucket

 

[DallyTsuka]

The bad clip may be responsible for his bottom of the cage behaviour.

Definitely get some better perches! Rope perches, natural branches... dowel perches alone are terrible for their feet

He's adorable

 

[DallyTsuka]

And flight suit vs harness, most people swear by aviator, it is an excellent harness. And the flight suit is okay, just don't use it as a diaper indoors... and the velcro is a concern, but you can adjust that.

 

[Cymmie]

I got new perches today, but will have to use the dowels also for now because I am waiting for a few perches to appear magically from the mail XD He started using the perches a little after I posted the first post, but he was falling a lot because of the bad clip as he tried to switch perches. So we bought tons of new ones and are using towels on the bottom of the cage until his feathers grow out ^^ He seems to be happy with all the new perches and toys.

 

[DallyTsuka]

he may get good use out of a ladder too with that bad clip

i think bourkes are so cute, so quiet and sweet.

 

[Cymmie]

I got one ladder yesterday to see how it worked out. He hasn't really used it much, but he's still falling on occasion because he keeps trying to jump down to the bottom. I'm still messing with the configuration of things to see what works best for him. I've moved the ladder over to the side where his food dish is. He's already eating up a storm. ^^ happy little bird. Though he is slightly protective of his cage when it comes to us being in it, since he's not used to us. He'll still step up on us no problem but I move super slowly with him in order not to get nipped. Even when he tries to bite he never bites to his full power. It's more like "HEY, I don't want you in here!"