Truman and Michael on the news!(Video)

[Terry57]

Wow, I was so shocked when he grabbed Truman by the neck. I know nothing about this guy, but that video was enough to totally turn me off.

 

[MonicaMc]

He grabbed both of his birds that way. I think it's good for the veterinary exam, but not in that way..... vets often do hold parrots around their neck to prevent the birds from biting them.


I have heard of some crazy stories about owners being reunited with their pets after years of missing them. I think there's quite a few dogs reunited with their owners after 5-10 years of the dog having been missing. Have seen a few stories of parrot owners reunited with their birds after a few years. I recall one story of a rescue that had taken in a previously stolen cockatoo and she was able to reunite the 'too with his original companion and their owner! She had known the 'too prior to the 'too being stolen (he had lived in a pet store with another 'too), and the bird hated her! When the bird finally came into her possession, I don't think she realized it was the same bird at first, until she started thinking about the bird. Her suspicions were confirmed when she took the 'too back to where he came from and he acted as if he was right at home! I don't recall how long the 'too was missing for, but it was several years!

 

[Sterling1113]

Wow no wonder people disagree with this guy. I had no idea. That's the first video I've seen of his, like I mentioned I've never watched any of his lessons or anything, nor do I care to.

I can see why you'd think he's in it for the financial gain, too. To call yourself a "parrot wizard" after having ONE bird for a SHORT time seems pretty shady..
When it comes to training advice I'd much rather stick to the forums, or look at some of the trainers mentioned. Especially once I start doing more flight training when everyone gets harnesses.

Tab: that's nuts! How/where did she find the bird? Did she just find him outside or were they reunited via shelter/store/etc? That's a crazy story. I'd like to think it's true though, even though the odds are probably against it.

 

[tab_xo]

I think i might call myself the 'Macaw Master' HAHAHA I have just as much training experience as Michael does

Just use Fargo to make lots of money? Although he has already won about 1000 dollars in competition winnings.. but that is just pictures on facebook that just end up winning haha
I promise i am not exploiting him




and apparently, so the lorikeet was lost for 9 years, and then a year ago, these people found this lorikeet and emailed 'lorikeet lost' ads, and found this ladies ad from 9 years ago, and sent her an email saying they found a lorikeet and it might be hers!

Would be pretty incredible if it happened with Fargo!


Although..


Have you seen that movie 'the imposter' ? Well it was a documentary based on a true story..

I watched it a while ago so can't remember the exact details but-


A child was taken... and this kid in another country, about 3 years later i think? Pretended to be this kid who was taken? :S

So he said yeah yeah, i am ___ who was abducted as a child... and apparently this guy pretended to be many kids who are taken..


And so the police were like ok, we will get you back to America..

AND THE FAMILY THOUGHT IT WAS HIM!!!!!!!!


He had different hair colour, different eye colour.. He honestly looked completely different

Yet because the family were so upset and just wanted their son back, they just believed it was him?


He was in interviews, and ended up being caught because although he could dye his hair and lie about his eyes, it was his ears that apparently gave it away and they started getting suspicious ?



But it just shows how if you really want something, you make it true, even though it may not be?


Wait, just googled.. He was only missing for 3 years -_-

How do you not know it is your son after 3 years?

 

[Sterling1113]

That's crazy, if any of my future kids ever turned up missing, I'm sure I'd recognize them no matter how many years it's been. But then again, I can't say, since I'm sure it was an emotionally crazy situation for everyone.

I just read a bit more on the story: Apparently after they contacted the lady in Brisburn(The bird is in Sydney) they asked her about his daily routine, etc.. and she told him phrases that he would say(including his name) and sent them(Or they sent her?) an audio clip of his voice and they knew it was the same bird.
Also the game they'd play, they skyped each other and she explained to the new family what his favorite game was and he remembered.
They're saying the next step is to re-unite and meet face-to-face in Sydney, but if he doesn't remember her and she's just a "no one" to him then he'll likely stay with his new family, where he is happy. (He's been there roughly 18~ months it seems.)
So it's good she's got a level head about this. I think the Lory is in a good home whether he's with his new family or if he remembers his old owner.

 

[tab_xo]

Oh where is the news story? I just saw a piece of it on facebook with the basic info!!

The bird has been on quite a journey! It would be good if they could tell the age of the bird !


You know, i talked to someone who had a macaw from the same breeder as i got Fargo... and i watched a clip of her talking.. and she said hello EXACTLY the same way as Fargo, because they were raised together, so learnt how to talk the same..

I would like to think if Fargo got lost, i would be able to recognise him

Just look for the macaw who keeps sticking his tongue out? hahaha


and yes same, i would assume after 3 years i would know what my kid would look like, i wouldn't expect him to be that different!!

 

[Sterling1113]

My two conures sound extremely similar(white eared and green cheek), sometimes when they're talking back and forth I find myself wondering "Was that Kiwi or Loki...?" Considering they both say the same things. (Kiwi, Keee-keeee-weeee, Hello birdies, and random angry mumbling/weird laughing.)
Here's the link: https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/23065481/boris-the-parrot-found-after-nine-years-missing/?cmp=fb
I feel like if any of mine got out I'd be able to recognize them right away. But mine are a little bit more identifiable than a blue and gold(at least to me.. all blue and golds are, well, blue and gold.. ) I'm sure you know all of Fargo's little quirks and features though.. so I'm sure you'd be able to pick him out of a crowd

 

[strudel]

I like to think I'd recognise my pets, but all you need to do is come across another very similar one to realise how easy it would be to make a mistake.

My next-door neighbour's cat looked identical to one of mine, except she had orange eyes and mine had green. Otherwise, we couldn't even tell them apart from their fur, size, etc.

That's why I'm glad I got my galah chipped. If she gets lost, I won't need to pick her out of a lineup.

 

[Sterling1113]

I like to think I'd recognise my pets, but all you need to do is come across another very similar one to realise how easy it would be to make a mistake.

My next-door neighbour's cat looked identical to one of mine, except she had orange eyes and mine had green. Otherwise, we couldn't even tell them apart from their fur, size, etc.

That's why I'm glad I got my galah chipped. If she gets lost, I won't need to pick her out of a lineup.

I definitely understand what you mean. When my dog escaped and wound up at the pound, I had to look at her twice before I asked to see her outside the kennel. I never realized how small/"regular" she looks next to all these other huge mixed breeds. The thing that stood out the most was she seemed smaller than I remembered her, but she kept her eyes locked on me. And she was the only one not barking. Poor lady was terrified.

With my fids, though, it's all about my location. Parrots aren't very common pets around me, and the ones I have aren't really found in pet stores.(Loki is a YSGCC but he has an exceptional amount of red, and a different looking beak). That's the only reason I feel like I'd be able to recognize mine. I don't know of any other white eared, and very few eclectus/WCP's in my general area.

 

[tab_xo]

That is like horses.. People meet our horses and have a hard time telling them apart.. You just have to learn the specific markings of each!


That is one good thing about macaws, they have the facial stripes which are slightly different on each macaw! But i think if there was alot of them together it would be hard to remember the exact lines

Fargo's main feature which sets him apart, is this little spot on his foot, it has been with him ever since i got him..

I thought it was a sore on the pad of his foot at first, but it never went away :S So he has this circle on the bottom of his foot

anddddd, his stripes.. On his left side, all connect up to the side..

But on his right side.. He only has like ' 2 and a half lines' from the side, because the top one doesn't connect up into one long line hahaha

 

[strudel]

You wouldn't have any trouble with Fargo because he'd recognise you and acknowledge you. I'm not sure my cocky would even come to me. If another person had a cashew, she wouldn't break off what she was doing. I think pink and greys all look the same, as well, I can't see how they look different. Boys and girls are a bit different in the eyes, but the rest of them doesn't seem distinctive. If you had a tame bird that knew recall and all that, it'd be easier than with a bird who doesn't respond positively to their owner (yet!!)

 

[Anansi]

Just wondering, all. There seems to be a general dislike of Michael Sazhin and his methods on this thread. I'm just curious as to exactly why. I've watched several of his videos, and I've actually found some of his methods rather helpful. Others not so much. So, as with any other expert I've watched, I adapted what seemed to work for me and my situation, and discarded the rest. But I haven't necessarily seen anything that rang alarm bells in my head. Well, with two possible exceptions:

1) The degree to which he practices food management. His reasoning sounds solid enough, if you read some of his literature, so there may not be anything inherently harmful in it at all. But keeping my bird so hungry just doesn't sit very well with me. I mean, I do try to train Bixby between meals when he is at his hungriest, but that is the extent of it. it just doesn't feel right to me if he's performing his tricks with near desperation for his next taste of food, you know?

2) The neck grabbing thing. Again, his theory seems solid. Birds don't have diaphrams and can easily be suffocated by applying too much pressure around the chest region, and there are protective bones in the bird's neck. But it seems to me that technique could potentially backfire if the bird starts to panic and thrash about. What would prevent it from breaking it's neck? I'm no expert in avian anatomy, though, so maybe my fears are unfounded. Just not going to risk it. (Besides, imagine trying that on a bird with a neck as long as an eclectus! Lol)

I guess my question is, are these the concerns that bother people so much about him? Or is there something more that I haven't seen? Just curious.

 

[khaiqha]

I don't understand why there's so much animosity against him either. He's got a rough personality, so there's that, but I haven't read anything from him that I found shocking. He puts his life, successes and failures, out on YouTube for free so people can learn from them. Parrot wizard is just a silly name, he's never claimed to be a master bird trainer. He's also not the only person to make a living based off his bird training. I imagine many people on this forum would jump at the opportunity to be able to earn money off their bird training.

 

[strudel]

There seems to be a general dislike of Michael Sazhin and his methods on this thread.

I don't know that that is necessarily true, I think it's just that when you feel more strongly about something, you are likely to express it firmly. Personally, I don't know enough about the bloke to have any like or dislike for him. I know I watched a video on youtube and he didn't seem like some horrible monster (he wasn't hitting anybody with sticks) and his birds seemed to like him. That's about as much judgment as I make about people I don't know or don't know enough about.....

I'm with you on the advice thing, I just read lots and take up what I think sounds sensible or well-reasoned.

Everybody makes their own judgments, I suppose, and opinions differ.

EDIT: oh, I watched a video of him at the park with the birds, and the local kids were asking questions. I thought it was quite nice. He was obviously proud of his "fids" and was nice to the kids.

 

[labell]

For me it was seeing how hungry he keeps them. One picture showed where he had free fed only because he was going away for a few days and his birds FILLED their crops like baby birds do! I have never seen an adult bird pack their crops so full, it was a little alarming looking. I would never starve my animals to get them to do tricks including my dog.
I have always felt that having a bond, trusting relationship goes a lot further. Having an animal do something because it is fun for them or because they know it pleases you is better than keeping some thing you say you love on the verge of starving to get them to do what you want! Yikes! I just don't like that.
My poodle could learn just about anything I wanted to teach him but it's important to me that it isn't some useless dumb trick or something that isn't natural or could be painful to him like walking a rope. What ever I teach has to be natural and some what enjoyable for him or I don't teach it.
In my mind there are things that we can teach our animals for them to be able to live better and be happier in a home environment. Tricks for the sake of showing off are useless imo, and tricks taught by with-holding food to the extent that he does in my mind is cruel!

Case in point I hung a new more difficult foraging toy in Jillie's cage, I was in there watching and timing, it took her all of 15 mins to figure it out. Not because she was hungry and needed the food in the toy but because she is intelligent and likes to forage. It made her happy and mommy very proud and happy, a win win!

 

[khaiqha]

He doesn't starve his birds. He trains them as he feeds them. It's the difference between filling your bird's bowl in the morning and having them train while they eat, it's the same amount of food. His whole mantra is about making training fun for the birds, and he says that food is only a beginning motivator, and he rewards his birds in other ways besides food.

I know he's pretty picky about his birds' weight. He believes that many free fed birds are overweight.

 

[MikeyTN]

He doesn't starve his birds. He trains them as he feeds them. It's the difference between filling your bird's bowl in the morning and having them train while they eat, it's the same amount of food. His whole mantra is about making training fun for the birds, and he says that food is only a beginning motivator, and he rewards his birds in other ways besides food.

I know he's pretty picky about his birds' weight. He believes that many free fed birds are overweight.

That is true to a certain extent about free fed birds! BUT birds should NOT act like they're starving to death when you feed. I do a lot of rescue, it is heart breaking to see that!!!! When you've rescued enough birds and with them being skin and bones then act like that. It gets to you!!!

My question to you is you don't really post much about other things but suddenly posting all about Michael and Truman, kinda strange???

 

[khaiqha]

I have no idea what you're even trying to infer. I post all the time on this forum about topics I feel passionate about, such as wing clipping, training techniques, my bird's birthday, things I find funny, and things I find hypocritical. I'm flattered you're searching through my posts though.

 

[MonicaMc]

From the sounds of it, he's not using food management, he's using weight management.

A bird on a food management training regime maintains their weight and does not cry out for food. Depending upon the degree of food management used, the bird receives some of their diet through training or all of their diet through training.

A bird on a weight management training regime is under-fed, thus creating a high food demand and are "easier" to work with. Basically, they are starving the bird to make them hungry enough for food. This can cause birds to regress (i.e. adult birds crying like chicks), cause undo stress and perhaps a multitude of other problems.


He's an immature trainer giving bad advice. Because he has so many videos, a website, a forum, training materials, etc, many people *DO* consider him to be an expert when he's not!

He's kind of followed in the steps of the Bird Tricks people of giving bad advice to owners! Although I hear Bird Tricks are getting better, I have not seen their new videos to compare to the old ones.




As far as this little comment???

I imagine many people on this forum would jump at the opportunity to be able to earn money off their bird training.

Yes, I would *love* to be a bird/animal trainer! But I wouldn't be in it for the money! I would be training because it's something that I would love to do. I would love to help people to reconnect with their pets. I would love to see animals finally understanding what to do, instead of what not to do.

However, if I wanted to make this into a career, I'm going to have to charge people. I can't give free training if it is my job to be a trainer, just as a construction worker can't live off of working for a company for free. People also put more value into something that they've paid for vs getting it for free.


Bird Tricks are sales people. They are in it for the money. This can clearly be seen by the DVD's they've made, the e-mails they've sent out, the way they market their products, the information they've put on their website and how Chet used the Product Launch Formula to make *thousands* of dollars to purchase an engagement ring!

Barbara Heidenreich, Lara Joseph and a bunch of other *well respected* trainers aren't in it for the money! Barbara actually learned positive reinforcement training while working at a zoo in California and at the end of the bird shows, people would come up to her and ask questions about training their birds. She went from a zoo trainer to an all around animal trainer (pets, zoos, wild life) because people needed the help. They needed someone to help guide them on what to do with their "misbehaving" animals. It's the reason why she started writing books for pet owners.

 

[MikeyTN]

I have no idea what you're even trying to infer. I post all the time on this forum about topics I feel passionate about, such as wing clipping, training techniques, my bird's birthday, things I find funny, and things I find hypocritical. I'm flattered you're searching through my posts though.

No I didn't surf through your postings! I'm a mod remember? I have to sift through the threads!