Pingos2011
New member
- May 9, 2015
- 1
- 0
- Parrots
- Pingo the Quaker Parrot
So, I bought my Quaker Parrot ~4 years ago when he (could be she) was 8 weeks old. I, unfortunately, did not take the time to train him as much as I should have. He loves me and rarely bites but he HATES everybody else... unless they are giving him treats, otherwise it's flying attacks. Nonetheless, all I really did with him was teach him to step up, teach him let me open his wings, and pet him on the head. Most of the time he just chills out, sings, talks, and sits on my shoulder while I do whatever I need to do around the house. Harness training was failure and he hates being outside. He gets scared.
I don't have hours and hours of the day to spend with him, especially because he's not allowed out of his cage while most other people are home--because of the flying attacks. One of the unsavory individuals in my household even threatened to smack him across the room and even kill him if he ever flies on him again.
Nonetheless, I've changed my ways and I've been trying to spend more time with him and to train him to do new things, like have him sit happily on his perch or on the couch or on top of his cage without him always needing to be on my shoulder. I think this will help me potty train him because I can catch him in the act better. I think he's mad at me because I don't let him sit up there as much anymore. Anytime I try to teach him something new, he flies back to his cage. He want's nothing to do with learning new things. He feels that if he's not on my shoulder he would rather be in his cage. He's afraid of most things I introduce to him too. I don't want to clip his wings because I'd feel bad taking away what he's been able to do for the past three years, plus I own a dog. I'd like for him to be able to get away if something were ever to happen. Plus, I think it's good exercise for him. They were clipped the first year I had him, but I felt sorry for him and let him learn how to fly.
Oh, I have target trained him. He knows how to bite a chopstick. He doesn't like to be touched/handled all over though. He shakes his head and prepares to bite if I do anything besides pet him on the head or open his wings; so, I leave him be. I don't want to force him to do anything. He usually always get's his way because I don't want him to get mad at me.
My question is: is there any hope for him to learn new things and accept new experiences, like to be off my shoulder? Is he set in his ways forever because he's done the same thing for 4 years now? I'm starting to get discouraged by him getting grouchy and his fling to his cage whenever he doesn't get his way. I don't want to do something wrong and stress him out and have him hate me for the rest of forever.
I want to teach him to like being outside with me too. But since he flies and doesn't like his harness I keep him in a cage when I go out. He hates this because he doesn't get to be on my shoulder. How can I train him to be by himself?
Is there any hope or should I just stop trying before our relationship is severed forever?
I don't have hours and hours of the day to spend with him, especially because he's not allowed out of his cage while most other people are home--because of the flying attacks. One of the unsavory individuals in my household even threatened to smack him across the room and even kill him if he ever flies on him again.
Nonetheless, I've changed my ways and I've been trying to spend more time with him and to train him to do new things, like have him sit happily on his perch or on the couch or on top of his cage without him always needing to be on my shoulder. I think this will help me potty train him because I can catch him in the act better. I think he's mad at me because I don't let him sit up there as much anymore. Anytime I try to teach him something new, he flies back to his cage. He want's nothing to do with learning new things. He feels that if he's not on my shoulder he would rather be in his cage. He's afraid of most things I introduce to him too. I don't want to clip his wings because I'd feel bad taking away what he's been able to do for the past three years, plus I own a dog. I'd like for him to be able to get away if something were ever to happen. Plus, I think it's good exercise for him. They were clipped the first year I had him, but I felt sorry for him and let him learn how to fly.
Oh, I have target trained him. He knows how to bite a chopstick. He doesn't like to be touched/handled all over though. He shakes his head and prepares to bite if I do anything besides pet him on the head or open his wings; so, I leave him be. I don't want to force him to do anything. He usually always get's his way because I don't want him to get mad at me.
My question is: is there any hope for him to learn new things and accept new experiences, like to be off my shoulder? Is he set in his ways forever because he's done the same thing for 4 years now? I'm starting to get discouraged by him getting grouchy and his fling to his cage whenever he doesn't get his way. I don't want to do something wrong and stress him out and have him hate me for the rest of forever.
I want to teach him to like being outside with me too. But since he flies and doesn't like his harness I keep him in a cage when I go out. He hates this because he doesn't get to be on my shoulder. How can I train him to be by himself?
Is there any hope or should I just stop trying before our relationship is severed forever?