Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2016 15:57:13 GMT -8
First off, some people forget that birds are new to captivity, yes they have been in captivity for a long time. But birds were "domesticated" a couple hundred years ago. So their bond to the wild is very strong. Most people are confused about this, because they don't understand. They think they are like dogs, dogs were domesticated over 27,000 years ago. So we share a bond with dogs that are stronger. So when they get a bird they thing this is what it's going to be like. It's not.
You might be thinking, how can I know so much if I'm only a teen? I grew up around Animals, and Animals is my passion. I have volunteered at the ASPCA for 9 years, (started when I was 8), so I got to learn a lot when I was there.
Anyways let's get into the bonding stage first. You always want to bond with your bird first, before teaching them. This way they will not act out. I would also like to point out THIS MIGHT NOT WORK FOR ALL BIRD BREEDS. I'm going off by scarlet, severe, Hyacinth, Blue and Yellow Macaws. You can try this on other breeds, it should not be a problem.
So, when I first got my macaw, he was very young, almost a month old. I would also like to suggest if you are looking for a bird and want to be able to train them, get a young one. How I bonded with him was I talked to him, I sang to him, and I cuddled with him. Every bird is different, so you want to find what makes your bird happy. There are so many ways to bond with your bird so don't be scared to do things, you might find out your bird likes it.
After you think you and your bird are close and are bff's. You can start training them. Note (SOME BIRD SPECIES CANNOT BE TRAINED). Training a bird can be very tedious. It's not like training a dog, birds have their own mind so sometimes they will not even listen. It's possible to get a bird breed known for speaking and able to be trained, but they will not do anything. I've had people ask me why their macaws won't speak, and it's simple. Sometimes they won't.
I first recommend you get some treats from a pet store, don't use bad foods as treats, because it's not good for the birds health. I also recommend getting a training clicker, that way once they do something right you click the clicker and give them the treat. They will learn much faster. Don't give in and start giving them the treats, it will not help.
Little side questions I get asked a lot.
Q: How do I get my bird to stop screaming in their cage?
A: When most birds scream in their cage it's natural. But people are known for getting their bird out when they scream, DO NOT DO THIS. Your bird will recognize that scream for you to get them out. It's pretty much your bird bullying you to get them out. Let them scream, and only get them out when their are calm.
You might be thinking, how can I know so much if I'm only a teen? I grew up around Animals, and Animals is my passion. I have volunteered at the ASPCA for 9 years, (started when I was 8), so I got to learn a lot when I was there.
Anyways let's get into the bonding stage first. You always want to bond with your bird first, before teaching them. This way they will not act out. I would also like to point out THIS MIGHT NOT WORK FOR ALL BIRD BREEDS. I'm going off by scarlet, severe, Hyacinth, Blue and Yellow Macaws. You can try this on other breeds, it should not be a problem.
So, when I first got my macaw, he was very young, almost a month old. I would also like to suggest if you are looking for a bird and want to be able to train them, get a young one. How I bonded with him was I talked to him, I sang to him, and I cuddled with him. Every bird is different, so you want to find what makes your bird happy. There are so many ways to bond with your bird so don't be scared to do things, you might find out your bird likes it
. After you think you and your bird are close and are bff's. You can start training them. Note (SOME BIRD SPECIES CANNOT BE TRAINED). Training a bird can be very tedious. It's not like training a dog, birds have their own mind so sometimes they will not even listen. It's possible to get a bird breed known for speaking and able to be trained, but they will not do anything. I've had people ask me why their macaws won't speak, and it's simple. Sometimes they won't.
I first recommend you get some treats from a pet store, don't use bad foods as treats, because it's not good for the birds health. I also recommend getting a training clicker, that way once they do something right you click the clicker and give them the treat. They will learn much faster. Don't give in and start giving them the treats, it will not help.
Little side questions I get asked a lot.
Q: How do I get my bird to stop screaming in their cage?
A: When most birds scream in their cage it's natural. But people are known for getting their bird out when they scream, DO NOT DO THIS. Your bird will recognize that scream for you to get them out. It's pretty much your bird bullying you to get them out. Let them scream, and only get them out when their are calm.