When and how to start training?

[oceanaussi]

I have 2 blue 8-week-old hand-raised Indian Ringnecks since Wednesday. They're pet shop birds and not as tame as I thought they would be. I had birds before but I never trained them, so I'm absolutely new to this. In the moment they have a cage outside on the deck and I take them out in the morning and the afternoon and put them on their playground. They still bite when I take them out - probably because I have them in my closed hand as I'm afraid they will fly away otherwise. I put them on the playground but so far they haven't played much there. I also have food and water there which they don't touch but once I put them back in the cage they start eating straight away.

The only thing I know how to teach is 'step up'. I put them on my hand and turn around and as they're normally desperate to get back to the playground they have to climb over me to get back there. I hope this will encourage them to have body contact with me knowing I wont harm them.

But I read around here and your birds do amazing tricks! I also like the idea of clicker training. I have a dog and a 2nd on arriving soon. I really know about dog training but I can't imagine how to train a bird. So far they don't take treats when I offer them out of my hand. So I cannot reward them. I also don't know how to get a bird to do 'high 5' or wave or anything. Could you please explain to an absolute newbie how you get your birds to do this?! Should I wait with the training until they're a bit more settled and start taking treats or should I try now anyway?

Is it true that when you have 2 birds they wont bond as much with you as when you only have one? So that would mean they wouldn't be as tame as when you only have one then?

Really appreciate your help. I'm looking at the 2 of them with big questionmarkls...

[vankarhi]

Hello Oceanaussie. I never recommend getting two birds at the same time if you want pets. I would have suggested you get one bird, then tame it down and bond with it then maybe get another bird and tame and train it etc etc.

But now you do have both birds. I would be taking one out at time and working with it on its own in a room where it cannot hear the other bird. Then putting it on the play stand and then working with the second bird in the same manner.

You have only had them for a few days, so patience is the key here. They will be scared and will take time to adjust to their new surroundings. It will also take time for them to learn to trust you. Even if they are not really handraised it is still possible to tame them. It will also take time for you to discover what their fav foods are that you can use as treats. Usually they don't recommend you try to clicker train until the birds have been weaned for a while and you can discover what their fav food is.

Teaching to step up is the best thing to teach first. Do a search on the posts I have posted about clicker training.......or just check out the threads in the training section of this board. I have posted about clicker training and so have others. I did teach my ekkie girl to turn around, do high five and put blocks into a container. It was very easy but you do need to teach them how to target first. Try this group pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bird-Click/ as this is how I learned and got started. By the way I train dogs too and I am now an obedience judge (novice class and community companion dog only at the moment) and I compete in obedience/agility/jumpers trials too. We own a border collie (I train him) and a staffy (hubby trains her). I have used the clicker on the dogs too from time to time.

[oceanaussi]

Great! I've been told if I don't get 2 straight away, the first one wont accept another one in its cage... Is this incorrect?

I'm going to get them DNA tested and if they're not a couple then I was thinking of swapping one of them but maybe I should sell one and buy another one next year?

I know I only had them for a very short period of time but I know when I get a dog, I train straight from day 1. So with the birds I should wait until they more settled?

One is going quiet well. It steps up and nips only slightly. It sits on my shoulder and plays with my curls. The other one is very vicious and I've got bite marks everywhere - despite gloves...

Thanks for the link I will have a look. I train dogs too and am very successfull with that (did compete with my Kelpie in agility and getting a Weimaraner puppy which will become a champ ;D) but with birds I just don't know where to start.

I will give it a go and keep you posted but I might need some more advice...

[vankarhi]

You can put most birds together especially of the same species if they are socialised properly. If you had just got one bird first and tamed and trained it then some time down the track you could have got another one and slowly introduced them and they may have been able to be housed together........but there is no guarantee about that as sometimes birds just don't like each other either.

There is no reason why you still cannot tame both birds ........... if it were me.........and this is purely my opinion and others may not agree, but I would house them in separate cages and work with them separately until they both enjoy being in your company with you on their own, and you could still allow them play time together and when they are stepping up for you and wanting to be with you then you could try to house them together. But I would not allow them in the same cage until I was sure they will step up and want to come out and want to be with ME not each other.

It sounds like you are having luck with one of the birds. Also this can help too. I have used an already tame bird (my galah when she was alive) to show the new bird ...... "look this bird is sitting on my shoulder and loves me to pat her and scratch her, and she allows me to give her treats etc". Birds can learn from each other. So maybe having the other bird taming down for you can work in your favour too when the bitey bird sees the quieter one enjoying your company. Does this make sense???

[oceanaussi]

Hi Tracey,

I've got good news! They (BOTH!) getting better and tamer each day! I'm really amazed how fast this has happened. The only problem is that I have to grab them out of the cage as it is outside and I'm too scared that they might fly off.

Today when I got them out of the cage I ask them to step up which they did and then put them (one after the other) toward my chest, they climbed onto me and I just put my hand softly over them. I then put them on their playground and after a while it might have been to boring and they flew off - well actually they fell onto the ground as they've got clipped wings

They explored their surroundings (kitchen, living room and dog). When they were on the floor I called them and they came. Then I asked them to step up and they did. I then put them a bit higher (e.g. on the table). They put the tea lights out of the candle holder and carried them somewhere else. Every few minutes I asked them to step up (always one at the time), put them on my shoulder and then walked around with them. I was able to give them kisses and they played with my glasses and my curls.

Their favourite thing was to climb up my 2,20 m high timber blinds and then sit on top of them.

When they needed to go back into their cage I asked them to step up, put my hand over them and let them back in the cage. Today there was NO biting!!!

I'm absolutely amazed how fast they learn, how smart they are and how curious they explore their environment!

I wasn't really happy to be an IRN owner as I thought I'm not up to it but things moving into a great direction and I'm very happy with Sam & Jack(ie)!!! ;D

[vankarhi]

Oh that is wonderful news O A (shortened) LOL ;D

I knew it could be done with 2 birds but thought it would take a lot longer than that. Great news and well done.......oh and I love the name Sam ;D and Jack is great too......I didn't think of that one