Handshake!

[farseeker]

Well today as an apology to Trouble for not spending the regular amount of time with him this week, we had a nice training session today.

He's become a bit of a ratbag over the past month which is purely my fault as I've been letting him get away with things a bit too much. Since I've had reduced time and not wanted to cut down our time together with time-outs. So we're going riiiiiiiiiiight back to basics (step up, step down) and I'll probably take the opportunity to get him more used to all-over handling.

However, we also started a new trick that he's got almost down now - the handshake!

Every trick guide I've read has said to use the other hand and make the bird use the other foot to what they use for wave. Well, that didn't work for us. Trouble always leads with the one foot, and it wasn't worth the frustration for him or me to try to push that point.

So now, he'll lift his foot, place it on my finger and let me 'shake' very gently a couple of times.

Of course in true Trouble fashion he had the basics of this down within a few minutes. ;D My clever little guy.

The major issue we have is getting him to stop chewing my finger when he puts his foot up. He's decided he likes the texture of the pads of my thumb and the 'web' of skin between thumb and pointer, so he gets distracted easily when they're presented to him.

I'm going to get him some leather toys and hope that satisfies his 'gnawing' urge, and we'll work on his manners in the meantime.

[vankarhi]

good boy Trouble.

Don't treat him if he goes for your fingers. Treat only if he just shakes hands. He obviously knows how to wave now......so only treat when he does exactly what you want otherwise you are re inforcing what you don't want him to do. He doesn't realise at the moment that the "taste testing" is not part of the act. ;D

But good Trouble ;D

[bickitrainer]

Awesome work Trouble!!

I'm glad you finally got around to teaching this trick to him. Smart little guy!

[meandem]

He probably has known how to do it for while, he is just testing you! Making sure you know how.

[farseeker]

Yes he does like to do that - like when he's 'fetching' for me, sometimes he'll drop the bead halfway along and check to see if I give him a reward anyway. He's yet to 'trick' me though haha.

[bickitrainer]

Hahaha. Yeah, Bicki will only do a trick if he can see me holding the trick.

I actually think Bicki is more like a dog than a lovebird. He's obedient, loyal, plays fetch, comes when he's called, hates baths and loves to play ball. He hates flying.