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| Gracie, about 10 (TAG) |
Last night Coco (cockatoo) broke down and took 10 sunflower seeds from my hand so that I could "click" and build the association between clicker and food. He was desperate, I guess. Last night he did step up and come out to play with me a few minutes before bedtime. Again, desperate. Since he's been a "mature" bird this past year, he's gotten independent and refuses to step up and.. he started asserting himself through biting. This morning he ignored his healthful breakfast and although he took a sunflower seed from me, he threw it down in disgust. If you have ever seen a toddler throw a tantrum at the table by throwing his veggies across the floor and looking defiant, you can "see" Coco in your mind's eye. He refused to come out of his cage again this morning. He is getting a golden opportunity to get a shower this morning. Showers always seems to temper tempers... even mine! :>
The other greys came out to the stand where they got hard boiled egg, broccoli, brown rice, cooked carrots, apple, cantaloupe (from my garden), grapes, and raspberry. Raspberry could be called an "art tool" as well as a food because it decorates the stand, floor, wall, and lamp. If I don't clean it up, the ants come in and, bless their tiny little hearts, they clean it up for me. (usch!) I did "click" when I presented the food (no stick) and the girls dove in while Bobby shook in terror at the back of the stand, not touching his dish.
So, my strategy of warm, happy, and safe... I cooked some organic 7 grain cereal for the birds with some sugar free dried raisins and cherries. Then, I used my little blender and blended in some freshly ground almond butter and some applesauce/cranberry sauce I made last year. I made it smooth! All three grey parrots were raised "hand fed" and I hand-feed them once a week like they were babies. (I can sneak in health food via this method and medicine, if I ever need to.) So, guess what!!! I hand-fed Bobby and Lucy the mixture while it was luke-warm. Click-present-click-present-click. "CLICK" means food! Gracie (shown above) would have nothing of the colored mixture. She hates "sticky" and she didn't trust the baby food dispenser when it wasn't off-white. (Sigh) But, she did take a sunflower seed after targeting the little stick (now somewhat broken by Lucy) and we repeated a few times.
Last night, before bedtime, I gave each bird a few seeds in their cups and Lucy got some nuts, but not her favorite cashews. They aren't used to the training diet yet and I don't want them to go to bed hungry. Learning should be fun, not torture. Right now they're all full of good breakfast, except for stubborn cockatoo. The greys are whistling and talking (except Bobby, who is hiding). The greys all get rolled out into the front room, side by side, where there are lots of high windows and sunlight. They are a flock and they like it that way. (Lucy (CAG) is always between Bobby and Gracie (TAGs). We don't want the TAGs inspired to go into breeding mode by side-by-side friendship-building. Coco is alternating the cockatoo-complain-screech and "hello." He has his own window in a busy area where he can see me all the time, but where I can close the door when his cockatoo-ness screams too loudly.
More target/click training later when these little birds are hungry and motivated. Also... when I am motivated. <%
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