Try this and tell me how it worked
I recently sent out a FREE parrot training video in this weeks Birdtricks.com e-newsletter that talks about a parrot training technique that I like to call the “Power Pause” technique.
It’s a quick technique that takes less than 10 minutes to try on most birds, and gets great results when helping you overcome the fear of touching your parrot.
And while this technique might take longer than 10 minutes, and as long as a handful of days on the most aggressive parrots, most people who try this technique should see a drastic change in their parrots behavior very quickly.
I wanted to share this video with you, have you try this technique on your own birds and post a comment on the success you had with using the “Power Pause” technique, and or questions you may have about how to better use this technique.
So after you’ve had a chance to try this method, please post your comments to this blog post, I’m very interested in seeing what kind of results you get.
Sincerely,
Chet Womach
P.S. The “Power Pause” technique is meant to work on birds that don’t like being touched, or won’t let you touch them at all… and it would be unnecessary to use on a well trained, well behaved parrot in most cases.
November 15th, 2007 at 6:23 am
At this time, I’m not faced with this sort of problem, but would like to say thanks for the video, it was enjoyable, and I know there are plenty of people that can benefit from this (maybe me or my family in the near future).
I also want to say congratulations to you and Sally, on your way to your firstborn son.
November 15th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Chet, I just received this link from you and will be trying this technique with a new parrot I recently required. He’s a 3 1/2 year old Severe Mini-Macaw. He came from a somewhat abusive home and has little to no handling. I already have your training video and will be using it also to teach him some tricks, but, this whole touching thing is way outta control with him and I think that maybe the “power pause” method will be a good place to start.
Thank you for sharing so much information with all of us. Maybe if more people took some time with their birds, there wouldn’t be so many re-homed ones.
November 15th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I am goin to try this on my gray and quacker. The rest of the gang I have no problem with. Thank You!
November 15th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Chet,
My wonderful cockatoo Luna doesn’t require this particular clicker training right now, but thanks for the video and all of the very helpful tips you’ve sent out.
I wish for your wife Sally an easy delivery, and to both of you a healthy, happy baby boy!
Congrats!
November 18th, 2007 at 4:52 am
Hi
Thoroughly enjoyed the video. I have two African Greys aged 13 and 14 years old, George and Mitzi. Mitzi was parent reared and I had her aged 3 months and a year before I had George who was also 3 months. Having Mitzi first and being parent reared meant I had to spend a lot of time with her and I’m pleased to say she’s a darling and I trust her unreservedly when she’s with me. George was hand reared and would let me do anything with him but in hindsight I think he started to change because I was probably spending more time training Mitzi than with him. He now has a go at me at every opportunity and I daren’t touch him although he will come onto my finger without any problems. My husband doesn’t touch them at all as he’s quite afraid of being bitten - which has happened a number of times. Now one of my problems is that I have to go away every now and again with work and George seems to go into a sulk and has started to pluck himself. This began when I was away a couple of years ago for 6 weeks and it hasn’t stopped. I am due to do away again but for much longer and I’m worried about him. I’m in Turkey at the moment and can’t take them with me because my work is in the UK and obviously being overseas and Turkey being a non EU country, it’s not an option. Any ideas please?
Many thanks
Thelma
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:30 pm
I just tried the technique and it worked so well! My cockatiel found his reflection in my furniture a couple days ago and now that’s the only place he wants to be! Whenever he’s at that spot, he gets very territorial and bites me. I just tried this technique and he’s letting me pet him like he did before. Thanks a bunch!
Julie
December 28th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
My gray is only aggressive and won’t let me touch him or any of his “things” when he is on or in the cage. Will this work for my circumstances?
March 12th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Just wanted to let you know how your “Power Pause” has been working for me. “Smartie” my Quaker has just reached sexual maturity and with the long days he has been outside a lot and, I guess, the hormones have kicked in big time. Because, in the past he has not had a cage (since I thought he was too nasty when he was in one) he took over my lorikeet’s cage and started been messing about in it, attacking the toys and yelling
at everything. I couldn’t get near him. Normally a sweet, considerate fellow, he was absolutely ferocious. I thought it was because he was in a cage and I tried to take him out and got attacked. I picked him up with a towel and put him back on his tree-stand but he went right back. I did the same thing but he wanted that cage! I found myself getting really stressed about his behaviour. Because I have read my stuff, I knew that
he was nesting like Quakers do and that they are very territorial. I stood there watching him wondering should I keep towelling him or put up with the attacking every time I went past, knowing I would get more and more cross with it. I then thought back to the video I had recently seen. I calmed myself first. I then approached him, just to the point where he was on the verge of lunging (like Tiko in the video) then pulled back with lots of happy praising noises. In this way I slowly got closer and closer and he talked back “good birrrd” he said to himself instead of screaming and shouting. We steadily got closer and then, finally he was his sweet self and stepped out of the cage onto my hand chirruping contentedly. For the first time, I could see that it wasn’t personal, he couldn’t help it! He wasn’t being weird or nasty, he was being a bird! I took out the lorikeet’s toys he hated and we went outside together and gathered up all sorts of cool stuff like sticks, moss and leaves for him to nest with. He was so happy strutting around, pulling at the sticks and paper and we didn’t have so much of the screaming, just a busy bird. While I’m at work I know he’ll be busy fussing with his nest. The lorikeet is happily rehoused with his beloved toys and Smartie is doing what he must. I have much more respect and compassion for my little green friend, and, because I understand him better, I don’t have that sense of powerlessness I used to feel. It is that feeling, I’m sure, that drives people to do cruel things to their birds. I have learnt a lot. Thanks for continuing to learn and sharing it with me.