mrs.robison
07-18-2011, 10:50 AM
Thanks to Apolline (jess)'s suggestion, I've decided to start a training journal for Scout. :) I think it would be best to start from the beginning...
It all started last January (2011). I decided that I really wanted a companion pet because at the time, I was spending a lot of time alone while Drew (my husband) was at work. We really don't have to space for a dog & I had no desire to potty train in the middle of January. I decided on a parakeet and the research began. I found a local breed & she just so happened to have some budgies sitting on eggs at the time. We kept in contact and I remember asking her TONS of questions. But she was very patient with me & answered every one of them. :)
On April 10th, we brought Scout home. She had been hand-fed & was already used to people and really well socialized. We brought her home in a box because the travel cage I'd ordered hadn't actually come in yet. :/ When we went to put her in her cage, she hopped right up on my hand. I was so excited! She wasn't afraid at all. :D
It was really difficult, but Drew and I didn't handle her for the next few days. Although she was comfortable around us, she was pretty frightened of her new cage. I tried to keep it pretty simple at first with only the basics. Then after a few days, I added a couple different kind of perches and a new toy.
After a week went by, she seemed completely comfortable. She was chirping & playing with her toys. She had no problem eating or drinking in front of us. So I decided it would be okay to start working with her.
Even though she was used to people, I still went very slow. I started using millet as a training tool and she responded very well. I had her out & on my shoulder on the first day. In fact, she would jump back and forth from my shoulder to Drew's just playing. It was adorable!
A few days later, we had a little bit of a set back... A couple of our friends came over. Well really, it's Drew's friend and his wife. She's kind of... strange. (and by that I mean loud, inconsiderate, selfish, and NOT good with animals or boundaries) I was in the kitchen fixing supper for us when all of a sudden I heard this terrible screech and a crash. This girl had reached in to Scout's cage, grabbed her, and pulled her out! So, of course, poor Scout bit her finger & she just dropped her. One of the cats was out & had pounced on her, knocking her cage off the table & onto the floor! :mad::mad::mad:
I was definitely beyond mad. Thank goodness Drew & his friend were only on the other side of the room. One of them grabbed the cat and the other got Scout and placed her (gently) back in her cage. Needless to say, I haven't let her touch Scout since. And she still thinks Scout is a mean bird & she tells everyone that I train my birds to bite people.. But that's a different story.
Anyway, we basically had to start all over after that. It took an entire month to get Scout back to the point she was at before that incident. And we ALWAYS put the cats in a different room when we had Scout out.
By June, we had Scout comfortable with us again. She loved being out of her cage & would hop out as soon as you opened the cage door. Since she was getting more comfortable with us again, I decided to introduce her to some new things. I started (attempting) to convert her to pellets as well as adding fresh fruits & veggies to her diet. She also experienced her first bath. And she loved it! She splashed water absolutely everywhere. lol :p
On June 13th, I started school again & am not able to spend as much time with her as I was before. Don't get me wrong, I still spend the majority of my day at home with her by my side. And when I am home, she's always out unless she decides to go in her cage. The opportunity is always there.
A few weeks ago I bought her a huge haul from Drs. Foster & Smith. Tons of new toys, a few new perches, treats, & a playstand. She now has a pretty good sized area outside of her cage that is just for her. And she loves it! :D
And I think that brings us to the present! Sorry this is so long... I tried to summarize the past 3 months as best I could. I feel like Scout & I have bonded very well. She's such a sweet bird and totally comfortable around adults & kids. Drew is a youth minister, so we have kids over all the time. In fact, he will use Scout in his lessons sometimes when he teaches younger kids. They love her. This week is Vacation Bible School and he used her in his lesson last night. She was so good. She let a couple of kids hold her, but she knows if she gets too scared she can fly back to me. :)
Now that I feel completely comfortable with her being hand tame & used to people, I think I may start target training or trick training. The breeder clipped her wings for us when we first got her but I'm going not going to clip them again. Not after what happened with the cat. I want her to be able to fly away if she needs to. She's finished her first molt and a couple of her flight feathers grew back, but not all of them. But even so, she can still fly 100% better! It's amazing really.
Anyway, this has grown long enough. I'll try my best to keep this journal up to date as Scout progresses. :)
It all started last January (2011). I decided that I really wanted a companion pet because at the time, I was spending a lot of time alone while Drew (my husband) was at work. We really don't have to space for a dog & I had no desire to potty train in the middle of January. I decided on a parakeet and the research began. I found a local breed & she just so happened to have some budgies sitting on eggs at the time. We kept in contact and I remember asking her TONS of questions. But she was very patient with me & answered every one of them. :)
On April 10th, we brought Scout home. She had been hand-fed & was already used to people and really well socialized. We brought her home in a box because the travel cage I'd ordered hadn't actually come in yet. :/ When we went to put her in her cage, she hopped right up on my hand. I was so excited! She wasn't afraid at all. :D
It was really difficult, but Drew and I didn't handle her for the next few days. Although she was comfortable around us, she was pretty frightened of her new cage. I tried to keep it pretty simple at first with only the basics. Then after a few days, I added a couple different kind of perches and a new toy.
After a week went by, she seemed completely comfortable. She was chirping & playing with her toys. She had no problem eating or drinking in front of us. So I decided it would be okay to start working with her.
Even though she was used to people, I still went very slow. I started using millet as a training tool and she responded very well. I had her out & on my shoulder on the first day. In fact, she would jump back and forth from my shoulder to Drew's just playing. It was adorable!
A few days later, we had a little bit of a set back... A couple of our friends came over. Well really, it's Drew's friend and his wife. She's kind of... strange. (and by that I mean loud, inconsiderate, selfish, and NOT good with animals or boundaries) I was in the kitchen fixing supper for us when all of a sudden I heard this terrible screech and a crash. This girl had reached in to Scout's cage, grabbed her, and pulled her out! So, of course, poor Scout bit her finger & she just dropped her. One of the cats was out & had pounced on her, knocking her cage off the table & onto the floor! :mad::mad::mad:
I was definitely beyond mad. Thank goodness Drew & his friend were only on the other side of the room. One of them grabbed the cat and the other got Scout and placed her (gently) back in her cage. Needless to say, I haven't let her touch Scout since. And she still thinks Scout is a mean bird & she tells everyone that I train my birds to bite people.. But that's a different story.
Anyway, we basically had to start all over after that. It took an entire month to get Scout back to the point she was at before that incident. And we ALWAYS put the cats in a different room when we had Scout out.
By June, we had Scout comfortable with us again. She loved being out of her cage & would hop out as soon as you opened the cage door. Since she was getting more comfortable with us again, I decided to introduce her to some new things. I started (attempting) to convert her to pellets as well as adding fresh fruits & veggies to her diet. She also experienced her first bath. And she loved it! She splashed water absolutely everywhere. lol :p
On June 13th, I started school again & am not able to spend as much time with her as I was before. Don't get me wrong, I still spend the majority of my day at home with her by my side. And when I am home, she's always out unless she decides to go in her cage. The opportunity is always there.
A few weeks ago I bought her a huge haul from Drs. Foster & Smith. Tons of new toys, a few new perches, treats, & a playstand. She now has a pretty good sized area outside of her cage that is just for her. And she loves it! :D
And I think that brings us to the present! Sorry this is so long... I tried to summarize the past 3 months as best I could. I feel like Scout & I have bonded very well. She's such a sweet bird and totally comfortable around adults & kids. Drew is a youth minister, so we have kids over all the time. In fact, he will use Scout in his lessons sometimes when he teaches younger kids. They love her. This week is Vacation Bible School and he used her in his lesson last night. She was so good. She let a couple of kids hold her, but she knows if she gets too scared she can fly back to me. :)
Now that I feel completely comfortable with her being hand tame & used to people, I think I may start target training or trick training. The breeder clipped her wings for us when we first got her but I'm going not going to clip them again. Not after what happened with the cat. I want her to be able to fly away if she needs to. She's finished her first molt and a couple of her flight feathers grew back, but not all of them. But even so, she can still fly 100% better! It's amazing really.
Anyway, this has grown long enough. I'll try my best to keep this journal up to date as Scout progresses. :)