# Taming birds who are class pets?



## Luthier (Apr 6, 2017)

I'm in a zoology class and we have a lot of class pets (rats, rabbits, frogs, fish, birds...), all in separate enclosures. I'm assigned to work with the birds- two male budgies in one cage and a diamond dove in another- with three other people.

Our responsibilities are to clean the cage, replace food and water, and try to tame the birds. On average we get 15-20 minutes to do all of this, but some days we only have time for food/cleaning and other days we have an entire class period to work with them (40-50 minutes). There's just one other zoology class so hopefully that puts into perspective how much interaction the birds get Monday-Friday.

Everyone has to get up and move when the bell rings, otherwise the classroom isn't too busy (teacher is strict about noise level and usually spends class time lecturing).

I'm just wondering if we will be able to fully tame the birds when they're seeing a lot of different people every day, and don't get to see/interact with one person (aside from the teacher) for more than an hour per day?

I would also like to know what I should do if one of my classmates isn't being nice to the birds?

One of the other girls working with the birds likes to chase the birds around the cage with her hand until she can grab one. Then she takes it out with both hands and holds it to her chest. The other classmates think it's cute but you can see the bird trying to wriggle out. They look scared and stressed, and not ready to be handled like that.

I've been trying a slow approach to taming the birds, and the furthest I've gotten is the dove stepping up and relaxing on my finger. Though, that was last week; earlier this week the aforementioned girl grabbed the dove and carried her around a few times. When I tried my usual taming session with the dove again today, she didn't seem to be as comfortable around me anymore, which really worried me.

The girl told me she owns birds at home, so I assumed she knew what she was doing, but I'm not so sure anymore. I want to confront the teacher about it, but what should I say?


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

What is the age range of the people in the class?

Briefly said, the person grabbing the birds is going to set back every positive step you make because she's terrifying the birds and I'd actually say that with her just grabbing them and parading them around, this whole ordeal for the bird's borders on animal cruelty.
Taming the birds is one thing, or grabbing them for an actual reason (to move them for an actual reason or for a medical reason). I don't see any benefit to what these birds are going through.


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## Luthier (Apr 6, 2017)

Therm said:


> What is the age range of the people in the class?
> 
> Briefly said, the person grabbing the birds is going to set back every positive step you make because she's terrifying the birds and I'd actually say that with her just grabbing them and parading them around, this whole ordeal for the bird's borders on animal cruelty.
> Taming the birds is one thing, or grabbing them for an actual reason (to move them for an actual reason or for a medical reason). I don't see any benefit to what these birds are going through.


Yeah, my thoughts exactly...

Most of us are high school seniors; 17-18 years old.


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## philw (Aug 22, 2014)

I taught high school biology for 34 years in a classroom with all kinds of live animals.
As a teacher, the type of human behavior you are observing in some of your class mates is totally inappropriate. Your teacher has to supervise all interaction between students and
the animals. One of the reasons for having live animals in a classroom is for students to
develop empathy for all animals. (You might ask your teacher to assign everyone to 
define "empathy" and write what it means in connection with animals in your classroom.)
Feeding and cleaning is only one part of animal care. Feel free to hand this note to your teacher. Thanks for discovering this site, which will help you understand not just budgies, but all kinds of birds.


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## JRS (Sep 3, 2016)

As others above have said, your teacher/lecturer has overall responsibility to ensure that these animals are correctly cared for.

Whilst at 17-18 years old, the students should be able to be trusted with the animals without direct supervision, your teacher should have clearly instructed the students on appropriate and inappropriate interactions.

If the teacher has done so and this particular student is disregarding those instructions, then report her (or at very least, warn her that you will report her if she doesn't change).

If your teacher has not given such instructions or doesn't appear to be very knowledgable on the subject, then I suggest that you print out the following stickies (or copy, paste & edit into one document) and approach your teacher.

http://www.talkbudgies.com/new-budgie-arrivals/295169-yes-your-bird-scared.html

https://www.cutelittlebirdiesaviary.com/suggestions-to-help-you-bond-with-a-new-budgie.html

http://www.talkbudgies.com/taming-bonding/237105-using-positive-reinforcement-training.html

Inform him of your concerns (no need to name students) and that you feel that the birds need a consistent approach from all students. Show him your documents as initial brief research and ask for his/her support in developing a plan of interactions and observations to work towards your goals of taming.

Best of luck


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## philw (Aug 22, 2014)

Great advice from Julia. You have a "mission" now.


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## Luthier (Apr 6, 2017)

philw said:


> Great advice from Julia. You have a "mission" now.


Thanks to both of you! I will contact my teacher ASAP.


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