BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?

Subject: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 09:28 PM

Any experienced owners out there who can advise me how best to treat budgies or other small cage birds so as to result in friendly and confident avian companions rather than a scared bird who flees to the other side of the cage when you come near...or a hostile one who bites?

I'm sure there are various training techniques that work well, but I have little experience in this, so I'm asking.

I figure to get 2 budgies so they have their own company when I'm not around. I don't think it's good for their morale to be left alone much, as they are social birds.

Feel free to tell some silly jokes now. ;-) I don't mind. But it's some real advice from experienced bird owners that I'm seeking in this thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 09:29 PM

Oh, and how about canaries? I've heard them singing at the pet shop...they make a beautiful sound!

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 12:46 AM

It's the male canaries who sing the prettiest. I had a friend had one. "Yah-yoo" (her 2yr old couldn't say "yellow") loved her kids and her, but was not the type to be handled. He was a happy, cheerful little bright spot in each day. They really loved him.

I had cockatiels and zebra finches for years, but they were always rescues and had mostly not been handled, so they were not hand-fed, nor used to sitting on a shoulder, plus I didn't trust the cats enough to let them out. I loved them, though, again it was the males who sang the most. My first one greeted me every morning with a perfect "wolf" whistle; made me always feel gorgeous!LOL.

I had a pair of peach-faced lovebirds and gave them away, as a pair. Messiest, noisiest birds I've ever known. Zebra finches are adorable and sound like sweetish little sewing machines. Very chipper.

I had a friend who was raised with a parrot. She was so much a part of the family, she was like an older sister to him. She rode everywhere with him, on his shoulder, in his car, posed for pix on all of their travels and repeated a LOT of what she heard. Smart bird. He also had a small parrot who was just a doll, used to cats, riding on shoulders, eating at the table, perched on the back of a chair. He ate a lot of what my friend had.

Basically, you need to work with them everyday, hand-feed, and try to get them from someone who started them out that way. I am sure there must be some good videos on youtube which would be of help.

Oh, I also had a friend who had a pocket parrot, rode around in his shirt pocket. Cutest thing, just adorable! Liked to take showers, as did my other friend's birds.

What I remember most about my cockatiels is they needed to be where they could see out, not so much directly in a window, but set off a bit to the side or back from any drafts which might come through. I always covered their cages at night to keep the drafts off. I took in one which had been kept in a corner away from all windows. The poor thing had plucked out almost all of his feathers. When I put him near a window in a warm spot, he quit plucking and became a really sweet, happy bird.

If I didn't have Kipling-the-psycho-hunter-Siamese who doesn't get to go out and get anything, I'd probably have another cockatiel and Zebra finch. They always got on well together and were really fun to hear. I have one tape of me playing my lap dulcimer when I first got it in which I can hear my last cockatiel singing with me.

Ask Spaw. He and Karen have had cockatiels for a number of years.

Have fun and good luck.

Oh, and some birds need cages which are more vertical while other breeds need ones that are longer horizontally.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 01:06 AM

As a general thing, I think they advise that you get only one budgie/parakeet, the idea being that the single will transfer its social needs to you rather than to its peer or mate. On the other hand, I have had some very tame budgies even when I had six of them.

I had a couple of cages for them. One was a large one on wheels, the other was a wedge-shaped one I built to take them outdoors on warm days. I would set the cage on its face on the fresh grass and let them have at it. My dog at that time was charmed by them and would lie beside them for hours.

Incidentally I think it is the male budgie that is considered easier to tame. (The way to tell them apart, as you may know, is that the male has blue/blueish colored patches on either side of his beak, the female's is usually beige.)

I can attest from experience that a female has a vigorous bite. :)

Budgies tend not to breed if there are only two of them; evidently a flock stimulates the breeding bond. I have a friend who has a chaotic aviary; in addition to finches, lovebirds, grass parrot, cockatoo, and cockatiel she has about a dozen budgies, and is getting babies all the time.

She admits she has enough of them but says she doesn't like the idea of robbing them of their eggs.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:03 AM

Wow. That aviary must be something to see...and hear. A girlfriend of mine had some Zebra Finches for awhile, and, yes, they make a delightful little peeping sound. Well, perhaps having one budgie would be okay, I'm just worried about him being alone too much, that's all. One good thing about the budgies, they're not expensive, and I find them very cute.

There were a couple of lovely little hand-raised parrots at the store recently, very friendly, but they cost a small fortune.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:28 AM

With the chair from a doll's house and a VERY small whip.

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:25 AM

LOL!!! Oh, I can just see it now.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 11:24 AM

That would make a good skit.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 11:44 AM

LOL, RtS!

Another friend of mine had a walk-in aviary he'd built in a spare bedroom and, like Ebbie's friend, had a wide variety of birds.

I don't think my friend's canary ever seemed lonesome. He was in the kitchen area, so had family around most of the time and seemed to consider himself a part of it all. Yah-yoo was quite a chipper little bird. My first cockatiel didn't seem lonesome, either, though he did love the zebra finch when I got it. He would sit on a lower perch while the finch sat up higher and preened his comb for him. It was very cute.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 11:56 AM

A walk-in aviary is a wonderful idea, but I can't do that here. Someday, maybe.

Canaries do seem to be very cheerful birds, judging by those they had recently at the pet shop down the road here. I think giving the bird an outside view through a window is probably a good idea. He or she would get to see many other birds coming and going to the feeders in the backyard, along with chipmunks, squirrels....and that accursed grey cat! ;-) I just chased him away again this morning. He's well aware that he is not welcome on this piece of territory, but he keeps sneaking back.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 01:40 PM

I've owned 3 male budgies, one at a time. I never found their bites painful though they were startling at first. Eventually I decided they were kisses! Mine were regular pet-store birds and had not been hand-raised. Advice I read said to hold a small perch and put it and my hand inside the cage and just sit. Eventually the bird (nervous, squawky, and fluttering at first) will climb on the perch. Each time you do this, hold more and more of the perch inside your fist with a smaller and smaller part of the perch exposed for the bird to sit on. Then do away with the hand-held perch and stick your fist in with your pointer finger out for the bird to sit on. You may find your bird jumping on your finger or hand even before you get to this step. All the time you do this, talk softly, perhaps repeating a word you hope the bird will learn. Only males can talk.

When you take your bird out of the cage, close off doors to the room and cover windows or mirrors. If you don't, your bird will fly into them and perhaps hurt itself. Mine used to love to sit on my head and groom my hair with their beaks. If your bird sits on you, check yourself in a mirror after you recage your bird. You don't want to go outside and have someone point out that you have bird poop on you!

If you have a TV or music player turned on, expect your bird to make noises, even if you cover it.

There are books that give information on how to teach your bird to do tricks. Your library probably has some or can get hold of some.

Let us know if you do buy one and how things go!

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 02:16 PM

A buddy of mine was into birds. He got a Lesser Sulphur Crested Cockatoo 6 months old and gave strict orders to everyone never to yell or talk hasrhly near it.

It would climb as high as it could. Climbed up buddy one day, using his ear, hair and scalp as talon holds. Buddy winced pain but did not make any sudden moves or yell. When the bird was at the acme of his climb... yup, it crapped on buddy.

He paid CDN$650 for it in 1978.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 02:42 PM

They love to do that, gnu. ;-) It's like climbing Mount Rushmore, they need some relief when they reach the top.

I know that these birds love to sing along with recorded music, but that's okay. As for the bites, well, not a big deal unless the bird bites your lip or something. One girl I knew (who was an idiot) taunted her budgie one day by sticking out her tongue at the bird, and the bird promptly bit the end of her tongue, eliciting a most satisfying screech from its owner.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 04:26 PM

Show the birds the oven. Then give them a stern look. If they don`t get that message, they`re to far gone to train.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 05:01 PM

Training birds is a bit harder than some think. True story.......Billie Sol Estes once had a plan to train hundreds of parakeets to fly across major cities while singing in unison, "I like Ike." Budgies can rarely talk and certainly never in unison but Billie Sol thought it was a great idea. Billie did a lot better selling non-existent anhydrous ammonia tanks.

On the other hand I seem to remember some typical California goofball who spent his entire life teaching a Macaw to sing all the verses to "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom." Sadly, before he could document this, the Macaw was eaten by a homeless drunk who thought it was a scrawny blue chicken. Okay......that one was a joke.

Seriously though, its amazing what birds can be taught.   When I was a kid the Myna birds were extremely popular and so were the Brazilian Cruncenaria Parrots often referred to as Crunchies until they were banned from being imported. A guy named Kerry Tompkins in East Rutherford was arrested and that began the start of the precedings which ended in the stopping of the importation of the rare species. Tompkins went into the All-Avian Pet and Supply store and saw one of the Brazilian birds. The clerk advised against the purchase and explained it wasn't a good pet when left uncaged in the home. He showed how the bird would act upon voice command. The clerk said, "Crunchy Bird table" and the bird flew over and destroyed the table like a buzzsaw. He then said "Crunchy Bird chair" and the bird destroyed the chair in the same fashion. Tompkins insisted on the purchase anyway. Upon arriving home Tompkins was accosted by his overbearing wife who demanded to know what the hell Kerry had brought home. He removed the bird from its carrier and proudly said it was a Brazilian Crunchy Bird. His wife scoffed at him and replied, "Crunchy Bird my ass." She bled to death before help could arrive.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 05:32 PM

Heh! I just don't know what I'd do without you, man. You are, like, the font of all knowledge, eh?

Sounds like those Crunchy Birds could come in quite handy to me...

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 06:20 PM

True story- as opposed to some stories I could cite- When my daughter was little I frequently took her to a Doll House museum at the Oregon Coast. The proprietor kept a Myna bird and my daughter was fascinated by him.

When we entered, he would yell, Hello! Hello! My name is Rebel.

Then, I'm a Myna bird. Are you a Myna bird? Well, well, well.

And then he would laugh insanely.

When we left, he'd call after us, Goodbye! Goodbye! Come again!

When I was little my family visited a roadside attraction. As we wandered down the isles, a giant Cockatoo on a post leaned W A Y down, peered into my face, and warbled, Hello, little girl.

I, a little Amish girl, had never in my life heard of a bird that could talk, and straight away fell in love with Cockatoos.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 06:25 PM

The ones I like best are those smallish green parrots, I think they're from South America. They don't have a crest, but they're a very bright shade of green. However, I intend to start out modestly with just a budgie or a canary or a finch or....

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 06:32 PM

In all seriousness, get a hand raised Cockatiel........Very intelligent and interactive and if you get a nip its not as bad as its larger cousins (all birds will bite occasionally).

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 06:38 PM

I guess that's a possibility, Spaw. There's someone here locally who is raising them, and they show up at the pet shop every now and then. The last pair that were there did seem quite friendly.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: open mike
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 10:08 PM

those small green parrots might be conures
cockatiels are good pets...male ones talk more than the girls
and as mentioned before if you have a pair,
they will bond to each other and not often to you.

a bird is either a breeder or a pet, rarely both.

hand raised birds respond to humans more than others.

I have had parrots, cockatiels, canaries, finches, and other birds.

by far the cheeriest were the canaries..their songs have brightened

my days on many occasions...
(finches and canaries are seed eaters and are quite easy to care for)
they are not the type of birds that prefer to be handled...
usually the "hook bills" are more into that type of human interaction
(budgies, parrots, etc.) most of these critters prefer warm quarters
and in the cold months you may need to take extra care, as many are form tropical environments..at least their ancestors were...
you might want to subscribe to Bird Talk magazine..
http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/default.aspx

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 10:11 PM

Thanks for the info.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 09:31 AM

Here's a general question: what sort of indoor temperature range do most of these birds need to be healthy and happy? Some parts of this house are cooler than others, so I thought I'd better ask.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 10:40 AM

Using a good cloth cage cover at night helps a lot, LH. Our big old house in CT was really chilly and drafty, esp. in the winter when it was also damp. I'd say at night it probably was around 66-68, the same in WY. I don't think below that, for very long, would be good for them. The main thing, from my experience, is to keep them out of drafts. One product I found VERY helpful, when my birds showed symptoms of bacterial infections MARVEL AID.

href=http://birds.about.com/od/breedsofbirds/a/choosingabird.htm>HERE is some good information.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Rapparee
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 10:42 AM

My great-great Aunt Tillie had one for years. His name was Petey. He could do all sorts of tricks and things. We trained him with love, patience, and a cattle prod.

Sometimes you have to let them out of their cage to they can fly around the room, getting exercise and pooping on things. I suggest you use a choke collar and a heavy leash.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 11:01 AM

Heh! Thanks, guys. Yes, I plan to let the bird fly around some, after I have closed all the curtains so he doesn't try to teleport through a window.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 11:41 AM

That reminds me. Once I took my pure-white budgie, "Pearl" in a cage down to my parents' house which was a couple of miles away, to visit my sister's bird. This was out in the country, heavily wooded and pasture land.

Anyway, we closed the doors and windows and let the two birds hop around on the floor. Everything was fine until my live-at-home brother went through and left the outside door open.

My bird promptly raised up and flew out. I ran after her but she was gone. I saw her cross the country road and into the woods; she was gone.

Well. There were a lot of owls around and the temperature dropped into the 40s at night. I took my cage and went home.

About 9 o'clock the next morning my brother called. Your bird is back, he said, excitedly.

I grabbed the cage and drove down there. Pearl was in the orchard on the other side of the house, not the side she had escaped from.

She was maybe 20 feet high in the tree. I opened the cage and called her and held the cage up so she could see it. Limb by tree limb, she made her way home.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 01:16 PM

You had great good fortune there, Ebbie. They usually are lost for good in cases like that. There is an escaped budgie in Toronto who's been on the news a few times. He is living in High Park, which is a huge area of parkland and forest and trails in the west central part of the city, and he comes to the municipal bird feeders every day and eats alongside the pigeons and sparrows. He seems to be doing fine hanging out with the sparrows, but people are worried about what will happen when winter comes. No one has persuaded him to enter a cage yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 01:49 PM

WHen I lived in Atlanta I was sitting around reading a nighborhood paper one day and saw an ad stating: "LOST....African Gray Parrott.....Last Seen Flying North"

Like north from where? ANd in any case it struck me funny and sad too as I could see this poor slob watching his bird fly off and away into the distance.

Maddiie Bird is out less than he used to be but cats can be a problem! We used to shut the door to the room but since the boys got bigger and more forgetful............btw.....many birds (Maddie included) love taking showers with you. Maddie sits facing the mist with beak open, soaking wet, and in a daze, completely relaxed.


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 01:59 PM

My buddy's LSC Cockatoo... abridged version...

It tried to climb up a table lamp (sideways, of course). No go. It drug over a box of facial tissues, got on that, and grabbed the lamp with one talon. The box slid out until it was doing the splits big time, where upon it squawked loudly and "hopped" the box back underneath it. This was repeated at least half a dozen times... while we roared with laughter. Finally, it jumped off the box and the table, strode to the nearest of us and attacked. Never embarrass a $650 bird because you can't fight back. Unless you have lots of $.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:06 PM

LOL, gnu!

There are lots of flocks of tame-lost-gone-wild PARAKEETS, etc. I first heard about them when we lived back East. This isn't the same bunch, but it seems the ones which get loose, somehow adapt, thrive and survive as much as any other smaller wild bird.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:37 PM

LH... get yerself a raven (free) and split it's tongue so it can talk. Hide yer jewelry.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:40 PM

WAIT! From Wiki... "There was a myth that you had to SPLIT the crow's tongue for it to be able to talk, ... Crows can learn to talk with or without the split tongue."

Hope I am not too late!

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 03:53 PM

One of my earlier exchanges on Mudcat had to do with escaped birds and birds that rode the rails and uh..........well, other stuff as well...........actually Art brought the whole thing up and then Bill and........aw hell......just relax, take a 12 year trip to 1998.....................................

********************************************************************

Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: Art Thieme
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 05:47 PM


Mr. Earl-----Many trains carried live canaries whenever they could. If a train had a difficult time getting up a grade the brakeman'd bang on the side of the car the birds were housed within with a 2 by 4. The birds would instantly take to the air and lighten the train enough for the spinning driving-wheels to take the whole thing over the hump!Honest.

Art


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: Bill D
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 05:56 PM


but the cost of canaries was so great back then, that they achieved the same effect by feeding the brakeman/conductor on beans and cabbage and having him stand on the rear caboose platform!! The trick was in the timing...(It is a little known fact that listening to an old brakeman tell about this is how the idea for JATO (jet assisted take-off) for the Air Force came about!)


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: catspaw49
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 06:29 PM


...or sometimes on tough grade,like Horseshoe Curve in Pa., if a helper engine was not available, they'd boost steam pressure by getting two guys like Bill & Art to exhale into the valve gear.

Spaw


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 07:45 PM


Of course, all these tecniques became obsolete when someone (Jay Gould's daughter?) realized that if you put larger wheels on the caboose, the train would always be goung downhill, and no coal at all was required.


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: Benson
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 08:26 PM


Since the topic of canaries and gasses has arisen in this thread.... it came to mind.......I have been told that they used canaries in the coal mines to detect when the explosive gasses down deep in the mine had reached a level of danger.......the canary would die.....and the miner would get the hell out!!!

Do you suppose those canaries were freed from forced labor...??? Or was there just a run on canaries in 1903?


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: catspaw49
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 10:50 PM


I suppose you could say the canaries were freed, but this particular group was traced in the Appalachian mountains for years following the wreck. Eventually forming into 7 groups, most had a hard time surviving in the wild. One surviving group was traced to a nesting site across the Cumberland Gap where they had migrated. Most of the local folk enjoyed having these unique birds in their hills. The main nesting area was on the Clinch River northwest of Knoxville. However, the mercury contaminating the river along with the proximity to Oak Ridge, where the birds were often seen feeding, caused mutations and eventually death to the almost the entire flock. The only known descendant of these birds can be seen today on Sesame Street at PBS.

Spaw ******************************************************************


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:05 PM

LMAO, I think I missed that oen first time round! Thanks, Peaches!

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:09 PM

Great stuff, Patches. I would never call him Peaches. He might call me.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 04:51 PM

Well, if memory serves, it all started in THIS THREAD; he and my dulcimer have been "Peaches" to me, ever since. If you'd like a fruity appellation, I am sure I can think of one for you, too, gnu.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 05:31 PM

My nickname at uni was Banana. I can't imagine being called any other kind of fruit.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 06:22 PM

I'd go for Mango if I had to pick a fruit name.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 06:35 PM

Not Maurice?

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 06:36 PM

Nope. Mango.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 07:37 PM

Aubergine for me...I love the colour and it sounds sexy if you say it slowly with a French accent!:-)

Banana, eh? I will skip the famous quote about bananas and pockets!LOL!

Mango sounds like something Chongo could articulate...that's good.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 09:28 PM

If I had to choose a fruit name I'd go with Little Hawk.................................okay, okay.....but it was just laying there......had to be said........ and I'm frankly ashamed that gnu didn't say it. You can't let those kind of set-ups go past and not latch onto them.......................

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 10:42 PM

Yeah, yeah... ;-)

Is a person who unlawfully kills a bird...a birderer?

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 10:51 PM

What is an aubergine anyway? Is it another name for a zuchinni? Or an eggplant?

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 10:53 PM

........oy...............I dunno' but I did know a guy who killed hamsters. My Dad as a matter of fact. I was like 5 or 6 and had two hamsters and the Old Man had diligently built a little portable cage for them which they would occasionally stay in on the basement steps. One February day we returned home from a three day trip to Pittsburgh and found both hamsters obviously dead. I was devastated and Dad took them out and we buried them.

A couple of weeks later one of the guys he works with tells him that they hibernate in the cold and Dad realized he had buried two live hamsters. It was many years before he told me. He loved animals and even after many years he still felt awful about it.


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Amos
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 11:48 PM

We have a pair of parakeets. We have never invested the time to train them out of their nervous avoidance. But we've been told the way to do is capture them (one at a time) and wrap them in a hand towel and hold them in your lap while you watch TV. Eventually they grow accustomed. I suggest you scour the net for more expert advice, though!!

They really enjoy having each other, and will talk, coo, fight and cop attitudes with each other all day long.

We have trained them in a few responses; one is when they are ready for bed. They each go to the top of one of two fabric tunnels in their cage and sit up there facing each other. Teh they chirp until one of us comes around and puts their cover on the cage.

A large cage is a good investment. Regular changes of water and seed, add cuttlebone and calcium bricks, enough perch space to be interesting, and at least one large mirror to stare at.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: open mike
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 02:17 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGG4kY1rwQE
if you ever get the dchance to watch this movie...
do it! the Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, in San Francisco.

seealso http://www.brooklynparrots.com/

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 07:09 AM

Wow! Those Telegraph Hill conures are beautiful, and the Brooklyn Monk Parrots are pretty neat too.

Thanks for the good info, Amos.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 10:35 AM

Your answer, LH.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 12:13 AM

This is the ultimate parrot video of all time:

Ruby is in a crabby mood!

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: open mike
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 03:40 AM

if you are lucky you might end up with something like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVBILtDrgVM&feature=related

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 22 Sep 10 - 10:53 AM

I don't know...I think that could become maddening after awhile. ;-) I'd rather just hear them make bird sounds.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 06:22 AM

You've got to show the little bleeders who's boss! Speak firmly to them and keep them on a short leash until they realise that you're in charge. If they get it right reward them with a biscuit or other treat, but if they get it wrong speak firmly to them ... whoops ... hang about, that's dogs ... silly me!

Right, budgies: get yourself a stout chair and a whip ...

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 10:44 AM

I think that wearing one of those fencing masks and an armoured vest might also be wise...

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 11:00 AM

And don't forget the helmet for the top of the head.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:20 PM

yep...aubergine = eggplant

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 02:56 PM

SPAW!!!!

I know, I know... I should take the opportunity to gain experience on my own, but sometimes the student defers to the master in order to learn. You have taught me well, but I still cannot bring myself to steal your thunder or miss your edification.

Besides, mine was lame... this time. I mean, there is only so much you can do with eggplant... right?

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Amos
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 03:18 PM

Little Aubergine has a nice ring to it...

A

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 03:23 PM

Hamsters... I had Peedee for about three months. Bought it at Kmart for 49c. Dad said the weather would soon be getting cold and Peedee's odours would no be able to be wafted out of the house with the basement windows closed so I would have to take it back to Kmart.

I was ten years old and I protested. He explained to me, "That little rat stinks and it either goes back to Kmart or out in the field or it goes up against the bricks as hard as I can throw it." I was crestfallen. I took Peedee back to Kmart and told the clerk my father wouldn't let me keep it. She gave me my money back... 79c. So long Peedee! >;-)

My first experience in capitalism. I wonder what the ROR on hamsters is these days. Probably not even close to 245%.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 06:59 PM

You should have called up the HDL. They'd have come over (about 15,000 of them) and had "a little talk" with your father.

Subject: RE: BS: Training budgies, pet birds? Advice?
From: gnu
Date: 24 Sep 10 - 05:57 AM

They'd'a all got a kick in the arse too.