Lately I just bought Kermit a toy ball. I took nearly a week for him completely get use to it and not fear of it. This evening, I was lured by ear-splitting rings from the toy ball and I decided to take a look at what Kermit was messing about.

For a moment, he was lying on his back enjoying and playing with the ball. He did look like a seal juggling with a ball at that moment. Few minutes later, I saw him tossing madly and forcing the toy ball out of his territory.

So is that Love or Hate? Perhaps you shall be the judge.

Ever thought why your parrots stoned at times? To my knowledge and experiences, parrot stoned when they were alarmed (e.g. other noise or any other threats) or even out of fear.

During the late afternoon when I was in the kitchen doing some household cleaning and leaving Kermit on his playstand. It’s an unusual afternoon, usually Kermit will established contact calls with me whenever I’m out of sight. Strangly enough he was totally quiet. I tried initiating a contact call by whistling to Kermit, he didn’t response any of my calls. I didn’t feel quite comfortable about this, thus I went to the living room to check whether Kermit was alright.

Kermit was on the play-stand but he looked really stoned. He was completely stoned with a pine nut shell in his beak and not doing anything. I observed the surroundings whether there’s any things, wild birds or insects that triggered him to going to this state. Apparently there wasn’t! This went on for nearly 15 minutes, I immediately reached for my camera phone to capture this rare moment.

I’m still wondering whether was there really things that caught his attention which resulted him to stone, or was he really indulging to the classical music that I played in the background?

I think only he has the answers to the questions.

This afternoon, I was drinking Iced Water from my cup with a straw, when Kermit suddenly dashed over targeting at my straw.

He’s attracted to this new “toy”, look at how bad the damages done to the straw! The straw was simply useless, and I can hardly slurp up my drink with this badly shaped straw.

I doesn’t have to get a paper shredder in my home office, to shred sensitive documents or mails. I can easily turn to my lovely angels and get them into serious “shredding business”. They simply love the task given with no complaints at all.

I’m sure the appropriate chewing or shredding activities will keep them busy and happy, at least for sure I know they won’t be bored.

Both my lovely angels have their own favorite toys. Like Kiki, she enjoys playing cottons twines and surprisingly she absolutely good in untying the thumb knots on the twines.

As Kermit, he’s seems to set his love for thick cardboards and papers. Especially empty paper towel rollers seem to be the most irresistible toys to Kermit.

Last Sunday afternoon, I was able to capture Kermit doing his stupid stint with an empty paper towel roller. He’s totally into the “shredding” game, once he was offered the empty paper towel roller. Seeing him burrowing in within the towel roller lying on his back busily shredding it away.

I can hardly resist laughing on the stupid yet funny stint he did, but it so fun watching him doing it. He sure does brought lots of laughter to family with his silly acts.

Usually young African Parrots in their juvenile age, tends to build up a habit of scratching vigorously on the cage floor or kicking madly (similar like what you see a hamster does, kicking off the bedding). It may sound a little abnormal for a parrot to behave in this manner. My Senegal Parrot had this behavior for quite sometime, he started since young (even when he’s a baby in the brooder, he did that almost everyday and make a mess with all the beddings) but until recently he stopped.

I’ve ever read about an article from a parrot book addressing the issue. The experienced trainer reviewed it as a normal behavior for all parrots from the African genus referring those like Greys and Poicephalus (Senegal Parrot, Red-bellied, Jardines), and these parrots will grown out of doing it. Generally the habit will fade off as they start to mature. However, the habit can be discouraged by placing in more toys to keep them busy.

Like what most people always say:

“A Busy Bird is a Happy Bird!”

To us a phone is just another daily necessity item, but to parrots it’s seem like a new toy. Perhaps it’s the recording red LED light emitted that drew Kermit’s attention. Just like kids, CURIOSITY, all they want is to investigate and try playing with it!

Sound Clip of Kermit’s Contact Calls

It still a normal and acceptable vocalizing by Kermit, but just imagine and multiply the volume by 3 times. It can be quite piercing to human ears. Definitely you are bound to get complaints from neighbors. Luckily, I haven’t got to hear Kermit lunging at that volume for quite some time. I’ve yet to capture the sound clip of the notorious scream. Hope I never had the chance for that!

Related Posts:
Curb that Kermit Scream

Among all behavior problem, parrot screaming is always the primary issue among all parrot owners. Owners usually ended feeling upset and angry over the unwanted loud vocalization. Many time ending up affecting the good relationship and bond between the parrot and the owner, but also driving into many other unhappy scenarios like:

• Increasingly loud and consistent noise within the household
• Unhappiness between family members (lots of complaints from parents or siblings)
• Complaints from neighbors (often happens when staying in an apartment)

I’m sure do not want to see their feathered friend vocalizing excessively everyday and been labeled as “naughty boy” in the household. The fact is we can’t totally eliminate these screams, but we can fine tune and minimize the unacceptable excessive noise.

Before we can try to eliminate the problem, we have to discover the reason behind, understanding the possible factors that lead to this problem.

I’ve been reading up precious articles about parrot screaming issues written by the experts (mainly the editors from bird magazines, experienced bird trainers & aviculturists) and concluded a list of the possible factors to the problem.

Factors leading to Screaming Problem:

1. Contact call for out-of sight owner
2. Stress & fear
3. Noisy household environment
4. Attention seeking
5. Communication with other birds
6. Response to certain sound
7. Basic demands not met (like food bowl is empty)
8. Boredom

As for my dear young Kermit, he falls under the “Attention seeking” and “Contact call for out-of sight owner” category.

What makes me so certain that Kermit fits well into the category?

Whenever I’m out of Kermit’s sight, he will start off with these continuous contact calls and ingeniously constructing into annoying squawking. He couldn’t let me off for a short toilet break.

Seriously he appears to be a much happier and quiet angel whenever I’m around with him, glued to the chair next to his cage. I can’t really blame him for so overly bonded to me, as he gets to see me most of the time at home compared to other family members.

Furthermore, he still a juvenile still in his post weaning stage. Like other young parrots, Kermit needs a secure, unchanging environment.

Recently I have been researching for the possible methods to curb or to minimize such loud screams from happening. I’ve also put up some methods on for a trial for a couple days to a week.

Method #1 - Insanely ignore the calls & with Positive Reinforcement

All the while I’ve been practising this method, insanely ignore any unwanted loud calls and reward my dear Kermit whenever he quiet down over a period of time. It’s a consistent effort. Whenever Kermit start make the unacceptable noise, I just leave him alone. Not even enter the room and showing up in front of his cage, this is to ensure that I won’t reinforce the unwanted behavior due to my presence. Furthermore, Kermit’s usual scream is his way to demand attention. By doing so, this is to let him understand that screaming will not do much help, in bringing me back and showing in front of him.

Once Kermit start to quiet down for quite a while or whenever he behavior quietly doing things on his own, I will go over to his cage to give my attention like talk to him, give him some nice treats and even a nice head rub. Continuing in this similar routine, will more likely to make him give up the habit of screaming. I must admit that this method is the best way to eliminate the start of the screaming habit and proved to be effective in a long run, as all the reinforcements are positive.

Although it maybe the perfect method to help cure screaming behavior, but is usually difficult to execute especially it also involves other people in the household. Why is fail most of the time? Because other family members in the household might not be doing the right stuffs (like ignore all unwanted calls, and reward when he is quiet) that you advised.

Like my family member sometime tends to be annoyed by the scream, usually went up to Kermit’s cage immediately and gave Kermit a nasty look or scolding. By doing so it further reinforce the unwanted screaming behavior. This it’s so important that you need full cooperation from all family member so they do not break this positive cycle.

Method #2 - With Negative Reinforcement

Another method which possible to help tackle screaming problem is with the use of negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is more like a form of punishment which usually tends to leave an unpleasant impression and experiences for our feathered friends. But there are reports that quite a number of parrot owners have great success in improving some of the behavior problems (like screaming) with negative reinforcement.

What makes negative reinforcement so effective, almost immediately eliminating the unwanted behaviors? Basically it involve instilling the right amount of fear into the parrot which serves to decrease the frequency of the behavior. Usually “instant remedies” with negative reinforcement is never recommend by many experienced bird trainers because it usually results in side effects like counter aggression, escape behavior, fear and also jeopardizing the relationship of the owner and the parrot.

No doubt of the possible risk, I decided to devise a method with negative reinforcement but do not place my close relationship bonding of Kermit and me into jeopardy. In order to archive this, I have find a way to execute the punishment that instill the correct amount of fear in Kermit, but possible of execution without my presence (when Kermit doesn’t see me executing the “punishment”, this ensure our relationship bond is not put at risk).

What makes clicker training so effective, it’s because of the distinctive sound of the clicker. Thus I decided to use the similar theory on my negative reinforcement method.

In clicker training, the clicking sound represents rewards or treats. In the “punishment” that I specially devised, I have to locate a sound that Kermit is fear of, in order to make this method effective. I soon shortlisted a desk bell as the distinctive bell sound tends to frighten Kermit. It’s an accidental finding. I was then packing and arranging stuffs in my room and when Kermit was next to me on the parrot stand. I accidentally ringed the desk bell, and which cause Kermit to panic and flew a distance away from the room.

Soon I tried using the desk bell whenever Kermit scream. It’s pretty effective and instantly as the distintively bell sound mark at the moment when Kermit scream. By doing so, Kermit will understand whenever he scream the desk bell will ring and it’s scary to him. The best part is I sound the desk bell anywhere without executing this “punishment” within Kermit’s sight.

It can be effective at the moment, but what if Kermit no longer is afraid of the bell sound, this “punishment” will be totally useless and no longer able to modify the unwanted behavior. Thus use it’s wisely and not so frequent. Like what all experienced trainers mentioned always use positive reinforcement.

Personally I will like to recommend two great books that I’ve read before and I will like to recommend to everyone interested in learning more about parrot behaviors:

1. Why does my Parrot by Rosemary Low
   
2. The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich
   

Both books highlighted issue on screaming, I’ve learned a lot through these books. I do hope these two books will provide better understanding on the excessive vocalizing problems and other parrot behavior issues.

I have great luck in training Kiki just only with the use of positive reinforcement training. Kiki can easily pick up the new tricks and behaviors through the training. Kiki is truly talented, a Smart Alec that I will use to describe her as.

Based on my daily observations on Kiki and Kermit during their training sessions, here are some of the findings of the 2 comparisons:

Kiki during a 15 minutes training session

• Better attention span
• Proactive
• More enthusiastic and easily excited
• Responsive to human vocal commands

Kermit during a 15 minutes training session

• Poorer attention span (Tends to looks elsewhere)
• Doesn’t seem to be proactive
• Not enthusiastic nor easily excited
• Less responsive to human vocal commands
• Less confident

You can see the vast differences among the two species. It’s never surprise to see Kiki mastering a new behavior or tricks in less than 10 minutes. She’s more of the hyperactive and more enthusiastic participant as compared to Kermit. Kermit has a much shorter attention span as compared to Kiki.

I’m able get Kiki to perform all the behaviors and tricks that she learned over 20- 30 minutes continuously, and after 30 minutes (although not recommended as it can easily possible leads to fustration if the parrot failed to perform the correct act) she still has the attention on me. As for Kermit, his mind start to wander of after 8-10minutes. I will say it’s definitely difficult to maintain the attention from a Senegal Parrot as compared to a African Lovebird. Furthermore, the slightest sound or motion of an object (including a fly flying around the vicinity) will instil fear in Kermit, diverting his attention and disrupting the whole training session.

There are a few factors that contributed to the unacceptable results in Kermit’s Training session. I have to admit the failure of shaping the new behavior, partly the fault lies on me. At certain part of the training, when Kermit suddenly performed the right behavior, I wasn’t able to reinforce and treat immediately at that moment.

Next, there’s also disadvantages of using positive reinforcement training with treats, you have to offer the treat immediately when the parrot performed the right behavior at that very moment. By doing so, the parrot will then understand and link the right behavior with the treat. Thus the parrot will know that everytime he/she performed that behavior he/she gets the treats. But many times during Kermit’s training session, I committed the mistake of not offering the treat immediately at the split second when the right behavior is performed. Any time later than that, Kermit will not be able to link the right behavior with the treat. It’s definitely one stressful task!

Two weeks ago, I started introducing Clicker and Target Training along with positive reinforcement. The results were really amazing, and Kermit was able to perform the his first trick, the Turn-a-Round trick after the 3rd day of Click and Target Training. Kermit had learned to associate the clicking sound with food. With this great advantage, I’m able to sound the clicker at the very right moment when Kermit performed the behavior that I want him to do.

I’m truly amazed, the clicker training does enhance the training experience. I’ve yet to explore more on the clicker training and unveil the power of clicker training for new tricks and behavior training. Hopefully I will be able to get my brother to capture a full motion clip on Kermit performing his first ever trick, the Turn-a-Round trick. So do stay tune!

Howdy, Everyone! I’m back again bringing more updates again about my angels. Lately, I haven’t got the chance to come online to share Kiki’s progress of the new trick. Thank you everyone for your support and concern for Kiki. She’s doing perfectly well, but rather nippy this days! Last Christmas, I brought home a new little guy, Kermit, a Senegal Parrot. He’s the primary reason for my inactivity on the weblog for these couple of weeks (or to be exact that’s almost a month ago! Oh gosh that’s long!).

Kermit then was only 7-8 weeks old when I got him home and he is yet to be full weaned. He barely has any feathers on his body accept for some grey furs and blood feathers on his wings. Honestly, I’m never keen nor supportive about bringing home an unweaned baby because of the possible risk and can be time consuming too. Any mistake and mishandling can cost this little feathered friend to lose his life.

Due to certain constrains, the local pet store was unable to wean Kermit for me (seriously that really upset me alittle about store selling unwean babies, do they ever thought of the consequences like selling to an unexperienced or new parrot owner who possibly may end the fragile lives of these babies with their inexperiences and even carelessness?), I’m really hesitating to bring home Kermit when I heard I had to wean him myself. After identifying the obstacles ahead and considering the possible adjustments I can make to my work and lifestyle, I decided to bring home Kermit right away.

I’ve placed him in a brooder since Day 1 to ensure that he has ample warmth, before shifting him to a weaning cage when he has reasonable amount of feathers to maintain and regular his body temperature. During the initial stage, handfeeding procedure for Kermit was really taxing. As I had to stick to 4 feedings daily, ensuring he has enough nutrients for growth and ensure he progressively reaching his peak weight. I had to plan the handfeeding schedules and work schedules to ensure that both doesn’t clash. I had to wake up early morning for a feeding at 6.30am, rushing back home during lunch to feed another time at 12pm, and feedings during the evening and night respectively. It’s definitely lots of time and efforts. But i’m really glad to see Kermit growing well and gain and maintaining a reasonably amount of weight.

Now Kermit has finally turned 12 weeks old and his daily feedings have now cut down to 2, one in the morning and the other during the night before going to bed. I can clearly identify that he’s struggling to be fully weaned. Kermit is starting to refuse the yummy formula most of time, preferring to consume the adult food himself. He’s already eating adult food like millets, seeds like sunflower and safflower, peanuts, veggies like corns, cabbage, carrot and brocolli, almonds, hazelnuts, fruits like apple and grapes and even dried red hot peppers. He sure does like to go for some hot spicy thrills in his daily meals!

He’s almost fully feathered now. He started his maiden flight 2 weeks ago on the 16th January 2008. That’s the day I never forget when he started to flap his wings and fly over to me for his dinner. I’m really happy that he’s growing up and getting stronger day after day.

Hope that one day, Kermit will be performing his very own stunts and trick on YouTube! Wish me and Kermit best of luck!