Weather has been bad lately. Either it can goes as hot and humid than usual or rainy and wet throughout the whole day.

The big phenomenon in the climate does bring some worries whether Kermit and Kiki can really handle the change.

Yesterday was just another hot and sunny afternoon. Kiki will just perch on the playstand enjoying her usual day meal while I’m working on project and returning email from my work desk nearby.

About 45 minutes later, I noticed a complete silence in the activity room. Surprisingly, I spotted Kiki tugging in and napping on the crock cup. I tried to capture at that very moment, but apparently the “clicking” sound from the camera had woke Kiki up accidentally. I felt really apologetic for causing the disturbance.

Talking about bird sleep, I’m sure almost all bird owners have noticed that birds are very sensitive to surrounding even they asleep. The slightest sound or movement of the surroundings can alarm and work them up immediately. The interesting part, birds don’t really close both eyes during sleep. I noticed Kermit and Kiki while napping they tend to open their eyes on one side, perhaps to maintain vigilant to watch out for any dangers.

Guess it’s just their natural instincts!

Related Post:
To Cover or Not to Cover?

Previously I wrote about ethoxyquin found on some of the commercial seed mixes that can posed dangers to parrots’ health. Although there are some commercial seed mixes are free from ethoxyquin, naturally preserved and truly organic, but they still have one thing in common that I hated most.

Sunflower Seeds! Well not the sunflower seeds that rose the hatred but just that commercial seed mixes are flooded with too many sunflower seeds. The picture of the big pack of sunflower seeds, are actually sunflower seeds extracted from 1.5kg of quality commercial seed mixes and I stored them in Zip-lock bags as treats for future training purposes.

Reasonably amount of sunflower seeds can be healthy in providing the required vitamin E and fatty acids that are essential to parrots. Anything that are excessive or too much can be unhealthy. We all know that parrots are programmed to love seeds especially SUNFLOWER seeds. Parrots just “worship” them.

Whenever sunflower seeds are abundant, parrots have the tendency to be engrossed, enjoying sunflower seeds and ignoring other healthy grains. In fact, they will be just too full (crop totally filled up by sunflower seeds) and lazy to try other foods. This can be one reason why most parrots are overweight or malnutrition. In the long run, this can be a potential health hazard.

In fact I’m planning to prepare my own seed mixes. This way I have to the option to restrict the amount of sunflower seeds or safflower seeds, creating a healthier seed mixes. It can be lots of work, but I think it’s worth investing the time and money. It can be cost effective in a way as I won’t have to throw away the excess sunflower seeds anymore. Furthermore, I won’t have to spend time extracting out the excess sunflower seeds.

Back to the basics again. This round no fancy props, but common empty paper towel roller that can be found in almost every household. So what Kiki going to perform this time with the empty roller?

Just like what the title says, it’s her own Tunnel Trick. A relatively simple trick, but interesting and fun trick that able to kill any boredom and motivating her to continue to learn new things.

Kiki mastered this trick within minutes. She had no difficulty in understanding and performing the trick, because she had did something similar before. Remembering the hoop trick that I shared with everyone on my previous posting. Both are actually the same, the only difference is the prop. The hoop trick is with a metal wire hoop whereas the current Tunnel trick is with the empty paper towel roller.

When I was updating Kiki’s trick list, I found something shocking and surprising. With Kiki mastering this trick, I can humbly highlight that she has mastered a total of 17 tricks and commands. Impressive? I guess it can definitely be an alarming figure for a small parrot like Kiki.

Thus a pea-brained is not necessary stupid. The size of the parrot not necessarily denote the intelligence and the ability of the parrot after all.

Related Post:
Kiki’s Through The Hoop Trick

Last Friday was Kiki’s one year old birthday. Although I wasn’t really sure about Kiki’s actual hatch day, even the breeder who I got Kiki from wasn’t sure too, but I decided to make 27th June as an official date for Kiki’s birthday.

Neither did I throw a party for her nor invite other feathered friends to the celebration, but a simple one.

Kiki was offered a big treat for the day, offered “Junk” foods only for that day just to please Kiki. She’s certainly a happy and lucky parrot!

Not forgetting about Kiki birthday presents. I made two presents for Kiki, sunflower seeds and the whole spray millets sealed in green packets respectively.

I managed to capture a short video on Kiki scavenging for millet from her birthday present. I still pondering why Kiki insisted to enjoying the treats from these tiny hole shred open by her. Why didn’t she just tear up the green packet and opened up everything? It’s always hard to understand a bird’s mind.

Kiki was really enjoying herself throughout the day. Especially Kiki enjoyed the spray millet alot, because I rarely offer the spray millet as a whole. She’s toally delighted. To her millet are everything, it’s like french fries so “addictive”.

After the main course (which is the seeds and millets treats), it’s time for some healthy salad. I prepared some alfafa sprouts, diced carrots, grapes, corn cob and sweet peas in her salad bowl, but she always goes for the sweet peas and leaving the rest untouched. But it’s didn’t really matter, since she’s the boss of the day!

Happy Birthday Kiki! We are really happy to have you for the past twelve months. You bring us fun and laughters! Days are never boring with your presence!

Love you always.

Last Sunday after I posted the article titled “Are Punishments Accepted in Parrot Training?”, I received a few emails about their honest opinions on negative punishment.

Rick, one of my reader brought up some points. He indicated he also uses negative punishment in parrot training with his lovebird, and found that using punishment did eliminate unwanted behavior effectively and almost instantly. Furthermore, he indicated he had yet to see any behavior problem arise from his lovebird. He felt that since negative punishment seems to work out pretty well in his training routine why consider stopping this technique?

Well true, I do admit negative punishment can be effective at a stage and it does eliminate the unwanted behavior instantly. I saw the effectiveness when I conducted negative punishments on Kermit and Kiki before, but I also see other problems start to surface like increase in excessive vocalization (i.e Screaming Problem).

What we see are just the surface, a temporary remedy to the problem. In a long run, we are bound to see numbers of behavior problems arising. I will still insist don’t take the risk, try making all trainings positive will be ideal.

I’m sure many readers might be asking isn’t there any workaround for the negative punishment? There is a workaround which is to enforce the punishment without your presence. That means giving the punishment where your parrot cannot see you giving the punishment. By doing so, the parrot will link you up with all the hatred and fear caused by the punishment, thus this will not put the relationship and bond at risk.

In fact, I shared this technique on previous post labeled “Curb that Kermit Scream“, I highlighted on the steps how i carry out the workaround method in the post under section labeled “Method 2 - With Negative Reinforcement”.

Just to summarize, in the post I was trying to use negative punishment to reduce Kermit’s arising screaming problem. I tried a technique to enforce the punishment with a negative reinforcer without my presence, by doing so it will not put my relationship with Kermit at risk. In this technique, I use a desk bell (as Kermit is very afraid of the distinctive sound from the bell) as a negative reinforcer. Whenever Kermit start to scream, I will sound the bell from the other room. He will stop almost instantly, he understands that everytime he screams the bell will sound off. That’s the workaround I’m trying to emphasize.

Every technique come with pros and cons including this workaround. The benefits of this technique is that it remedy the problem instantly with a negative reinforcer without putting the relationship bond at risk, so you don’t have to worry that he will hate you for ringing the bell. In fact, he even didn’t know that you are the one ringing the bell. The disadvantage is that the technique can only be used in certain situations (e.g. you can’t be running back to your room and ring the bell when your parrot is already biting you). Next, using the technique in long run can result in a more fearful and less confident parrot.

The constant fear instilled in the parrot, will result in anxiety. Worst still, instead of improving the behavior problem this might lead to a screaming problem due to stress and anxiety.

Remember there’s no 100% fool proof method where you can remedy a problem almost immediately and instantly. The only best recommended by animal trainers and effective way to remedy a behavior problem permanently is to use proper positive techniques with time, effort, love and care, this way will bring you a more well behaved, lovable and a happy parrot!

Related Posts:
Are Punishments Accepted in Parrot Training?
Curb that Kermit Scream

I’m back again to share with everyone a new trick from Kermit. I’m proud to present to everyone Kermit’s very own Somersault Trick.

As Senegal Parrots are very acrobatic by nature, thus the trick shouldn’t post much difficulty to these african queens. Kermit learned the trick almost instantly.

Basically I used the similar steps and techniques that was used when teaching Kiki, my lovebird, the somersault trick. The only difference is that I used a wooden dowel pole as the hand perch, soon after Kermit was able to perform confidently under my hand and vocal cues, I replace the hand with perch with my right hand. Kermit progress really well during the trick training.

Any parrot owners interested in teaching this trick to your parrots, can refer to my previous post labeled Kiki’s Somersault Trick. The post highlighted the clear steps on how I guided Kiki into doing the somersault flip.

Related Post:
Kiki’s Somersault Trick

Most of us including myself, regard our parrots as our kids. Like any other kids, they sometimes get nasty and cranky at times and many resorted to punishments to stop the unwanted or negative behaviors immediately.

Are these punishments accepted in parrot training? Are they really that effective?

I’ve identified some common punishments adopted my majority of owners (including myself in the past) whenever the parrots misbehaved:

1. Jail the parrot into a cage with no toys and isolate him whenever he/she misbehave.
2. Squirt water on his/her face.
3. Whenever the parrot misbehave (like biting your finger) while perching on your hand, giving him/her a strong firm shake also known as earthquake to stop the negative behavior.
4. Yelling back at the parrot.
5. Throwing things at the parrot.

Some owners might see effectiveness in the beginning but in actual fact it’s not going to help in the long run. Why is it so? Punishment is a form of negative reinforcement, and taking note that negative reinforcement is never recommended in parrot training.

No one likes to be punished, including ourselves we never like to be punished by others. Not only it may affect us physically, but the damage done emotionally can be difficult to remedy then after. Emotional damage are usually permanent, especially parrots are highly intelligent animals they can clear remember the negative punishment conducted on them, thus affecting the parrot and owner’s bond and relationship.

Below are some possible consequences of using punishment in the long run are:

1. Negative behavior can be accidentally reinforced.
2. Biting problems and aggressiveness.
3. Damage the bonding and the relationship between the parrot and the owner.
4. The parrot can become more fearful and less confident.

I hated myself in punishing Kermit and Kiki in the past, the negative behaviors did stop immediately, but I also felt that they were afraid of me and avoiding me after the punishment. It’s not a fantastic experience, and they totally ignore and avoiding me for the whole day, and I had to end up rebuilding the trust all over again the next day. From then I’ve stopped all negative punishment and tried using other positive method instead. Why putting the bond and the relationship at risk?

Many will asked if punishments are not accepted, what other method can be used to stop the negative behavior?

Simply ignore it or using distraction. These are two best methods to help reshaping and eliminating the negative behavior, but of course it requires sometime and consistency in executing these methods whenever a negative behavior arises.

So when to use them and at which situation? Well it’s definitely important to know which to use and at which situation. I’m not expecting you to ignore your parrot and endure the pain when he tries to bite or is biting you, that could be the silliest way that I doubt anyone will do. For example if the scenario is when your parrot tried to bite you when perching on your hand, try using the distraction method. Distract the your parrot with his/her favorite little toy (e.g. Little Bell, Balls, Chewable Wooden Toys). I will recommend a bell toys cause the sound catch his attention. Offer the toy to him or her whenever he/she tries to bite or even chewing at furnitures that he/she not suppose to. That’s one way you can stop the behavior positively. As for unwanted vocalization like screaming, ignoring it (not giving any eye contact) will be advisable. By doing so you will not accidentally reinforce the screaming problem.

These are some ways to help managing negative behavior positively in some situation. Always access the problem and try identify the possible cause of the problem before executing these methods.

Personally I’ve one great book to recommend for reading. I ever mentioned this book on my earlier post, but I guess it will be great to recommend the book again:

The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich

Finally got to showcase Kermit, my Senegal Parrot’s first prop trick, the Kermit’s Retrieval Trick. Compared to Kiki, Kermit took a longer time to understand and master the trick, but he didn’t disappoint me in the end.

In comparison, Kiki seems to be a fast performer in her retrieval trick whereas Kermit seems to be a little laid back, slow but steady. Overall I’m still impress with Kermit’s performance, it’s already a big step and great progress in his trick training.

This round, I used the usual training techniques and similar teaching concept that was enforced on Kiki, instead of using the clicker method. Initially, I planned to use the clicker method on Kermit for this prop trick, but I found it rather difficult to manage. Difficult as in, I will appear to be “handicapped” during the training. A use of clicker in the training means an additional hand required in the training, thus I decided to use back the usual training techniques I’m more familiar of.

Related Post:
Kiki doing the Fetching Trick
Introducing Clicker Training
Clicker & Target Training for Kermit
Introducing Target Training

Many people who have never own a parrot or have very little knowledge on parrots will misunderstand the concept of Wing Clipping. Some even mistook as deliberately clipping the wings with cloth pegs or any foreign object so that the parrot will not be able to fly!

This might sound funny, how could someone come out with such crazy senseless explanation? But it’s true, that crazy senseless explanation actually came from a friend of mine. He had great misunderstanding about the concept of wing clipping and rating it as an immoral act.

Misunderstandings happen because of ignorants or little knowledge in parrots. So overall, we can’t blame people for labelling wing clipping as an unmoral ethic.

Thus, starting this blog to share my parrot training experience, parrot tricks and stories of Kiki and Kermit are not only my sole objectives, but also as an informative channel to educate and share knowledge on parrots, correcting any misconceptions in the aviculture.

Back to our topic, so what’s actually wing clip?

The term “Wing Clipping” in aviculture doesn’t refer to clip the wings of the parrots with cloth pegs or whatever foreign objects. To be correct “Wing Clipping” is actually trimming the primary feathers also known as flight feathers trimming.

This led to another question, so what are flight feathers? What are the purpose of flight feathers?

I found a better answer to these questions on Wikipedia. Flight feathers are the long, stiff, asymmetrically shaped, but symmetrically paired feathers on the wings or tail of a bird; those on the wings are called remiges (singular remex) while those on the tail are called rectrices (singular rectrix). The purpose of flight feathers provide aids to lift and thrust during flight.

So to conclude trimming flight feathers is just a painless procedure and it shouldn’t cause any injuries or harm to the parrot at all. Trimming of flight feathers is of no different from any other grooming routines. It’s just like people visiting the barber to get a hair trim. Flight feathers do grow back over time just like human hairs. Flight feathers return back to its original length after each molt.

Back to the general question which most parrot owners always pondered about: To wing clipped or not to wing clipped?

Personally I feel that it’s a personal preference, up to each individual to decide after considering and weighing on the possible pros and cons of wing clipping.

Below are some of the pros and cons of wing clipping that I’ve identified:

Pros of Wing Clipping

• Easier manage and tame during trainings (That’s why Parrot Tricks Books or Video CDs always tell owners to wing clip their parrots).
• Ensure safety and prevent any accidents or injuries caused by household hazards. (e.g. Crashing into mirrors or windows / Fall into toilet bowl, pools or boiling water)
• Prevent escape.

Cons of Wing Clipping

• Overly dependable on owners (Less independent compared to a fully flight parrot).
• May result on “One Person Bird” behavior also known as Overly bond issues.
• May result in screaming behavior.
• Trigger biting behavior and other aggression (A full flighted parrot usually fly away if he encounters any dangers but parrots with restricted flight abilities will use biting as a replacement action of flying away).

I hope with the list of pros and cons will assist parrot owners in coming out with a wise decision on whether to wing clip or not to wing clip.

For me, I trimmed Kermit’s and Kiki’s flight feathers. The purpose is not to take away their flying abilities completely but restricting their capabilities to an acceptable distance and elevation. Kermit and Kiki are housed indoor and I lived in a high rise apartment. By doing so, I can prevent my parrots from fatal accidents caused by household hazards and ensuring the safety of my birds.

So you’ve decided to wing clip but how to wing clip your parrot?

Wing Clipping is conducted by trimming the first five to eight flight feathers on each wing. I wouldn’t recommend wing clipping your own parrot if you didn’t have any prior knowledge on how to identify the flight feathers and trimming them. The results of improper wing clip are fatal (e.g. Parrots won’t be able to glide and land safely / Injuries of the leg joints or impact on the keel bones due to crash landings).

Thus it’s always advisable to get someone experienced or knowledgeable like your own avian vet to show you.

Herbal Remedies have been becoming more and more popular this day. Partly because many see the effective of long term usage of herbal remedies, furthermore they are natural and do not result in any negative side effects after prolong usage.

Previously I’ve mentioned about Kermit’s screaming problem, till now I figuring out an effective solution to minimize the problem. I don’t really wish to see Kermit turning into a screamer. Through my daily observation of Kermit, I noticed there are a few possibilities that lead Kermit into screaming:

1. Over-Bonding Issue (Whenever I’m out of sight, he will scream!)
2. Calls from other bird/flocks (Kermit’s scream most of time are triggered due to Kiki’s high-pitched calls)
3. Fear & Stress (It’s probably difficult to remedy due to unknown factors leading to fear & stress)

Possibilities 1 and 2 can be remedied with day to day training over time to time, but as for fear and stress can be difficult to deal with as most the triggers are unknown.

I remembered at one occasion when Kermit was with me in the living room. I was reading a book and Kermit beside me playing with his toys and shredding paper boxes, then suddenly Kermit break into his notorious screams again and flapping here and there continuously. There were several occasions that this similar scenarios happened.

At that moment, I knew he’s afraid and in FEAR. Many times, I tried hard to think back that I’m actually doing and what could be the trigger to the scream. Unfortunately, there’s no lead and I totally have no idea what led him to be so afraid of. Possibly could be he just want to vent his frustration, like humans we do get moody too.

This led me to finding solution in dealing with emotional stress and fear, I’ve been researching for natural sedative or depressant that is suitable for the avians. Soon I came across with an article online indicating Chamomile Flower as an effective stress reliever with calm soothing effect. The good news is that it is natural and safe for birds. I’ve decided to give it a try on Kermit.

So how do I introduce the herbal remedy into Kermit’s body? Giving fresh chamomile flower as daily diet? Well getting fresh chamomile flower and getting them to eat the flower can be difficult and a daunting task. Instead I got Chamomile Tea Bags from the local supermarket, brewed and dilute them as the drinking water for Kermit.

How do I prepare?
1. One pack Chamomile Tea Bag with 1 Cup of boiling water (leave the tea bag for 3-5minutes).
2. Dilute the tea with 4 cup of water.
3. Once the mixture is cooled can be use as daily drinking water.
4. Chill/Refrigerate the leftover (Possible of keeping the tea for up to a week).

Direction of Use:
2-3 times weekly.

Kermit had tried the remedy for a week and I’ve yet to see the improvement. I do hope that the effects of Chamomile Flower can help Kermit in any way.

Post Related:
Curb that Kermit Scream