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New Release CITES Pin Five Behaviors for a Well Behaved By Barbara Heidenreich

arrots are often described as inher- Pently difficult com- panion . However a well behaved , whether it is a bird or mammal, is often in reality the result of good training and not necessarily the ’s genetics. When caregivers are armed with this knowledge, they are empow- ered to teach their to be wonderfully well behaved. Well behaved birds are often thought of as ones who will readily respond to our requests for various behaviors. Start your collection today! They are cooperative and eager to engage. Creating a The comical Black-headed Caique that can’t wait to present good (Pionites melanocephala) is featured on the behavior is the result of train- newest CITES collector pin in the series. ing with positive reinforce- ment. When we reinforce an $8.99—limited edition action, we are increasing the likelihood our bird will do today at the AFA store, www.AFAbirds.org the desired behavior again in the future. Positive reinforc- ers are anything we can add to the environment to increase Do You Have Them All? behavior. Usually positive rein- 1. Hyacinth /Golden 10. Hawk-headed Parrot 20. I–Paradise Tanager forcers are things our 2. 11. Major Mitchell’s 21. T–Cock of the Rock seek to acquire such as food 3. 12. Tahitian Lory 22. E– treats, toys and attention. 4. -winged Macaw/ 13. Gang Gang Cockatoo 23. S–Black-bearded Barbet Another important aspect of training with positive rein- Great Bill Parrot/Toco Toucan 14. Red-capped Parrot 24. forcement includes allowing 5. Spix’s Macaww 15. Blue-headed 25. Blue-eyed Cockatoo your bird the choice to partici- 6. Crimson-bellied Conure 16. Violaceous Touraco 26. Plum-headed pate or not. This sometimes 7. Moluccan Cockatoo 17. Lady Gouldian Finches 27. Rose-breasted Cockatoo feels a bit counterintuitive, but 8. African Grey 18. Blue-crowned NEW! in truth allowing your bird 9. Pair of Parrots 19. C–Edward’s 28. Black-headed Caique to walk or fly away will make him more likely to participate in the future. Some caregivers may feel www.afabirds.org compelled to force a bird Photographs by Barbara Heidenreich to comply with a request.

AFA Watchbird 51 Unfortunately this often many cases caregivers would be being used in a coercive man- is presented. This will give you causes a bird to be even less extremely satisfied if their par- ner. Retraining this behavior a way to move your bird with- cooperative. It can also often rot would present the follow- can take some time, but it is a out having to touch him. lead to a parrot resorting to ing five behaviors: very realistic goal. The targeting behavior can aggressive behavior to cause • Step up Training step up is actu- then be used to train your par- the unwelcomed coercion to • Step down ally started by first training rot to step onto your other stop. In other situations it will • Go back into the cage another behavior called tar- hand. If a bird shows a fear or cause the bird to retreat and be • Stepping onto new people geting. When we teach an aggressive response to hands, even more likely to avoid the • Recall animal to target we teach it place your left hand at the end caregiver. Aggressive behav- Unfortunately for some to orient a body part towards of the to create an exten- ior and fear responses are not birds these are difficult behav- something. For parrots we sion of the perch. Keep your something we typically associ- iors. This is often the result of usually teach them to orient hand very steady and use your ate with a well behaved parrot. information that has advised their towards a chopstick target hand to encourage the The good news is by empower- parrot owners to force a par- or closed fist. An easy way to bird to take steps towards your ing our parrots to choose and rot to comply or obey. Care- start this behavior is by offer- perch hand. This gives you refraining from using force givers have also been told to ing treats from your right hand the opportunity to reinforce we can avoid these problems dominate parrots and show one after another. Very quickly small steps or approximations altogether. them who is boss. We now your parrot will learn treats towards getting onto your Instead we can focus on know these strategies have lead are dispensed from your right perch hand. (This is a tech- reinforcing our parrots every to many of the behavior prob- hand and will begin to ori- nique I developed after work- time they choose to pres- lems typically seen in compan- ent towards it. Present your ing with hundreds of parrot ent behavior we request. It ion parrots such as aggressive closed fist a few inches away at my parrot training work- may take a little time at first behavior and fear of hands. In from your parrot, if he moves shops that presented issues to build some history of your the following section a more towards it reinforce him. Soon with hands.) Eventually you parrot presenting desired trust building approach is he will go to the fist wherever it will create enough repetitions actions and getting reinforced described for each of the five for them. But once your bird behaviors. understands his choices are Presenting your hand reinforce your parrot once resulting in things he enjoys, Step Up Reinforcers for Parrot Behavior should be done with care- both feet are on your hand. he will be eagerly present- Step up is probably the Food treats are usually easy to use when training par- ful forethought. Present the ing those behaviors again and behavior desired the most by rots to present new behaviors. This is because they can hand slowly to allow time to Step Down again. owners. We be delivered and consumed quickly. This allows for quick read and interpret your par- Stepping down is equally are accustomed to being able repetitions and faster learning. Often the food item your rot’s body language. If you see important as stepping up. bird eats first from his regular diet is his favorite. You can Five Behaviors to interact with our in a a fear response or aggressive Some parrots are fortunate When we think of behav- hands-on manner. However pull this item from the diet and save it for training to in- crease its value as a reinforcer. Parrots also respond to behavior, remove your hand. to have had many pleasant iors a well behaved parrot for some parrots this behavior other types of reinforcers. Calm body language is a sig- interactions with hands and might present we find that in is extremely challenging due Some parrots respond well to head scratches. If a treat nal to continue. Your hand is their caregivers. For these reality the list is quite short. In to past experiences with hands is not handy you can deliver a head scratch as soon as your best placed slightly higher than birds the challenge is not step- parrot steps onto a perch. Attention and companionship the perch and an inch or so in ping up, but rather stepping can also be a reinforcer. Be careful not to accidentally use front of the bird. T down. Nothing is as reinforc- them to reinforce undesired behaviors such as screaming his allows your bird to com- ing to them as spending time for attention. Toys are also great reinforcers, especially for fortably step up. Allow your with their favorite human going back into a cage or for staying on a play stand. parrot to present the action. companions. Try to identify as many reinforcers as you can for your Your hand is simply a perch. Training a parrot to step parrot and start using them to reward your parrot for pre- senting desired behavior. Your parrot will learn to be well Be sure both feet are settled down also involves using the behaved in no time. on your hand before moving. target. Present your parrot This will also increase your in front of and slightly lower parrots comfort and make it than the perch. This is to allow of your parrot stepping onto will be able to present your more likely he will be inclined your bird to comfortably step your hand that he will under- hand in front of your parrot’s to step up in the future. up onto the perch. Your par- stand that stepping up earns feet instead of at the end of the Most importantly be sure to rot may show no intention of lots of goodies. Overtime you perch.

52 Volume XXXIX • Number 4 • 2012 AFA Watchbird 53 stepping onto the perch. This parrot once on the perch with time your parrot is out of schedule and pair it with the is where your target will be of head scratches, cuddles or his cage. Keep a stash of 10 other strategies and you will help. Present the target on the attention. to 15 toys on hand that can find your parrot will be more other side of the perch. Rein- be rotated daily. If your bird cooperative. force your parrot if he leans Go Back into the Cage enjoys his toys, this novelty If you need to retrain the over the perch to target. For Some parrots find being will help increase his motiva- behavior be sure to break it each repetition place the target outside the cage more fun than tion to go back into the cage. down into smaller approxima- a little farther back to encour- being inside the cage. Fortu- Save his most preferred treat tions. This may mean offering age more approximations nately this is something we can for going back in the cage. If your bird treats for remaining towards stepping onto the easily address by using positive you know your parrot loves a calm as you slowly approach perch. Eventually your parrot reinforcement. A good thing particular treat more than any the cage. You can use your tar- will place one foot and then to keep in mind when faced other this can be a powerful get to train your bird to step two feet on the perch. Prac- with a behavior problem is that tool for a difficult behavior. If down onto a perch in the cage tice repetitions of this until it is parrots will present the behav- you parrot learns he will only as described in the previous presented consistently. ior that earns greater or bet- get that treat when he enters section. For some parrots human ter reinforcers. This means if a his enclosure he will quickly interaction is of more value bird is resistant to going back learn there is value in going Stepping onto than food reinforcers. For into the cage we need to focus back in the cage. New People birds that prefer attention try on ways to make being in the Put your bird back in his Pets are often expected to to position your hand and cage equally as fun as being cage for unpredictable inter- automatically respond in a body so that the bird will be outside of it. vals of time. Instead of put- receptive manner to new peo- stepping towards you when he Here are some ideas to help ting your parrot away for the ple. However we often see steps onto the perch. You can make the cage more reinforc- day, try taking him right back this is not as easy as it sounds then heavily reinforce your ing. Try rotating toys every out. Create an unpredictable with parrots. Again a parrot’s

AFA Watchbird 55 history and experience with bird to fly to your hand when strangers will greatly influence Training vs. Maintaining Good Behavior the bird looks very likely to fly his desire to readily present Training a new behavior may take some time, but the to you. This will pair a quick Avian Probiotocs this behavior. Outdated advice investment is worth it. Plan on a few sessions to get a response to the cue with the older birds had more. suggested passing the bird new behavior trained. Difficult behaviors will take more action. This will help create a By Jeanne Smith, DVM Other factors besides age can affect a bird’s normal bacterial from person to person. Similar time. If you really need a behavior trained quickly, have solid recall. frequent short training sessions. This may mean up to robiotics have become flora. Stress has been found to decrease numbers of normal bac- to forcing parrots to obey, this If your bird is not flighted, three sessions a day depending on your parrots interest increasingly popular in teria in humans, animals, and . The same research has leads to a parrot who may com- recall is still a behavior worth in the reinforcer. Most parrots will participate in training both the human and not yet been done in pet birds, but they have systems similar to ply but is not an eager partici- sessions for five to 20 minutes on average. training. Instead of asking animal health supple- poultry so we would expect that they respond much the same pant. Instead we create a par- your bird to fly to your hand, To maintain behavior be sure to reinforce your bird ev- ment industries. What way to stress. Antibiotic treatment not only gets rid of abnor- rot who learns he has no choice ery time you request behavior. You will no longer need you will be asking him to walk exactlyP is a probiotic? The currently mal or pathogenic but normal bacteria as well. That’s in the matter or one that shows to have daily training sessions to teach your parrot how towards your hand. Practice accepted Food and Agriculture why you’ll hear of birds getting yeast in their intesti- aggressive behavior or fear to do the behavior. Instead you will reinforce your bird the behavior on a flat surface Organization/World Health Orga- nal tract after treatment with tetracyclines. The yeast isn’t being responses towards new people. whenever he presents the behavior in your day to day initially. Then add climbing interactions. nization definition of a probiotic is held in check by normal bacteria anymore. Positive reinforcement to your hand as another type “live microorganisms which when Parent birds dose their chicks with their normal bacteria offers an effective pathway to Once a behavior is solid, try offering a different rein- of recall. If your bird ever ends forcer for each presentation of the behavior. This will help administered in adequate amounts when they feed them. If the parents are older, have been stressed, creating a parrot that looks up in a tree you will find this keep your bird motivated to present behavior. He never confer a health benefit on the host.” For many , “beneficial or have been treated with antibiotics they may not have the forward to interacting with behavior extremely helpful. knows if he is going to get a head scratch, a toy or his fa- bacteria” products have been available labeled as nutritional sup- normal bacteria they need to pass on to their chicks. Handfed strangers. Just like other behav- vorite treat. If for any reason your parrot stops presenting plements. The big differences between a nutritional supplement chicks don’t get their parents’ normal bacteria. This can be one iors discussed, we can focus on the behavior, you can go back to your approximations You Can Do It! and a probiotic is that the bacteria in the nutritional supplement reason why handfed chicks have more problems with gram nega- breaking this down into small and retrain it. Usually the behavior will get back on track Well behaved parrots do doesn’t have to be alive and there is no implied claim it will have tive bacterial infections and yeast infections than parent raised steps or approximations. very quickly. exist. Parrot can learn to step any health benefits. chicks do. To train this behavior it up, step down, go back into Until recently the Food and Drug Administration required A good probiotic helps a bird by becoming its normal bacte- is best to have the new per- to generalize the behavior. This make the effort to come to the the cage, step up on strangers products labeled as probiotics to be FDA approved or indexed rial flora and supporting the growth of other normal bacteria. son stand still and hold their makes it more likely he will hand. This means using posi- and come to you when called. because the definition (and public perception) of a probiotic When it does this it strengthens all the natural defenses a nor- arm steady. The person with step up onto any new person tive reinforcement to train step Spend a few training sessions meets the FDA’s definition of a drug: “articles intended for use in mal bacterial flora provides. the bird reinforces the par- who presents the cue for step up is critical for recall. getting these five important the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of dis- rot for remaining calm as up in a manner to which the The first approximation for behaviors solid. You will find ease” and “articles (other than food) intended to affect the struc- Desirable Characteristics of an Avian Probiotic they approach the new per- bird is accustomed. training recall is cueing the interacting with your parrot ture or any function of the body of man or other animals” (Food, Most of the research in avian probiotics has been done in son. Using the methods bird to step up. In the next even more rewarding when Drug, & Cosmetic Act, section 201 (g)(1). Now the FDA has poultry. Only a few studies have used pet bird . The fol- described for training a par- Recall approximation the hand is pre- he is cooperative and eager to relaxed its regulations on probiotics, allowing them to be labeled lowing information, therefore, comes primarily from poultry. rot to step down, the bird can More and more people are sented slightly farther away respond to your requests. Most as probiotics with approval only necessary if any efficacy claims The pet bird information is included where appropriate. be prompted to step onto the learning to live with flighted from the bird so that he must importantly you will enjoy a are made on the label. Now that FDA has changed its regula- After decades of research, the following list of characteristics steady arm of the new person parrots. Flighted parrots have stretch his legs to get to the wonderful relationship with tions, many products labeled as avian probiotics are being put on of an ideal avian probiotic has been proposed: using the closed fist as a target. the ability to land on hand. In the following step your parrot based on trust. the market. It’s important to know more about avian probiotics • Ability to adhere to intestinal lining cells After several repetitions the that are not easily accessed by the hand is presented at a dis- to wisely choose among these new products. • Species specific new person can substitute his people. Some caregivers find tance that will require the bird Barbara Heidenreich has • Ability to colonize and reproduce in the bird or her closed fist for the target this lack of control unnerving. to reach with his beak and been a professional animal Avian Normal Bacteria • Ability to survive throughout the GI tract and deliver the reinforcers. The However others are discovering pull his body to the hand. In trainer since 1990. Her com- Back in the 1950s researchers determined that various spe- • Produce materials that harm pathogenic bacteria next step is to allow the new if you have trained your parrot some cases the bird may flap pany, Good Bird Inc., provides cies of Lactobacilli and anaerobic coccoid bacteria were the • Ability to improve immunity person to approach the parrot to recall reliably, managing a in conjunction with the step. parrot training DVDs, books main normal bacteria in and turkeys. In the late 1970’s • Safe—doesn’t cause illness when he is sitting on a perch flighted bird becomes easy. This can be heavily reinforced and workshops. She has been a researchers began investigating the normal bacterial flora of pet • Survive processing and storage and present an arm to cue step Training a recall starts to communicate flapping is featured speaker on six conti- birds. Most papers reported predominantly gram positive bac- Ability to adhere: Adherence means that the bac- up. The previous experience of with a solid step up behavior. desired. The next presenta- nents and has been published in terial flora, and, as in poultry, most frequently various species teria attaches itself to the intestinal lining cells. Even if the stepping on the arm and earn- This means the parrot must tion of the hand should be far nine languages. She is a former of Lactobacilli and gram positive cocci. Gram negative bacte- intestine is rinsed off well the bacteria stay attached. Research- ing reinforcers will have taught know how to use its own body enough away that the bird will president of the International ria were determined to be abnormal and potentially harmful to ers became aware of the importance of adherence through a the bird there is value in step- power to place itself on your need to hop to the hand to Association of Avian Trainers pet birds. One study examined the numbers of different bacte- series of papers published in the 1970s by a man named Fuller. ping up on the new person. hand. A parrot that has been gain reinforcers. Over time the and Educators and served on the ria in various healthy pet birds of different ages. They found that All the avian species he examined—chickens, turkeys, , This process should be trained through coercion to distance can be increased. You Board of Directors from 1997– young birds had the highest numbers of normal bacteria and , , and pigeons—had Lactobacillus species which repeated with many different step up will have a difficult can fine tune this training by 2009. Barbara also consults on as birds aged they had fewer and fewer normal bacteria. At the adhered to cells. Lactobacillus species isolated from ten dif- people so that the bird learns time understanding it needs to presenting your cue for your animal training in zoos. same time, younger birds had fewer gram negative bacteria and ferent mammalian species did not. Also, the other bacteria he

56 Volume XXXIX • Number 4 • 2012 AFA Watchbird 57