Unlearning bad behavior.

[parrotntn]

Cleo has a bad learned behavior. She wants to bite/beak hard SOMETIMES when she steps up. If she is in a place where she needs to be rescued, she hops eagerly onto my hand. Otherwise, she'll nip and run from my hand/finger OR the perch when approached.
She was rescued from a hamster cage in a bad petstore in Indiana so there is no telling what her history is.
She is very loving otherwise, allows me to hold her head in my hand and eats eagerly out of my hand. ROLLS on her back for some belly scratching, etc. as long as it's on a perch.
I've been able to clicker train her to bring a ring and put it in a cup, to wave, and some other things. But I cannot UNTRAIN her from this bad habit.
I will say that today I tried something a little different with the perch. I more or less "scooped her" onto it. Instead of bribing her onto the perch, I just moved with it quickly and got her onto it. Basically not giving her time to repeat that bad behavior. It actually worked pretty good.
I'm just looking for any other success stories.

Mark.

[berger232004]

I rescued Gizmo, my OWA eighteen months ago. She still shows sign of screaming when she does not get what she wants despite my attempts. She also has a habit of going for my hand for no apparent reason when she has just preened my fingers a couple of minutes before !!

The screaming when i leave the room did get better but gradually got worse again after i introduced the baby grey Dusty last December. Still working on it lol xx

[Monica]

Cleo has a bad learned behavior. She wants to bite/beak hard SOMETIMES when she steps up. If she is in a place where she needs to be rescued, she hops eagerly onto my hand. Otherwise, she'll nip and run from my hand/finger OR the perch when approached.
The biting or nipping behavior, to me, sounds like she's telling you "NO, I don't want to!" while at the same time, putting up with it... When she hops up eagerly, it's because she wants to.

Therefore, you need to teach her that it's a good idea to step up. If she steps up good, give her a treat! Take her somewhere where she wants to go! Just make it more rewarding for her to step up, than being where she's at.


Perhaps you could even use her training to get her to step up, in a sense. Maybe try to train her to put something in your hand? Treat. Then work on getting her to put a foot on your hand, remove object, treat. Both feet on your hand, treat.

[birdlover49]

Hi,
My name is Teresa and I am new to using message boards. You are the first first I have corresponded with. I am getting a DHY next week. I am so excited. What type of Amazon do you have?