Parrot Training: The Towel Game Part 2Soon while parrot training, you will be able to put the bird on its regular step-up practice perch, maybe a chair back, in unfamiliar territory, and, approaching with the towel draped over both hands from below, gently surround the bird with the towel. At first, you do not even have to pick the bird up, but the approached from below is extremely important. If the bird is approach from above, the towel can stimulate a feeling of being attacked by a predator. Later, you can step the bird up on to a towel-covered hand or scoop up the bird enfolded in the towel and snuggle it like an infant. Eventually, you will be able to cover only the bird's head with the towel, and the bird will think it is inside the towel. Then you can pet any known-to-be-enjoyable place that the bird cannot see. (The neck is a good place to start, of course.) Another way with this parrot training type to start is with the towel laid over your lap with the long ends hanging down on each side. Put the bird on your lap and put one hand under each end of the towel. Lift the ends of the towel up to the sides of your face, making a sort of canyon or cavern with the bird and your face inside. At first you do not , have to put your hands together; but you can eventually, and you can drape each end of the towel over the bird and then start looking for the bird and playing "peek-a-bird." Actually, there is no "wrong" way to play peek-a-bird if the bird is interacting and enjoying the process! It is just peeking around corners with "flexible corners." It's usually easier to teach a baby bird to enjoy the towel game than to teach an older bird. However, older birds often naturally "enjoy" spending time in restricting enclo¬sures, such as a nest box. It is not unusual for even a retired breeding bird to be easily conditioned to absolutely adore the towel game. One male umbrella cockatoo who was removed from active breeding because of his murderous advances on his mate was turned into a total pussycat with the towel game. It took him only a few weeks to go from being a devoted slasher and bringer of blood (he even broke a couple of fingers) to a creature that would dive breast first into a snugly towel and commence cuddling with amazing enthusiasm. If a particular bird resists or fears a towel, try going to something that looks less towel-like such as a nice, puffy down jacket or a large comforter. I see some benefit to using a towel about the color of the bird's body or under wings. When parrot training with this method remember, extreme towel stress appearing at the wrong time can harm a bird physically or emotionally. Towel stress can kill a bird. A good professional avian behavioral evaluation should include an evaluation of the bird's responses to toweling. A bird that is extremely afraid of towels is existing in a life-threatening state and should receive behavioral intervention, possibly professional behavioral intervention, as quickly as possible. Learn more at parrotparrot.com |
