After NEI many of us became extra conscious of aversives we expose our birds to. My only frequent negative interaction with Snowy is The Scoop.
Here's the scenario: The only time the Snowbeast is caged is at night, or once or twice a week when I have an event she's not invited to (why, oh why, isn't she welcome at the opera, I wonder?). Other than that, she's playing with toys on the kitchen floor, riding along in the car, hanging out in the livingroom, playing on the floor in my home office...etcetera.
To avoid utter destruction (well, some of the time--see photo), I always keep her with me. I know I need a bird room, a Corners Unlimited aviary, and other birds to keep her company. I'm working on all that.
The trouble comes when she's not in the mood to relocate. She doesn't give a hoot about food treats, though sometimes I can lure her with a toy.
So what do I resort to? The Scoop. I say the word "scoop" in a cheerful voice, hoping she'll voluntarily hop up. When she doesn't, I admit to a gentle nudge that makes her climb onto my arm. It's gentle, sure, but she doesn't like it.
The Scoop seems unavoidable if I intend to let her hang with me, uncaged. Is it? What aversives do you expose your birds to and what solutions have you come up with to avoid them?
Hi Jean
ReplyDeleteThis is typically me, to react on something like a month after the date...lol...
But this issue is still valid to me as it is one of those habitual things that tend to take that tiny bit longer to disappear, but it will if you persevere. My Tai Chi teacher always reminds us that habits might take only 2 days to create but take 2 years to undo again…
It’s going to be a bit of a read again, as is my custom, hope you don’t mind…
And I think you are doing great if your only negative interaction is the scoop!
I totally understand what you mean when you say that we became conscious of everyday aversives after the course, but that was what the course was all about, to create this awareness, well done.
It's just that the actual facing of the happenings at home, without one of the trainers peeking over ones shoulder, make it look that bit harder than it most likely is.
But I found that sticking to some of the basic rules we've learned, not all of them at the same time because that would really be confusing, really helps.
With every bird I meet I say the following things to myself to help me along with any issues that arise:
* That working with this bird is a study of one and that I need to try to see this bird as a wonderful but wild product of Mother Nature and use my knowledge of their ‘wild’ side to my advantage.
* That I have to try to see the monkey (I still feel a bit stupid for missing it in that particular video shown at the NEI course, thank you Cari)
* That I need to analyse any issues calmly by using my A B C’s: as in; I most likely know the problem (B, the Behaviour). But what in heavens name is happening afterwards (C, the Consequence) that’s rewarding the bird so much but that I would like to see changed. I will then have a look in detail at what happens before B (which is A, the Aversive) that triggered B to happen in the first place. And will keep changing A until C will become the result I’m looking for; a happy bird and a happy me.
* That those small approximations DO work and that by using all of the above, which will need patience and clear thinking on my part, the result is more positive and has a more lasting result in the end (remembering the importance of having a good solid trust account with the bird.)
* But my final thought to remember is always; WHAT’s IN IT FOR ME/ THE BIRD???
Now, I can understand if you found I haven’t really helped you or given you an answer to your direct issue with Snowy here, but I’ve found that most of the time people are, by writing their problems down, practically giving their own solutions or insight to that problem. And sometimes they just might need a light switch turned on to see it and we all know how that looks like and what that can do! (To birds anyway…lol…).
Also, helping out long-distance is not always that easy as I don’t know your situation at home, but I firmly believe that every little bit helps.
It was one of the reasons why I decided last year to spend all my money (and more) on the course we did at the NEI and why I will do my best to attend same next year, as I believe nothing beats hands-on experience.
But sometimes the only one that can help you is yourself and most of the time you do just that without even realizing it.
Having a re-read of ones own written down problem(s), instead of diving straight into all different and sometimes confusing answers from others, has helped me many a times to realise that I knew the answer(s) all along, only ‘hidden’ in the text waiting for me to see clearly (sitting down with a cup of coffee and relaxing a bit before re-reading it surely helps!).
But, if you are at ends meet and it would help you to know what I personally would do if I were to be in your situation, it would most likely be something like this:
Re-train her to step on your hand with really small (even looking it) approximations using your famous big smile and cheerful ‘gooood’! If she really likes to be with you, USE IT, and close her window of opportunity by walking away from her or turning away from her to do something else than give her the attention she most likely craves for (or not).
Or
Make sure that THE place to be is her cage (or wherever you want her to go) by making it the only place she will be fed or get treats/ the only place where her favourite toy(s) are/ the only place she can watch TV from/ or any other extreme fun thing that she really really likes doing. The list is endless! She might go there herself!
Or
Try to read her body language when she is in the mood to be moved and also when she’s not in the mood to be moved and move her while she still is in the mood…?
But whatever you decide to do, don’t give up or fall for those sweet brown eyes and also try different means/toys/cuddles/treats because you never know what will make them go for it a next time. We can’t know what they are thinking remember?
Ok, that is more then I wanted to write down, that’s what happens when I have a quite day at work…lol…
Let me know when you (or anyone else) have found this helpful, I’m still learning too…
Birdie greetings from
Silver
PS - I know why Snowy is not welcome at the opera; they know she’d be better then they are and attract a bigger crowed too…