19: Training Your Bird in Visual Studio .NET

Painting ANSI/AIM Code 128 in Visual Studio .NET 19: Training Your Bird

When your bird discovers that biting gets her nothing and that when she stops biting, she gets rewarded, she learns not to bite However, if her biting is caused by extreme fear or anxiety, deal with this problem first (see The bird that won t adjust: Fear and anxiety section earlier in this chapter) Don t be too eager to handle your bird if she s afraid of you Large birds can bite extremely hard and can injure you severely, so please check with an avian behavioral consultant whenever you have an aggressive biter and you find that: You re afraid of or unable to handle your bird at all, including getting her back into her cage when she s out You feel your bird has control over you

Feather picking and chewing are tragic behaviors that happen when a bird is so bored, upset, fearful, disturbed, or in such discomfort that she plucks and chews her own feathers Some birds even give themselves wounds If your bird is exhibiting these symptoms, get to the root of the problem Sometimes the solution is easy Consider your answers to the following questions: Is your bird healthy, or is he having a skin problem Something as simple as itchy skin or mites can cause plucking Check with your vet and get a health clearance first Is your bird eating a healthy, complete, and varied diet Nutritional deficiencies often are a cause of plucking, picking, and self-mutilation See 18 to be sure you re feeding your bird a high-quality, complete diet Is your bird s cage large enough Is she getting enough exercise Birds that are stuck in claustrophobic conditions with little to no time spent outside of the cage and no opportunities to exercise and expend their formidable energy stores sometimes turn that energy against themselves Take your bird out more often or get him a bigger cage with plenty of toys to play with and room to climb around Is your bird getting enough mental stimulation Birds have plenty of opportunities to solve problems and interact socially in the wild A large parrot has the IQ of a young child, and you probably know what happens when a toddler has nothing to engage his curious brain If all your bird does is sit in a cage all day with nothing to engage her, she may develop the neurotic behavior of self-mutilation Give your bird more things to do things to chew, interactive toys, swings, and of course, attention Turn on a television or a radio for your bird, or move her cage to an area of the house with more activity

Speaking of attention, is your bird getting enough Maybe she is pining away with loneliness Praise her and play with her and tell her she is beautiful, even if she s plucked like a chicken, poor thing Is your bird fearful or anxious If so, be patient and work on helping your bird overcome these anxieties as described in The bird that won t adjust: Fear and anxiety earlier in this chapter If you can t determine a cause and a vet has proclaimed your bird in perfect health, please check with an experienced avian behavioral consultant for help determining the nature of the problem and developing customized strategies for dealing with it

Many pet bird owners are relatively inexperienced and can use a little help from someone who has been around the block when it comes to birds People who have kept, dealt with, and trained birds or who have advanced educations in bird behavior and training frequently offer consulting services to pet owners who are having problems dealing with behavioral issues Sometimes a solution to the problem you and your bird are experiencing is simpler than you think, and when you explain your situation to someone with experience and an objective eye, he or she can advise you about exactly what to try Sometimes, even with more advanced problems, an avian behavior consultant works closely with you and your bird to come to a workable solution These trained professionals are devoted to the welfare of birds and the people who are committed to keeping them responsibly, so don t hesitate to contact them for help The more advanced a problem, the harder it may be to solve, so even if your bird behavior issues seem small, give a professional a call To find one, ask your veterinarian or call a nearby vet school for information about avian behavior consultants in your area Or, ask friends with birds or local bird breeders who they recommend