Bits of Progress

[BarbieH]

I've been working with Sam and the BB Boyz daily in the bathroom, and of course all three are sharing a cage now. Here is our progress:

* Bongo is really starting to come around. He is the younger and braver of Bosco and Betty's two chicks. With Sam there he looks at my face, preens a tiny bit of hair, and instead of trying to fly away from my hands, he will walk around behind my head.

Yesterday I had sink water running and my hands cupped under it so Bongo could watch Sammy take a drink. Sam went down my arm and took several drinks, much more than usual. He was demonstrating. :) Bongo looked so much like he wanted to be brave enough to go down the arm too! In time I'm sure he will work up the nerve, with Sammy to show the way.

* Barney, alas, is still quite the scaredy bird who tries to fly away at the slightest thing. But even he sits on my shoulders very nicely. Maybe one day this weekend I will take all three birds into the bathroom together. Maybe I will introduce dowel training to Bongo next week.

* In unrelated development, Didjit has been spending a little time out of the cage by himself. He has even taken a sink bath in my hands, which is remarkable because George and Gracie (his parents/cagemates) want nothing to do with those evil hands.

That's all for now. And that's quite enough for me. :)

[bellarains]

Barb,

Sounds like all is going nicely. I'm sure the others will follow eventually. With Sammy to lead the way, how could they not :)

Lacey watches Bela take a bath in my hands, and at times I think she will join in. She hasn't so far, but as soon as I put them back in the cage, she runs over to her water bowl for her bath. She takes a really good bath in her water dish, and them pops up as if to say, "See, I can do it too" :lol

[Paulette]

[QUOTE=BarbieH]I've been working with Sam and the BB Boyz daily in the bathroomQUOTE]

What a great idea, BarbieH!....I am glad you posted this. I know others have posted similar advise on training. The bathroom is a small room with less room to fly around......and what great accomplishments for you and your fids. I used to take my birds to the kitchen sink, but that was when I only had about 6 birds tops. Now I just bring the baths to the cages. >o

[butterfly1061]

Great progress Barb!! Sounds like the little ones will follow Sam pretty soon. :D

Molly always took a bath in the bathroom sink after much coaxing. When I bought Daisy, Molly would watch with curiosity when Daisy took her bath in my hands at the kitchen sink. Molly soon followed suit. When I bought Piper, he would use a little dish I had and would dive right in. The wetest bathing bird I have. Piper would watch Daisy in my hands at the kitchen sink too. Well, anything Daisy does, Piper does. Now all my birds take their "big" bath in my hands in the sink. It's such a neat feeling when their little wings lightly touch your hands while they bath. I feel like a real mommy >o

[Buy A Paper Doll]

It is so helpful to have another birdy to lead the way, isn't it? I found that it took longer to socialize Melody, but it was easier overall because Milo did most of the work for me! Getting her to eat her veggies was not a problem at all. Milo eats them so she wants them too. And even if she won't eat them, he eats a little extra and gacks it up for her. Getting her to step up was very easy once I let Milo teach her: Melody sees Milo step up. Then she sees that Milo is told what a good boy he is. Melody wants in on the action too. Her little face brightens right up when I tell her she's a good girl. :)

[BarbieH]

Well, we're taking a couple of days off for good behavior; :) that and I had to go into the office yesterday.

More good news, though. I had Gracie and Didjit out together, and except for the rump color they look very much alike. Well, I thought I saw Didjit from the corner of my eye, on my "chest," ;) and I held out my finger for him to step up. Wrong! It was Gracie. :eek: She gave me a nip but she didn't break skin.

It is great to have a helper bird, and it's good for Sammy too. I tell him how special he is, and he gets special attention afterwards. :)

[sdgilley]

Wrong! It was Gracie. She gave me a nip but she didn't break skin.
:rofl:
I've done that with Luka and Peepo on my shoulder... not because they look alike, but because they were out of my field of vision. Luka will sit up close to my neck - which is Peepo's spot. I had better keep the evil hands away from him, though!

I'm glad they're doing so well together!