Parrot training

[JadeC]

Has anybody heard of this guy? I've been watching his videos like crazy and love them. He has some really good advice and knows parrots really well. I really like this guy!!!!! He's called the parrot wizard. He has his own site too, it's called [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] and it's FULL of information.

I train dogs and I know how important it is to work not only their physical portions but they also need mental stimulation. I'm assuming the same applies for parrots. :) Check him out, it's worth a read.

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[Turquoise]

Really good reading. I haven't heard of him before that I can remember. Thanks for sharing this with us.:th_biggrin:

[Blancaej]

Thanks for sharing Jade. I will be sure to check that out when I have more time!

[ShellyBorg]

I highly recommend the parrot wizard! He is the real deal and knows what he is doing. He also works with smaller parrots not just the eye candy breeds!

[Pinkbirdy]

That was the first forum I was on. What he gets his Senegal to do is impressive [he was on David Letterman ] . But he really restricts their food in take [to get them to do that] . My macaw was very sick at this time and food was so important to her wellbeing . I couldn't listen to him anymore ! Im sorry to be so negative but it made me sick [and he encourages it] He is no vet to advise people to do that. He encourages free flight [which is fine ] . How would he know how much food to advise people [with the energy their using flying or in a cage] The forum was one big fight all the time [very negative] . I cant even think about those poor birds on that.

[JadeC]

Exactly!! Cockatiels are birds too :P I love training animals. Haha My dogs and cat are all trained. They love it. Meiko is taking to training very well too :)

[JadeC]

I don't limit Meiko's food intake, but I always try to work with him before I feed him dinner. He has pellets and fresh food in his cage most of the day, but he gets a seed mix for dinner and he'll do tricks for seeds. I just do it with a portion of his dinner. :P

[JadeC]

Also, there's a few YouTube videos that he goes to talk to the vets about his birds health and food intake. I do think he shouldn't tell people what to feed or how much, because its all about what works for you and your birds. I just think he needs to work on his approach.

[ShellyBorg]

Pink bird. He has a video where he takes his bird to the vet to make sure the diet they are on is not hurtful. The vet flat out states he wished that more birds came in in the shape they where in. In animal training a lot of times we need to figure training treats into their daily intake. I am a dog trainer and I have turned dogs around on a training diet. Most of the dogs I work with are not socialized and in danger of being put down. The trick to the training diet is that you have to make sure they are getting what they need. Most of our birds get WAY more food then they ever need! My own dog is a 4 year old lab cross who is right on the mark for how much he weighs, but because people see his ribs I get hassled about him being underweight. The truth is keeping our animals lean is healthier in the long run then over weight.

Now would I put a bird on a training diet who was in poor shape. No. They have to be in good shape and be getting the right mix of foods. Danny my zon is so over weight with such bad nutrition that while I watch what he eats like a hawk, he needs to be on a good diet and well settled with me for at least a year before I will really start working with him. Also if you are not training daily a training diet is not the best idea.

[ShellyBorg]

I think his biggest problem is he does not stress enough the need to really know your bird, your birds weight and if there is any change to dump the program until you can fine tune it. I even weigh the dogs I work with daily.

[JadeC]

I agree with Shelly. I train all sorts of animals and you really have to be careful with diets. A 50 lb dog who is trained and worked out everyday could eat the same as a 80 lb dog that doesn't. It all depends. Military and police dogs get weighed daily and the vets are VERY diligent on how much these dogs get fed. They get their diets adjusted weekly. I wouldn't limit a sick bird's diet at all. If its a healthy bird that gets plenty of exercise then limiting a little bit should be fine. Just talk to your vet about it and they can help you for your specific bird. :)

[Wayne361]

The parrot wizard site is the first site I came across when i was researching like mad when I got my rehome senegal Oscar. I think his advice is straight to the point, easy to understand and broken down in a step by step process that makes training fairly easy. TBH I owe a great deal of gratitude for the information on site and have used the information to extrapolate into other forms of training/behaviour modification.....all based on positive reinforcement.
I can understand some peoples dislike for the "personality" side of some comments.
I do have to say that I am on site daily and have never seen any "fights" going on....discussion/debate yes. He also doesnt encourage free flight...he states unequivically not to attempt unless you are a trainer and even then there is a high likelyhood of losing your bird. He uses weight management for training and health. He weighs his birds daily in order to obtain optimal weight. I am not here to defend....just set record straight.
He has a great training blog on site as well with video instruction. I think it is better to focus on the positive of every site since information can be gathered from each. Also important to look at various ways of training, behavioural management etc in order to properly apply to individual situations as they arise.
That is why I am looking at other sites now to gain a more wide range of experiences/information and to contribute likewise.

Wayne

[JadeC]

Thank you, Wayne. :) Very well put.