If you have done much reading about pet
parrots and behavior, you have probably encountered the phrase, nurturing guidance
-- a concept developed by Sally Blanchard, author of the Parrot Psychology column
in BIRD TALK MAGAZINE and editor of THE PET BIRD REPORT. From my experience as a parrot
behavior consultant, the establishment of a relationship of nurturing guidance is the single
most important component to enjoying years and years of cohabitation with a parrot.
Without it, a parrot is often unclear as to his position within his human flock...or worse
yet, through other mistakes made by his well-meaning owner, the parrot receives the
nonverbal information that it is the head of the flock.
The result of this linguistic misunderstanding is not pleasant -- a
parrot in control of its human flock is an animal that is out of control. A parrot
is genetically a wild animal (whether it is domestic-bred or not) who has some basic
instinctual information about survival in the rain forests, but it has not a clue
regarding adaptation to a person's living room. A parrot also may have some basic
information regarding the responsibilities of a flock leader, but not the foggiest idea
how to supervise the behaviors of all the different life forms (humans, cats, dogs,
hamsters, goldfish, gerbils....) it may encounter in captivity.
The analogy I like to use is that of a person who has been hired for a
management position. The job isn't fully explained except for one thing: there are several
people to supervise. However, no matter what the new manager does, the people under his
supervision totally ignore the orders they are given. A person placed in that situation
would probably exhibit increased tension resulting in a variety of unhealthy things like
yelling, temper tantrums, nail chewing, etc.. In parrots, the result can be unacceptable
behaviors like cage territoriality, biting, screaming, and feather plucking.
Out of Control....
I think all parrot behavior consultants agree on one thing: the behavior problems
commonly seen in captive parrots are a direct result of a lack of control on the part of
the human, and too much control on the part of the parrot. So it is obvious that a person
cohabiting with a parrot must establish that (s)he [the human] is the head of the
flock and the parrot is in a submissive position within said flock. Sounds simple enough
– but how does one do it?
Actually, from my experience, it is simple. By establishing a
relationship of nurturing guidance by teaching and consistently using four basic
commands, you can successfully demote your parrot from its perceived position as head of
the flock. These commands – Up, Down, No and OK -- block the parrot from making major
decisions, such as whether or not it will come out of (or off of) the cage, whether
or not it will go back into the cage, whether or not it will stop biting or
screaming, etc. etc. These commands will NOT, however, turn a parrot into a little robot,
so that is not a concern. These commands will also not remove all decision-making from the
parrot's life, because a certain amount of decision-making is important for an intelligent
animal's mental health. The parrot still has critical decisions to make regarding which
food to eat (or fling) next, which toy must be beaten into submission next, etc. etc..
The First Command
The first command is Up. The meaning of this command is simple -- Up' means step
onto a human hand NOW. It does NOT mean, step onto a human hand IF the parrot is in
the mood. Many people think their parrots are trained to this command, but when
questioned in detail, it turns out the bird may know what the word means, but only follows
it when it wants to – and if so, that parrot is NOT trained to the Up
command. Just as one expects a properly-trained dog to sit when it is told to sit, when
one says ''Up'', the parrot MUST step up, not some of the time or most
of the time but ALL of the time. This is the human’s decision, not the bird's.
The most important thing to understand about this command is this: It's
purpose is not JUST to get the bird on one’s hand -- it's purpose is to remind the
bird that the PERSON the one making the major decisions, NOT the parrot.
As with all commands taught to animals, the use of a single word is
generally more effective than multiple words, so ''Up'' is often more effective than
''Step up'' and definitely more effective than
''Baby-get-on-my-hand-like-mommy's-good-little-birdy'' or what Blanchard calls
''motor-boating'' with ''upupupupupupup''.
Command #2
Down is command #2 is and it means step off the human hand onto an inanimate object
(such as a perch), NOW. This is not a directional thing -- if one wants a parrot to
step up onto a high perch, the command is still Down. This is the command one uses when
it's time for the bird to go back in its cage so the human can leave for work, neatly
circumventing the bird-glued-to-a-hand routine. One of my clients told me a story about
her macaw that I thoroughly enjoyed. She had the macaw on her shoulder [which is NOT
recommended] and was trying to get him off her shoulder and up onto the top of his cage by
saying, ''Step up, Freddie, UP''. Well, Freddie apparently had a much better grasp of the
proper use of these commands because he looked her in the eye and said "DOWN,"
then stepped onto the cage!
Commands #3 & #4
Command #3 is No and I don't suppose anyone needs any explanation of this one -- all
parrot owners already use it with varying degrees of success. However, the human companion
will be delighted to find that this word gains tremendous potency when a parrot is
properly trained. After all, when your boss says No, you listen!
The fourth and last command is Okay and this is the release command.
This is used when the parrot really wants to do something and the human wishes to give the
bird permission. In this manner, it becomes the human’s idea, NOT the bird's. For
example, the bird is on your hand but obviously really wants to go to your spouse -- so
you say ''Okay'' and your spouse says ''Up''. So the decision becomes the person’s,
NOT the parrot's… ….which is the whole point.
Lesson Time and Place....
To teach these commands, one only needs a neutral room and a neutral perch. In this
situation, ''neutral'' is defined as something the parrot does not already consider to be
his own property, such as his cage or his jungle gym (or his sofa).
To attempt to teach commands with the parrot sitting on what he considers to be HIS turf
is an exercise in futility. We humans tend to underestimate just how territorial a bird
can be, and learning this can be a painful lesson. Just remember that propagation of the
species is the prime directive for any animal, and protection of one's nest falls under
that heading. The subject of cage territoriality is a very important one, and it is
addressed ad nauseum in another article.
Lessons should be given once or twice a day for no longer than fifteen
to twenty minutes. If done more than once, they should be several hours apart. You should
make sure you are relaxed before you begin, or it is guaranteed the lesson will not go
well. Parrots are incredibly empathic creatures that often mirror our moods -- so if you
start a lesson in an angry or aggressive mood, for example, don't be surprised if you get
bitten. Smile, be patient, and always end the lesson on a positive note.
Be Mod Philosophy
The concept of behavior modification is quite simple -- to give positive reinforcement
for good behaviors and to (and this is the hard part) ignore bad behaviors. So when the
parrot follows a command, smile at him and/or tell him he is wonderful. When he does not,
ignore the transgression and simply repeat the command, pushing gently but firmly at his
legs or lower chest. Say the command clearly and decisively, like you expect the
parrot to do as you say. If you don't really expect him to behave, he probably won't.
Always remember that parrots prefer to step up than down, so hold your
hand a little above the perch for an Up command, and slightly below for a Down. Your hand
position is also important -- hold it as if you are going to shake hands, except that the
hand is held parallel to the perch on which the bird is sitting. Your elbow is bent and
held close to your waist so there is no clear, inviting pathway to your shoulder.
Perch Training
And while you are teaching your parrot to step up onto your hand, take a few extra
minutes and also teach him/her to step onto a hand-held perch on command, also. This will
come in handy later, especially with headstrong birds like Amazons and macaws, who can
become quite aggressive during spring nesting behavior. An Amazon in full display (neck
feathers up, tail feathers fanned, eyes flashing madly), is better handled with a perch --
your healing time will be greatly diminished.
This trick will also come in handy if you have an inexperienced person
bird-sitting when you're out of town. Inexperienced people are often much less afraid of
parrots if they don't have to get the bird directly onto their hand, so your feathered
friend will have a better chance at getting out-of-cage time if he’s perch trained.
To Shoulder Or Not To Shoulder...
The subject of shouldering is NOT a controversial one. Every parrot behavior
consultant I know agrees that the owner who allows a bird to shoulder is an owner who is
asking for trouble. Forget the pirate movies you watched as a child -- allowing a parrot
on your shoulder is ASKING FOR TROUBLE. Yes, it is convenient, and yes, most people think
it is cool... but be very aware of exactly what you are accomplishing by doing this. By
allowing a parrot on your shoulder you are putting him above eye level. When you put a
companion parrot above eye level, you are giving him the nonverbal information that he
outranks you. Consequently, all your little training sessions might very well be a
waste of time -- they will not negate the parrot's belief that you are subservient to him
(after all, that's what you TOLD him!).
The second critical thing you accomplish by allowing a bird to shoulder
is that you have exposed a tremendously vulnerable part of your anatomy to that
beak. After twenty years as a veterinary technician, I have plenty of scars in a variety
of places and frankly, scars generally don't concern me. If I cared about getting scars, I
would've found an easier way to make a living. But from personal experience, I can tell
you that being bitten in the face is a completely different story. Even without the
danger of loss of an eye or other permanent disfigurement, being bitten in the face can
have a permanent negative effect on your relationship with your parrot.
Psychologically, it can take a long time, IF EVER, that you will learn to trust the bird
again. It is simply not worth risking permanent damage to your relationship -- as well as
your anatomy.
And even if you don't care about the potential of losing a nose, ear or
eye, I wish to point out one more thing: forgetting a bird is on your shoulder and walking
outside with it is one of the most common ways people have lost parrots – especially
if you haven't been paying attention and the bird's wings are starting to grow out.
Conclusion
From my experience, if you follow these guidelines and use these commands clearly
and consistently, life with your parrot should improve immensely. You must be
patient, though – habits can be hard to break, both for your parrot and you. It took
time for your parrot to learn the behaviors he exhibits and it will take time for him to
change. But more importantly, it will take time for you to remember to be consistent with
the commands, and until you are consistent you cannot expect a change in the
behaviors of your parrot. But believe me, it is well worth the time and effort for
years of enjoyable cohabitation with that amazing little life form called a parrot.