Mia again...

[deHens]

Hey guys,

Mia has come a long way since last post, she is clicker trained, will take food from my hand in and outside of the cage (she's a little more scared outside) and she looks like she is a lot more relaxed with her new home than she previously was.

Unfortunately she picked up a new bad habit or behaviour. She now squawks a lot in the mornings and patrols around her cage while she does it, she looks and me sometimes when I'm near the cage but she will squawk a lot in the morning as soon as we take her sheet off. She sometimes checks myself or my brother out when she isn't doing (she will crouch down and look at us 'upside down' it is very cute when she does it but it doesn't look like a good thing.

She will squawk and chirp a bit and when I chirp back she will usually stop and then start again louder. Her squawking dies down in the afternoon, she is generally a bit more angry or agitated in the morning than the afternoon, she will try to bite you through cage bars in the morning and not so much in the afternoon.

We are currently housing our cousin here for about a week and have had some people over for dinner recently who don't really understand how delicate the bird is and how she doesn't want to be petted. Our grandparents will come over and whistle in her face sometimes (which I don't think she likes). Anyway I'm getting a little off topic.

When we look at her when she's eating she will squawk and she does it a lot in the morning. Is their anyway I could stop this behaviour without her hating me or anything. Our relationship has seem to have taken a small step back since the squawking started, which I'm not happy about, she will still take treats from me normally, I just feel she is angry with me or something.

Please help,

- Jack

[kanundra]

I'm really not sure what to say, but Bobby squaks a lot too, in the morning for a few hours and sometimes in the evening. I never hear it as I'm in work, but the other half is at home. This weekend we've been able to hear him a lot more. He gurgles a lot too and dances trying to mate with everything possible. He's also had my nose this week, but he's moulting too 8 biggish feathers.

Interested to follow your progress though. Bobby will take treats from me and step on my arm etc for them, but he's not a petting bird by any means. I only got to rub his belly yesterday because he was too busy preening and I don't think he noticed. lol But it's a step. Because he must have felt it really. When he turned around he did kinda lunge but not nastily, more a warning.

They're amazing birds really. Love him to bits.

[Skyes_crew]

Squawking is something subconsciously taught to birds. IRN's love attention. They demand attention. Any kind whether its positive or negative. It is second nature when your bird is squawking to go to the cage and see what's wrong, or say quiet to the bird. But without knowing it, you are reinforcing the behavior. What you must do is ignore the behavior and only respond to a sound that is more pleasing to you. When you feed, drop his food and walk away. Let him know you will not be affected by his behavior in any way. When he whistles or talks or makes a softer sound, return to her cage and offer her a treat. When she begins to squawk again, walk away again. You can correct the behavior, just give it time and invest in some ear plugs lol. Oh, and ask family members to respect your training techniques or everything you do will be for nothing.

Kanundra...as tempting as it is to try to pet your bird when he's not looking, it is not a good idea. It reinforces the idea that fingers are sneaky and they can't trust them.

[kanundra]

Ahh now I can see why it's so easy to get them squawking all the time. Although we try and ignore it sometimes it's impossible. Will try and leave the room and see what that does.

Yes, I know not a good idea to sneak in for a feel. But I've never touched him in 8 weeks. He's not that kinda bird yet. I hope he will be one day, but if not it doesnt matter either. He's really started to trust being on me. He actually knew I'd been to the fridge last night for a treat and flew four feet to the couch to my bare hand to come get it. Cheeky, as I wasn't ready for him. So popped him back to the stand and waited till I called him.