Behavior Works - Why, Yes It Does

Behavior Works is a veritable treasure trove of important information for people who live with pets, parrots in particular. The site is "owned" by Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D., department of psychology at Utah State University where she's been studying and building awareness and tools for understanding animals behavor and creating better relationships between animals and people. 

Here's what ths site says about her:
Susan is a psychology professor at Utah State University. Over the last decade, she has helped pioneer efforts to apply to animals the scientifically sound teaching technology and ethical standard of Applied Behavior Analysis that is so effective with human learners.
Susan has given a wide variety of workshops and conference presentations on animal learning and behavior around the world. Students from 22 different countries have participated in her courses, Living and Learning with Animals and Living and Learning with Parrots. Her articles have been translated into 9 languages. Susan is also a core member of the US Fish & Wildlife Service's California Condor Recovery Team and has been nominated for the Media Award, given by the International Association of Behavior Analysis, for her efforts to disseminate to pet owners, veterinarians, animal trainers and zookeepers the essential tools they need to empower and enrich the lives of all learners.
 
Good woman, huh?  She's my idea of a real celebrity, so I must admit I'm a bit star stuck by the fact I even emailed with her as I was getting hooked into her online study group mentioned just below.
 
On her site are a number of what would consider to be "must-read" articles.  I've joined her Parrot Behavior Analysis Solutions online study group which is super.  It's run through Yahoo like a chat room - but IT"S NOT A CHAT ROOM. It's very well run and focused -- set up like a class. You need to follow the instructions given, so they can maintain this structure and help more people learn how best to relate their parrots.
 
I could go on, but fact of the matter is, everyone who lives with a parrot needs to read her stuff, read the stuff she recommends, and join the web study group.  I believe "just do it" is the appropriate phrase here.

Birdie Byte:
Susan recommends everyone with a parrot, and / or other animal companions, or even a kid or husband, read Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. I'm reading it now, and it's fab for sure.  Well written, good sense of humor, matter-of-fact and important. Buy it. 

Parrot University and the Aviator Harness

So I'll come right out with it and say straight up I don't dig breeding parrots as pets.  Yes, there are professional programs to breed parrots extinct, or close to extinction, in the wild and I buy into that.  But breeding thousands of parrots a year already in abundance in shelters makes me crazy.  They live long, and they're not easy to own on any front. If you wants a parrot, there are enough in rescues so everyone and, unfortunately, anyone, could own one if they chose.   And this is not good. 'Cause not everyone wants a parrot.

Ok, 'nuf said.

Regardless of this pretty strong opinion, I have come across a breeder, The Parrot University in Sunbury, Ohio, who strikes me as exceptionally responsible and could teach me a thing or two, I'm quite sure.  I haven't visited their facility, just their web site.  But they have been cited by Barbara Heidenreich, so I am willing to believe their portrayal of themselves is truthful and accurate. 

I'm always hesitant to base my opinion solely on an online representation of a breeder - many "parrot mills" operate like "puppy mills" where the perpetrators show beautiful pics of baby parrots in cushy cuddly conditions while hundreds of adult breeder parrots live "off-camera" behind the scenes in abhorrent conditions doomed to lives of misery and abuse.  Ok, so maybe it wasn't 'nuf said.  Whoops.

Based on their web site and a product I bought from them called the Aviator Flight Harnass, I'll say it appears they know what they're talking about and, better yet, it appears they have the best interest of parrots at heart.

If I didn't think this, I wouldn't have bought the harnesses for my birds. I just don't buy from unscrupulous pet operations, if I can avoid it.  And I can almost always avoid it.

So, finally, about these harnesses.

I bought them last fall -- they're about $36 each with free shipping worldwide --all excited to train my birds to wear them so we, or rather they, can go flying outside by summer. 

Boy, was I optimistic.  To put it bluntly and whinily, this harness business is hard which miffs me slightly because they make it look so easy. 

They being Parrot University, who sends you this lovely DVD aong with the harness explaining in great detail how to go about getting your bird to accept the harness. In fairness to them, they are quite honest about the reality that its much easier with young birds, and I can confirm they are not kidding.  However, I can only assume it's much easier with young birds who have yet to develop issues and who have been exposed to the harnesses since they practically popped right out of the eggshell, since this is not my personal predicament.

All but Theo, my one Military macaw, are not going for these harnesses.  For Theo and the others I started the way Parrot U said to start, and I am stil on a combo step one - leaving the harnesses lying about in non-threatending locations; holding the harness when I'm holding the birds; putting it on my head,wrapping it around my neck. You get the idea.  Some tolerate this, some can't stand the thing too close.  I have been able to drape the harness on one or two.  But that's as far as I've gotten with all but Theo.

For the first time yesterday, Theo let me put the thing on him.  Join me in a big "WOOHOO," if you would.

Now, the "putting on" was still a little dicey. I did not force. OK, well, maybe a wee bit. He doesn't like his wings messed with, so he protested slightly with that.  But it went on and stayed on for about 15 minutes. And then off.  Stupidly I did not take a picture. 

But we did it again today, and here's his pic.  You may notice that Theo's crop is a little extended which is right. He was sped fed (fed too much too infrequently as a baby which stretched his crop; he was starving to death when I got him from the rescue.).  So he needs to wear a crop bra almost all of the time except at night.  You'd think that would make putting the harness a lot easier, and it does -cause he was the first to accept it.  But it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be for him.  Still took a very long time.

Here's Theo in his crop bra to the right.  Ain't he darlin'?  He is such a peach of a bird, it's unbelievable.  A big old teddy bear, thus his name Theodore.

So while I was getting a bit depressed 'cause I want my birdies to be able to fly this summer, at the vert least be outside, now know it's possible.  It will just take more patience with the others who are older. Theo is just about six and very tolerant.  And I suck at patience, but I'm really working on it.

This one success helped muster up a more positive attitude and revive what was a waning commitment.  I just have to get the flock to agree that, "Yes!, harnesses are a good thing."  Good luck with that, huh.