Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!intercon!news
From: ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: INDOOR Untraining Screamers
Message-ID: <27388C54.59BD@intercon.com>
Date: 7 Nov 90 22:36:03 GMT
References: <1990Oct31.174425.13520@cs.ucla.edu> <155@tivoli.UUCP> <2731BD67.2128@intercon.com> <941@cfiprod.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@intercon.com (USENET The Magnificent)
Reply-To: ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry)
Organization: InterCon Systems Corporation, Herndon, VA
Lines: 29

In article <941@cfiprod.UUCP>, susans@cfi.COM (susans) writes:
> Mikki: How about some ideas on how to untrain the bird I
> 	unwitting taught to scream whenever I am out of his field
> 	of vision?  The little darlin' has since taught his younger
> 	cage mate to do the same when HE is out of his field of
> 	vision--gets kind of loud!

It's quite difficult, both on you and on the bird to try to modify behavior.
 If you really must (and sometimes you really MUST) I put my bird in a dog
carrier and place the carrier in a dark bathroom for 25 minutes.  Then I
go take the carrier out and put the bird back into the cage and leave the
room.  Note, if you yell at the bird, stomp across the floor to get to it,
and/or handle it roughly, the bird will associate your "performance" with
something it can elicit to alleviate boredom.

Another attempt that sometimes works is to squirt water at the bird.  Unfortunately,
some like this and will scream in order for you to spray them.

Others have also just calmly walked into the room and covered the cage, turned
off the lights, and left the room.  The key is not to give the bird what
he wants (i.e. attention) when he screams.

Also, re: canary bands.  If you ever decide to take it off, please have a
vet do it.  It seems easy enough, but it really isn't.  A false move could
hurt the bird.  And one that tiny probably shouldn't even be messed with,
since they stress so easily.

Mikki Barry
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