HELLO IF YOUR INTERESTED IN
TRAINING YOUR BIRDS THIS
IS THE PLACE FOR YOU
Hello, a little about myself. I was born into a family of animal Traders & Trainers. We have never been Performers ourselves. Preferring the training side of the business. I have taught birds for many performers. Both amateurs & pro's.. SORRY but you won't find any fancy film clips, just the odd photo. At my age I don't quite understand the workings of a computer. I've lost count of the pages I've lost through pressing the wrong button on this b****y computer. So I'll stick to what I know... BIRDS.
Although many animal/bird showmen train their own livestock. My cusomers were either those presenters, who had the patter & personality that made them stars in their own countries, but were better at handling an audience than teaching birds to perform & amature entertainers Those who had a day job & only worked parties etc, at weekends. They wanted trained birds as an amusing addition to their magic act.
Unfortunately I was a great disappointment to my father. I was born without the families special affinity for animals like, horses, elephants, lions, tigers etc, its not that I didn't love them all, I just loved birds more. That didn't stop me having to work with the animals. Shovelling, bottle-feeding, walking, training & generaly helping out. Young lions, tigers, & bear cubs etc would arrive at Grandad Billy's. Usually in groups of seven or eight. It was the job of my brothers, cousins & I to help raise them like puppies, teaching them all the usual good habits you would expect from your family pet dog.
Grandad Billy, Dad & Uncle Charlie would then take over the serious
training. As you are probably never now going to see a live big cat act & television has blown the big cats savage beast image myth, that has
been around since the Romans first fed prisoners to the lions for
entertainment. (The Romans & lions entertainment, not the prisoners.)
I can let you in on a few trade secrets. For those that wrongly
believe that performing animals are cruely treated, in the circus ring.
The attendants standing around the lions performing cage, armed
with sticks are not there for audience safety. Oh no! Like the cracking
of the whip & the firing of the cap pistol used by the performer who
puts the big cats through their paces in the ring.
They are necessary to keep them awake during the performance.
Like all big cats when well fed, they would rather sleep 22 out of the
24hrs.
Normally big cats don't become active until food is about to arrive.
Only stirring to go toilet or the necessary during the breeding
season. Animals are never taken from the wild, whipped & starved
into performing tricks. Common sense should tell you it doesn't
work. Any illtreated animal would attack & kill it's tormentor at the
very first opportunity.
Dispite faked photo's taken by some dodgy charaties. It is far easier
to acquire young animals & raise them as one of your own family pets.
I was also afflicted, as is small percentage of the population with the
blood type favoured by pet fleas ie, dogs cats etc. Which in our
business was a bit problem for me. Dad said I realy came in handy. I was their indicator. When I itched they had a good clean-out, of all animals, cages & equipment.
That's where we are so lucky with birds, we can tame them while they're still in, or straight from the nest. As I said, I was never a performer myself, I usually sold ready trained birds to other professionals & performing amateurs.
The method of training birds I have practiced for over 50yrs is to teach without fear or conflict. I found it no more difficult to train, one or six birds at the same time. Parrots, Penguins, Budgies or Blackbirds..
Some of these well tried methods used by many professional's, are not very popular with the general public. Who sometimes have a tendancy to put human feelings, needs & wants onto their pet birds.
My one & only golden rule is to invite, not demand or command a bird to do anything without offering them a small reward. This includes putting my hand into their cage or personal space.
If any bird shows a dislike of being, picked up, stroked, or squeezed, I don't do it, humans forget, in the birds eyes you are only a slightly better looking equivalent of King Kong.
With my own bred birds, as they already know & trust me as their favourite uncle They are quite happy to eat from my hands.
I have also trained birds of all ages belonging to various clients, friends etc.& I treat them all the same.
Unfortunately some birds are not as bright as others, or worse still not very cooperative for reasons of their own.This is where the bird breeding trainer has the advantage, they have a far wider choice than the average pet keeper. Who have to work with what he/she has.
If you already know your birds favourite treat keep it just for teaching, this will make it extra special. If you don't know, offer several treats at the same time.
Once you have the birds favourite. treat your halfway home.
Second best treat is just as good if it's more convenient for you.
Never expect a bird to do anything for nothing. Just one bite size treat is payment enough.
Some birds are clever enough to refuse to comply with requests that offer no reward. These same birds have often been called stupid & untrainable.
Many tricks are just birds doing what birds do. It's how you set the scene, that turns a bird doing bird things into a performance. As a trainer you must be ready to turn any mistake into part of your act.
For instance, some time ago. I had set things up to teach two birds to play a childs toy piano. One bird watched as I tried to teach the other to tap the keys with his beak. After the first succesful tap for a treat, the bird stepped up onto the keys for more.
I moved my hand sideways out of his reach, the bird followed.
Side stepping across the keys. This was far better than beak tapping. By his third treat he was sidestepping up & down the keys. I sent him off to play & called down the other bird, who had been watching the proceedings.
When I tapped the piano he jumped on to the side of it & ran quickly right across the keys. This again was better than my original idea of having two virtuoso's. I gave him his treat & moved him about 2ft from the piano & using the treat as bait I got him to do it again. A new mini act was born.
To my audience at the local nursery, I would go to several Care, Rest & Retirement homes, to get the birds used to a change of scenery. First I would introduce Tinkle the piano player & I would suggest that if anyone knew the tune about to be played, please feel free to join in.Tinkle did his part, but oddly enough no one recognised the tune.
As I put him away Tinker the stooge would escape & run across the keys, while I scolded him he would run off & do it again & again. The audience thought the naughty bird very funny indeed.
If I'm taming more than one bird at a time. I move one of the upper perches much closer to the bars so that all the birds can reach the treat food I'm offering them through the bars at the same time.
Well thats about it, all you have to do is to persuade your birds you are the most interesting thing in the world & not just a lump of wood to perch on while watching TV. You will be teaching your birds to play the piano in no time. If your new to birdkeeping, please aquaint yourself with the knowlege you need to look after your birds before you attempt any taming or training. Yours B.J.
