Last week was awful as far as getting the birds to go back into their cages for bedtime. I learned the ones who were inside would warn call the ones who were still out so that they flew away and chirped bloody murder at me. It was so frustrating. They are usually very good at going in, but I don't like this new behavior. One night, it was well past 11 pm when I got the last one in. Not fun for me nor for the birds. Their usual treats of seeds and millet didn't work. I don't know what's going on with them. Even Evie was slamming her food doors up and down and that is not like my sweetie hen.
So today, I thought perhaps it's time to take out the clicker and try to teach them some new behaviors and rewards. I got the clicker when i got Joey years ago, but I never really used it. I never really had to. But now I think I do plus I think it'll be nice for them to learn some new things and I feel like training is a form of enrichment. Lord knows I'm always looking for ways to enrich their lives.
So far, I'm just letting them know that a click is followed by a treat. They are responding to it. Some more than others. Basil and Hermes are actually pretty good at going to where I tap my finger. I had those two jumping from one knee to the other and onto my shoulders and head too for a treat. It can get a bit confusing because the others just want to jump to the hand holding the millet. Haha, I think Basil was just jumping everywhere in general for a bite. Joey though was content with just sitting on me without moving much.
The pets and I have much to learn as we go through this together. I plan on training Milo too. I think he will be the easiest as he's pretty trained already and doing things I never meant to train him to do (like every morning before I open the fridge, he knows it's time for a treat of baby carrots because that is what I always give him in order for him to stay inside his cage and not jump out when I'm taking out his food dish and etc...). He will hop around in his cage and stand up to get his morning treats. He just does a lot of stuff that shows he's very trainable.
It's much more about my ability to train as I'm not an animal trainer. The only things I've really trained on purpose that I have done well on is stepping up for the birds and having Milo potty in his litterbox. I thought I had them trained to go back into their cages, but apparently I don't. Like I said, it's going to be a learning experience for us all and I just hope I do a good job.
On another note, I downloaded some free nookbooks. As if I don't have a ton already! But some classics I got for free:
1. A Tale of Two Cities
2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
3. The Odyssey
4. Gulliver's Travels
5. The Three Musketeers
I downloaded some other books about magic, witches, wizards, etc..(my fave genre btw). You just have to download them when they are free because prices go up so quickly. And I love being introduced to authors and books I would have never read.
I went to state fair again on Saturday. I'll write about that later.
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