It’s been quite awhile, I haven’t been updating progress of Kermit, my Senegal Parrot. Many readers had shown concern about Kermit and wanted to know how he’s doing now. He is doing perfectly fine, just that I have been busy over work and some household issues, thus can’t bring the latest updates of Kermit on time.

For the past few days, I have been trying very hard to shape Kermit to perform a new trick. I will say it’s not a new trick shown in Bryan’s Angels, as you might have already seen Kiki, my missing lovebird performing the trick months back.

Here is the video that I captured at home during Public Holiday:

I must admit that Kermit did take quite abit of time to master and understand the whole trick, at least he managed to learn everything within 5 days (not too long and not too short in comparison to Kiki’s learning abilities, I guess). Anyway I really enjoyed the training session with Kermit.

By the way, do you notice what Kermit did at the 10sec of the video? He did a hop! Many don’t believe that Kermit can hop like a Caique or Lories and Lorikeets. Yeah he do know how to hop, and he can hop on verbal cue too. It’s a behavior that I shaped it unknowingly. Probably the next video will be featuring Kermit doing hops on cue.

Related Post:
Kiki’s Cups Stacking Trick

After 2 weeks of training, with a 5 minutes short training session daily, I managed to get Kermit to perform the Basketball Trick. I’m really glad that Kermit finally made it, despite he took a long while to understand and meeting the objective.

I’ve edited a short clip of the performance and uploaded to YouTube, hope everyone will enjoy the video:

Months back, I stopped all Kermit’s training routines due to health issues and facing some minor behavioral problems. I wanted to resolve all the outstanding issues first, and also not to stress Kermit further.

Just weeks ago when Kermit received a clean bill from his medical review, it’s when I decided to resume with the trick training session for Kermit.

It wasn’t easy to train Kermit to perform any tricks. He is a slow learner and a reluctant performer. Kermit, a Senegal Parrot is totally different from any other outgoing and bold species like Caique, Conures and Lovebirds. The training methods and training pace that was once used on Kiki can never be enforced on Kermit.

I need to be extremely patience and be extra sensitive when dealing the training on Kermit. Any wrong move can affect training progress, even worst causing frustration resulting in aggression.Thus, I had to be extremely careful on how I execute the training.

With lots of patience, consistency in training and determination, nothing is impossible!

Related Posts:
Kermit’s Medical Review - Clean Bill of Health
Kermit’s Visit to the Vet

I’m back again to share with everyone a new trick from Kermit. I’m proud to present to everyone Kermit’s very own Somersault Trick.

As Senegal Parrots are very acrobatic by nature, thus the trick shouldn’t post much difficulty to these african queens. Kermit learned the trick almost instantly.

Basically I used the similar steps and techniques that was used when teaching Kiki, my lovebird, the somersault trick. The only difference is that I used a wooden dowel pole as the hand perch, soon after Kermit was able to perform confidently under my hand and vocal cues, I replace the hand with perch with my right hand. Kermit progress really well during the trick training.

Any parrot owners interested in teaching this trick to your parrots, can refer to my previous post labeled Kiki’s Somersault Trick. The post highlighted the clear steps on how I guided Kiki into doing the somersault flip.

Related Post:
Kiki’s Somersault Trick

Finally got to showcase Kermit, my Senegal Parrot’s first prop trick, the Kermit’s Retrieval Trick. Compared to Kiki, Kermit took a longer time to understand and master the trick, but he didn’t disappoint me in the end.

In comparison, Kiki seems to be a fast performer in her retrieval trick whereas Kermit seems to be a little laid back, slow but steady. Overall I’m still impress with Kermit’s performance, it’s already a big step and great progress in his trick training.

This round, I used the usual training techniques and similar teaching concept that was enforced on Kiki, instead of using the clicker method. Initially, I planned to use the clicker method on Kermit for this prop trick, but I found it rather difficult to manage. Difficult as in, I will appear to be “handicapped” during the training. A use of clicker in the training means an additional hand required in the training, thus I decided to use back the usual training techniques I’m more familiar of.

Related Post:
Kiki doing the Fetching Trick
Introducing Clicker Training
Clicker & Target Training for Kermit
Introducing Target Training

After weeks of training with the help of the clicker, I’m able to get Kermit to perform several different kind of basic tricks. It’s a great improvement and I’m totally delighted!

Well, I didn’t expect Kermit to be like Kiki to be an ultimate performer in the future. I just hope with the introduction of trick training will help solving some of the behavior issues that start to surface as Kermit matures through his developmental stage.

The following command and tricks that Kermit performed in the video are:

1. Touch the Stick (Target Training) - Warming Up Session
2. Turn-Around Trick
3. Hand-Shaking Trick
4. Waving Hello Trick

In Kermit’s Tricks Collection, you noticed that I’ve included the touch the stick command (Target Training) as the warming up exercise for Kermit. It’s the usual habit that I exercised as a trainer. Even Kiki is not spared for the warming up exercises. Before getting her to perform any tricks or learning any new tricks, I will get her to perform some warming up exercise like touching the target stick or performing other basic commands like Step-Up or Step-down.

The purpose of the getting them to perform some this simple warming-up stints, will ensure that my angels (Kermit and Kiki) build up the training confident and the attention given to me. Usually after the a few exercises, Kermit and Kiki will be more attentive and sensitive to the cues. Try it and you understand the differences that I trying to elaborate.

The tricks that I taught Kermit were of the similar steps that was implemented on Kiki. The only difference is the additional presence of the clicker to help highlight the right behavior that Kermit does.

Anyone interested in teaching your companion parrots these basic tricks can refer back to my previous posts on Kiki’s trick performances. These posts highlighted some tips and simple steps in training the respective tricks. Good Luck! Like i usual like to say Patience is the key to success!

Related Posts:
Kermit’s Turn-A-Round Trick
Introducing Clicker Training
Clicker & Target Training for Kermit
Introducing Target Training
Kiki’s Basic T-Stand Tricks Collection
Hellooooo! Kiki’s Waving Hello Trick
Kiki performing the Turn-A-Round Trick

On my earlier post, I shared about Kermit undergoing a series of Clicker and Target Training with positive reinforcement. It was a huge improvement and it started to unleash Kermit’s learning capabilities. With the help of the clicker, it seems to make Kermit understand better what I want during the training. Furthermore, I find the sound of the clicker (partly because the clicking sound is always very distinct and consistent) as an effective stimulus bridge to the rewards - treats.

I taught Kermit the most basic trick, the Turn-A-Round Trick. It’s also the first basic trick that I taught Kiki. I’m sure Kermit should be able to master the trick like Kiki without much difficulty, but it’s just matter of time. Below is a short video of Kermit during a training session, performing the Turn-A-Round Trick. Apologized for the poor quality of the video due to poor lightings.

I used the similar simple steps that was used on Kiki, on Kermit, but with the additional help of the clicker. With a consistent training schedule of 2-3 sessions per day and 10-15mins each session.

After 3 days, Kermit is able to perform the Turn-A-Round trick upon my hand and vocal cue. I’m totally impressed with Kermit’s performance. I really hope with the introduction of trick training will help to improve and eliminate Kermit’s “one person bird” and screaming behavior. Wish me good luck!

Related Posts:
Clicker & Target Training for Kermit
Kiki performing the Turn-A-Round Trick