this is not a journal title

Gabe's really starting to get the hang of flying when I want her to. :) I have to admit it's a combination of her knowing what I want, and me knowing when she's receptive to it though.

So evenings she often starts screaming fits when she's on her cage and I'm not in eyesight. Last night I walked up to her cage during one of these moments, held up my arm and said "Fly!" in an eager voice at the same moment as she launched herself and hovered down to my arm. Tonight she launched herself straight to my shoulder; I don't think there was any hover, but I couldn't see too well. And all this for no physical reward, since she hasn't yet responded to treats from my hands, so the reward she gets is praise and being next to me. :)

Also tonight, I wanted to weigh her. The scale is on a table in the same room as her cage. I got her to step up onto my right hand, and as I moved it towards the scale I kept my left hand hovering above her so she didn't think she could fly. I then deposited her on the scale and weighed her (a healthy 93g) and as soon as it was done I said "Fly!" and made some gesture and she immediately launched herself up and flew back to her cage. She sat on the scale (impatiently) right until I said she could go. :-D

I still find it quite intriguing that I'm watching how her behaviors are shaped by positive reinforcement, where the only reinforcer is social. I essentially did the same thing with Peeper her whole life without knowing it, but now that I know "better" that it's "supposed" to happen with treats, and it's still working with Gabe, it seems amazing to me.