Just a couple of questions.

[Monkey & Izzy]

Can someone tell me what is target and clicker training? What is the reason or benefits of doing so?
My IR and Parrotlet are trained with happy noises from me and scratches. I don't use food to trian. Does anyone else do this? They both step up, shake hands, give kisses, go upside down, come to me (most of the time lol) I have only had them a couple of months. The Parrotlet longer. Neither were hand friendly when I rescued them. They both talk now and continue to be responsive and eager to learn.
They are also content to play on their own. (but not together lol) They are both allowed to fly. Just wondering if there is something different or new I should be doing. Thank you.

 

[Robyn]

Clicker training is where you use the clicker as a positive assoiciation with a command once it's done correctly. First you have to "charge" the clicker by that what I mean is you have to build the positive assoiciation with the clicker by clicking it and immediately offereing a treat. until the animal associates the clicking noise with a treat. Or since yu don't use food you can use scratchs or some other type of reward. Once you have "charged" the clicker (I will be using dogs as an example as I have the most experience training dogs) you use a command like sit and once they sit immediately click the clicker and give the treat. Eventually they learn sit means treat then you slowly wean them off so they sit on command without needing a treat or the clicker. Then you can go on to other commands like down, stay and so on

 

[Monkey & Izzy]

Thank you Robyn.

 

[MommyBird]

with clicker training, the treat doesn't have to be food. It can be a scritch or praise or anything the bird finds a positive reward.