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An Introduction to Clicker Training

dbrat368

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Wow!! Awesome!! :dance4:
I'm sooooo happy to have found this thread :) I'm just learning all I can on clicker training, and just yesterday started to try to find the the "magic treat" they would work for.. Turns out my 3 bigger birds will do just about anything for a small pellet lol , go figure!
I want to clicker train my birds first to bring them together as a flock.. all three are great with me alone but together not so much.. I feel if they learn to play together they will be more like a flock and never feel alone when i have to work.. and second to help them overcome their fears. Then after that tricks just to keep their minds busy and bond with them more.
Thank you all so so so much for all the valuable info shared on this thread :hug8:
I cant wait to actually start training :dancing:
Have an amazing day everyone :heart:
:) Diana
 

mirandalogan

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I am going to try this but what is a good treat for a green cheek conure? Mine is just a baby and doesn't have any interest in new foods. I have only had him a week so he is still a little scared.
 

Wayne361

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I am going to try this but what is a good treat for a green cheek conure? Mine is just a baby and doesn't have any interest in new foods. I have only had him a week so he is still a little scared.
Hold off training till bird feels comfortable in new home and is a bit older IMO. Let the baby be a baby for now and handle often to socialize ....but let bird settle into new surroundings before proceeding.

Wayne
 

VictoriaVague

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I've tried clicker training with Titus. He just doesn't take to it :(
 

Wayne361

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I agree that a clicker isnt needed as a bridge between action and reward. I simply say "good boy" to bridge the gap between action and reward and it has worked well for me. I am a HUGE proponent of training.....not only for the bond/trust benefits that go along with training, but for the practical aspects that can be applied. In fact I believe that it is irresponsible for bird owners NOT to train certain basic activites. For example nail trimming. If bird is trained/positively enforced that nail trimming is just a routine procedure followed by treats, this is MUCH better for bird (and owner) than the traumatic/fearful event that nail trimming often becomes for non-trained bird. Another example would be putting bird in carrier etc for vet visits.....a responsible owner has bird willingly go into carrier through training....how many on this forum and others have to "grab" bird and shove into carrier or forcefully towel bird to do the same? I would argue training has more benefits for the bird than the owner, but mutually beneficial none-the-less.

Wayne
 

Wayne361

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I've tried clicker training with Titus. He just doesn't take to it :(
Than you are doing something wrong.....maybe you are not providing enough incentive for bird? Offer a treat that bird doesnt get outside of training and one that bird loves....sunflower seeds, pine nuts, etc. Dont offer treat during regular feeding times.....if the bird loves a treat he WILL work for it.

Hope this helps,

Wayne
 

mirandalogan

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Hold off training till bird feels comfortable in new home and is a bit older IMO. Let the baby be a baby for now and handle often to socialize ....but let bird settle into new surroundings before proceeding.

Wayne
Thank you. I am glad you told me that so I didnt try to start to early.
 

Wayne361

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What is age of bird? You say he is fearful....was he hand raised or parent raised? A young bird isnt normally fearful if hand raised. Being fearful you need to work on taming. Is he fearful of you in general? Fearful of hands? What type of bird is he?

Wayne
 

mirandalogan

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He is a green cheek conure and he was hatched in july. I believe he was hand raised. I got him from a breeder and she said he was "hand trained". When I say fearful I mean that I am the only one in my household that he will have anything to do with. When others come in the room he hides behind my head or in my hair. He rarely likes to be approaced first, even by me and he bites sometimes when we ask him to step up. He likes to nibble my fingers but when he bites too hard and I pull away he squawks and tries to bite more aggressively. I don't know if he is playing or trying to hurt me.
 

mirandalogan

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He will be content for hours just sitting on my shoulder but he also bites when I try to put him back in his cage.
 

Wayne361

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You should be able to target train him at that age. Should help with some of his fear issues as the bond strengthens. I think he is slightly afraid of hands hence the biting. Dont react to bite and do more hands-off training i.e. targetting. Will help with bond and hands will be seen as reward carriers :) When he is target trained I would target him on and off hand held perch while moving your hands closer to bird along perch until bird is comfortable with your hand. Then you can start targetting onto hand and treating....kinda going backwards a bit BUT should stop the biting as hands are seen as positive things.
For going back into cage make sure it is a positive experience for bird i.e. have a treat always ready for bird inside cage and/or coincide going back into cage with mealtime (big reward).

Hope this helps,

Wayne
 

Roxane

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OK .... I have a question ...so how do you clicker train a parrot that dosent eat :depressed: any treats, fresh veggies & fruits ?
Or bites :confused: your hands when I reworde him ?

THX
 

Wayne361

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OK .... I have a question ...so how do you clicker train a parrot that dosent eat :depressed: any treats, fresh veggies & fruits ?
Or bites :confused: your hands when I reworde him ?

THX
Not to be smart but what does he/she eat? Bird has to get hungry at some point. Target in cage so bird is unable to bite you when giving treats. Make bird stretch to get treat makes it very difficult to bite.
 

Roxane

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Lol ! Tried that but he throes it at the bottom of his cage :huh:
 

Wayne361

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Even if bird is hungry he throws food away? Cant be food motivated then IMO.
 

shanlung

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How about a request for a white rumped shama Yingshiong to go back into the flight room and back into the cage.
This was taken after I was castigated for allowing a shama to fly and was told by self styled experts that to catch and put that shama into the cage will take hours and traumatised him to death. My telling them I just need to tell YS to fly back to the cage got hoots of laughters and accusation I lied on every thing as well.

So this video was taken.

Did not even need clicker training to do this ( but clicker training was the foundation and catalyst for our relationship to start)

 

camelotshadow

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Good Thread, now to figure out how to do it...I feel dumb :rofl:
 
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