Millet addiction!

[Tara.alice]

Hi everyone

I need some advice please.

I’ve had my cockatiel, Loki, for a month now. He’s doing so well, and his personality is really starting to show.

The problem I have at the moment is that he will only step up on to my finger if I have millet. I admit I have probably used too much of it, but it worked well and now I have a bird that steps up without hesitation, but only when I have millet…

If I try and get him to step up without it, he walks away or makes this angry little sound as if to say ‘I’m not coming up unless you have it’ he’s got me trained..
How can I go about weaning him off of it?
Thanks!

 

[lobster14]

I'm not an expert, but I don't think there's anything wrong with using millet to train, especially if you reserve it for training sessions. Don't let him gorge himself, but rewarding him with a nibble or two for every successful command will continue to reinforce the behavior you want. Eventually, he will begin to do the commands without the millet. One month of training is very little in the scheme of things. Make sure you're asking him to step up and rewarding him verbally ("Good Bird!") when you don't have the millet. Another possible technique is making him repeat the commands several times before you allow him to have the millet. So like hold the millet, have him step up, then down, then up and THEN reward. Eventually you can get to three repetitions. Make sure to at least use verbal praise each rep.

 

[Tara.alice]

Thank you. I don’t mind using millet just for training. He has it at no other time. I think I’ve just used too much of it is all. I like the idea of getting him to step up, step down, step up and then treat.

 

[Sparkles99]

Only one of mine will touch my hand, and only for millet. I don’t mind.