Target training trouble

[danadear]

Hello. I am trying to start clicker training Henry my 11 month old IRN. I attempted to start target training with him last night using a chopstick but he wanted nothing to do with it. He seems to be afraid of the chopstick. Any advice? Should I leave it out in the open around him during the day or just bring it out at training time? Thanks!

 

[Ariahna]

Dana, do you use a training perch when you work with him or are you working in or on his cage? If possible, I would get Henry into a different room where he cannot see his cage when you are training him. Also, what do you use for treats? Are you working with him before or after he eats his dinner at night?

I have found it best to train right before I give PJ his dinner. He is much more food motivated on an emptier stomach although now it really doesn't matter because he loves the training sessions so much.

So lets assume he is food motivated, in an area where there are no distractions (cage, windows, mirrors, other people or pets, etc.), and you are working with him. I would start by putting the stick several inches away from him, just outside of his discomfort zone, when he relaxes, click and treat. Move the stick a little closer, when he relaxes, click and treat. Repeat that process until you can get within a few inches of him with the stick. He may at that point reach out and try to touch the stick. If so click and treat, then repeat until he learns that is what you want him to do. If after being able to get close he still doesn't reach for the stick with his beak, then slowly move the stick towards his beak until he finally reaches for it with his beak- instinct usually kicks in here. Praise him a lot, click and treat. Then start working the opposite direction. Move the stick an inch further away and make him reach for it, click and treat. Eventually you will be able to get him to fly to your arm with a target stick, and it's just amazing.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. Oh, this may need to be divided up into a couple of days and different training sessions, or he may get it all down in just one session. They are incredibly smart birds. I use pieces of sunflower seeds as a training treat for PJ. He doesn't get sunflower seeds at any other time. When he sees the target stick and the clicker come out, he gets so excited and almost acts like he will jump out of his skin. He loves the training sessions.

 

[danadear]

Thanks for the info! I train him in the kitchen on a perch away from his cage. I will definitely try your suggestions today. He likes chopped walnuts the best! We will work on it again this afternoon.

 

[Ariahna]

How did things go?

 

[danadear]

Hi Ariahna! Thanks for checking back in. He still seems afraid of the stick so it's not going very well. I wonder if I should try something else?

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

When I startd with my Pru (IRN) I had bought her package of wooden spoons to chew on.....after a few weeks of her getting used to them being in her cage, around the house, etc. I used a new one to start target training. I coloured the end of the spoon with food colouring, just the tip. Then I would hold the spoon part, and ask her to touch. She would have to come to the spoon, not me bringing it to her. She would chase it around, in an affort to touch the coloured tip with her beak (originally to chew it, then because she learned touching it got her a treat). Now she is tartget trained to that darn spoon perfectly, but anything else....NO GO! LOL

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Hello. I am trying to start clicker training Henry my 11 month old IRN. I attempted to start target training with him last night using a chopstick but he wanted nothing to do with it. He seems to be afraid of the chopstick. Any advice? Should I leave it out in the open around him during the day or just bring it out at training time? Thanks!

Hi Dana,

Sorry it took me a few days to respond to this. Are you doing the clicker training lessons? First, I would audition a lot of treats so you have a good of idea of what your bird finds reinforcing. It depends on the bird, but many will find anything that you present scary. Start as far away as you need to. This may mean that you stand 10 feet away, hold up the chopstick, click when your bird looks at it, put it behind your back and then walk over and reinforce the bird. You can do this right with your bird in the cage if it would make the bird more comfortable.

Once he seems comfortable, or better excited about seeing the stick, you can present it closer, but only about a foot. At any time he seems uncomfortable, go back to the last step. Do not move the stick towards him while it is being presented, but wait until he seems comfortable and present it a little closer. Does this make sense?

 

[danadear]

Hello. We tried again last night and I rewarded him when he looked at the stick but he still does not move toward it or try to touch it. he still isn't crazy about it but he did a little better. He still walks as far down the perch as he can from it. I should probably back off a little.

I am clicker training braveheart, or attempting to anyway. He prefers walnuts. I made a little platter for him before I started with several treats like pieces of millet, almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds and definitely prefers walnut pieces.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Hello. We tried again last night and I rewarded him when he looked at the stick but he still does not move toward it or try to touch it. he still isn't crazy about it but he did a little better. He still walks as far down the perch as he can from it. I should probably back off a little.

Okay that's good. If he is moving away from it, it is being presented too close. Try holding it further away so just sees it, then click/treat! Also, you might want to find some other object and try target training with that.

 

[Ariahna]

Dana is sounds like you are doing good, and Vicki had a couple of great suggestions by starting further out, and using a different object. I have even targeted PJ somewhere by using my index finger in place of the stick. I use the word "target" when I want him to move to the stick (or my finger ) and he is trained well enough he will come to either. Do you have a long hair pin, or some other type of stick you could try?

 

[danadear]

I think I will try a different object. I think I was pushing it too much with the chopstick so that may be ruined for him. I will find something else. Ariahna I am impressed that PJ is doing so well already! He's pretty young right?

 

[BraveheartDogs]

I think I will try a different object. I think I was pushing it too much with the chopstick so that may be ruined for him. I will find something else. Ariahna I am impressed that PJ is doing so well already! He's pretty young right?

Yes, you can try something like a little ball, or a knotted piece of fabric. You could also try concealing part of the stick with your hand so that he only sees a little bit of it

 

[Ariahna]

I think I will try a different object. I think I was pushing it too much with the chopstick so that may be ruined for him. I will find something else. Ariahna I am impressed that PJ is doing so well already! He's pretty young right?

Yes sweetie, he is pretty young. I brought him home when he was 10 weeks old, started handling him at 11 weeks, and by 12 weeks he was clicker and target trained. I think his young age is what actually helped. He had not developed any fears yet, and was very open to new things.

Does he have any toys he likes that could work like a finger trap or a plastic spoon? Something he is already comfortable with?