Target training?

[annoellyn]

I'm trying to begin target training for new birdy but am unsure if I'm making progress or not really haha. I put the stick through the bars and reward her when she touches it. But she's mostly attacking it so is that the same thing? She's an untamed birdy but does take treats from my hand now.

 

[scott199]

Attacking or nipping/biting it ?

 

[annoellyn]

Attacking or nipping/biting it ?

I think attack. Grabbing it and trying to rip it around. Never the less I reward her for any interaction with it.

 

[Shezbug]

No you do not want her aggressive or defensive. You do not want her to grab the target, you only want for her to touch it calmly. Do not reward for aggressive behavior towards the target- rather use it in a way where she can only just reach it and lightly touch it..... if you are doing the training through the bars then this should be really easy.

 

[annoellyn]

No you do not want her aggressive or defensive. You do not want her to grab the target, you only want for her to touch it calmly. Do not reward for aggressive behavior towards the target- rather use it in a way where she can only just reach it and lightly touch it..... if you are doing the training through the bars then this should be really easy.

I'm doing it through the bars. I was initially doing it just out of her reach but she really doesn't care about it at all and will either sit and stare or move away from it. And if I open the cage to try and do it that way, same thing. She just stares at it. Lol.
And if I do it when she's out of the cage she just flies off away from me.

I do it in the am before she's been fed, would millet or tomatoes. I try for ten minutes then just give her her regular pellets in her dish.

I'm trying to get some kind of training going because she's very crazy out of the cage.

 

[clarousel]

I can't remember if I read it here or somewhere else, but someone suggested attaching the treat to the end of the stick.

Can she see the treat through the bars? If yes, maybe you can get her attention or 'remind' her of the treat by showing it to her and then see if she would approach the stick.

Just out of reach is fine. Maybe you can make the goal smaller - reward her for simply approaching the stick?

It sounds like she hasn't drawn the connection between stick = treat yet.

 

[annoellyn]

We had a break through this morning! Now she's nicely touching the stick with with her beak and getting treats! Yay! Lol

 

[annoellyn]

Never mind, still savaging it. She now walk to grab it but she latches onto it pretty. I make a click sound and immediately pull it away, hoping she realizes she doesn't need to grab it grab it.

 

[clarousel]

I think its a combination of having it close enough but not too close, and your reaction time. You're training yourself to train your bird!

I think in time you'll hit the sweet spot I had to do the same with Preeno cause he used to go at it with a bit too much gusto.

 

[annoellyn]

I am going to bite the bullet and let her out of the cage, do a few short sessions then. May take hours to get her back in but we'll see lol. I think part of the stick savaging is boredom or just not wanting me poking things through her cage haha.

 

[msplantladi]

My personal opinion is putting a target stick or hands in her cage she is finding it threatening so she is defending herself. What happens if you open the cage door and let her come out on her own and give her a reward for coming out? If she has food readily available in her cage what does she need from you? Remove the food at bedtime and start fresh in the am when she is the most hungry-short sessions to build trust.

 

[IRNluv]

I'm working with a rescued bird right now and have been target/clicker training. I used food coloring to die the tip of the stick blue. Also dipped the tip in just a tiny bit of honey for the first few sessions. We do 15 minute sessions around every 3 hours or so. At first he was attacking the stick. He got no reaction for being a jerk or ignoring the target. Glance at or non-aggressively acknowledge the target = click&treat. Touch it=click&treat. Voluntarily touch my fingers (no biting) = click&treat. Always come to the animal you're working with in a calm state of mind, gently assertive, and with no expectations.

Expectations create anxiety when things don't go as you hope. Animals read/feel/react to that anxiety and it can set back your efforts. What will be, so shall it be. This is the first high-intelligence bird I've worked with but I've worked with many species of damaged/aggressive animals before. Across the board all of them have responded to a calm, assertive, gentle, no anxiety mind set.