Would like to start Trick Training My Meyers!

[KatherinesBirds]

I am trying to handle the craziness of my very hormonal male Meyers right now as some of you know. I am thinking that trying some trick training might be a very good way of bonding with my new bird and helping us both get through this period.
I would like to teach Wiggles to lift up a little bucket on a chain or string and retrieve a little treat! I wonder what would be the best and most economical way to put together this thing? I need a Meyers size metal (I guess) bucket with handle and a length of chain. Does anyone have experience on how to go about this and what the process is to teach this trick. Wiggles is SO VERY ready to learn something and by himself does so many intricate moves with his toys that I know I am dealing with a Genius!
Katherine

 

[rocabird]

Hi Katherine!

I have a Sennie that came to me as a 4 month old biter. I was looking for another bird but decided on him specifically because I wanted some experience working with dealing with this behavior problem. Clicker training has helped although I am not very good at keeping it up.

I haven't taught Eco how to do this, but with everything it's just breaking it down into steps. It looks like the first thing you would need to do is to have a retrieve taught. What behaviors does Wiggles do?

 

[KatherinesBirds]

Well Dawn, he comes to the far corner of his cage each time I put him back for a treat. I taught him that. He sees the dowel and will walk back up to his playtop, taught him that. If I make a certain sound it means I will either pick him up and put him up on top or he decides to go by himself. Kinda funny. You'd have to be here..........
He will wave bye,bye and hello when I leave and come home. I will think of more after a good nights sleep! I think if I just had one of those tiny metal buckets with a handle attached to a leather cord, maybe I can find a child's toy on ebay like that. What do other bird owners use who teach this trick????

 

[rocabird]

Does he know how to retrieve? I would start with that but I wouldn't start right away with the bucket. A plastic ring or those wiffle golf balls work good. The reason I would start with retrieving with something else is because I want to make all my mistakes with another items.

My thoughts are to break the behavior down into steps like this-

- Retrieve a ring (or ball or whatever other bird safe item you use)
- Retrieve an item different from above so he learns "retrieve" applies to other items.
- Retrieve the bucket from your hand.
-Retrieve the bucket from a flat surface.
-Add rope to bucket and attach to perch so bucket is just an inch below perch and he has to reach to get bucket.
- Hang bucket so it's 2 inches below perch. At some point as you lengthen the rope he shouldn't be able to just reach for the bucket and hopefully will interact with the rope so you can reward for that.
-Gradually add length to rope as Wiggles succeeds in retrieving bucket.

Those are just general steps. I have Tani Robar's videos on training birds but haven't seen all of them to see what steps she uses. She does describe it in her book, but when I was looking at it on Google books, the page that gives the main instruction is not included in the book preview.

You could also use a small basket. They often have those little ones in craft stores.

 

[Macawnutz]

I agrre 100% with the post above and I train parrots for a living. The method above is targeting. Pick up an object / Bring to an object. I start mine with tiny wiffle balls and my hand. Pick up the ball / Put it in my hand. Then Pick up a ball / Put it in a cup. Then pick up ring / put it in hand. Then pick up ring / put it on post. it's easy and fun for the birds!

I don't feel you need to target before the basket thing though. The basket is easy and I don't consider it targeting. hang the baskets from his perch high enough so he can reach it and put his favorite snack in the bucket. each time you do it hang the bucket lower. Birds are smart.... he will have that in a day if that!