Teaching birds to fetch

[Alexp]

Could anyone please tell me how to teach my bird to fetch. I was going to post this in the tiel section but I thought it would be best to post here for all to read. I have two little balls he loves to play with and I was hoping to get him to bring it to me and place it in my hand. All help would be greatly appreciated.

[jenseits]

I know I'm getting to be real predictable here, but I recommend using clicker training. My Stewie is quite good at retrieving (fetching) objects and retrieve is a great trick to teach because it forms the basis for lots of other tricks. For example, Stewie also puts a wiffle ball into a cup and places rings on a peg - both those tricks are based on retrieve. (Although technically, Stewie learned "ball in the cup" first just because that's what he liked to do.)

Step 1: get familiar with the principles of clicker training. Melinda Johnson's Bird Click group on Yahoo is a great resource, with lots of step by step instructions. There are also a couple books about clicker training birds.

Step 2: teach your bird to "target". This is a very easy trick that introduces your bird to the concept of "if you do this thing, you get rewarded". Again, more info on this in the Bird Click group.

Step 3: C/T (click+treat) whenever your bird beaks the object you want him to retrieve. Once he understands the cause and effect, C/T only when he grabs hold of it. Then put your hand under the item while he's holding it and C/T when it touches your hand. Then make him move a little bit in order to put it in your hand. If you take little tiny steps at a time and reward him for progressing, you'll soon have him walking to the object, picking it up, and walking back to you with it.

Obviously these steps take several sessions, at least. It's not something you can do the first time out of the gate. But it's not hard, just requires a bit of patience.

I'm a very lazy trainer and don't work with Stewie very much, but he caught on very quickly. You'll be amazed at how smart your birdie is and how excited he'll be to train once he gets that tricks=treats.

[Pepper's Pa]

I was laughing when I read your post. So many of us have been trained by our birds to fetch for them, that I had to think of how to attempt to teach a bird to fetch.

First, you need to have a relationship and bond with your so that your bird wants to interact with you.
Second, through praise and treats, incrementally reinforce all the behaviors your bird does to accomplish the task. Here's an example:
A) Toss the ball a short distance and say "Fetch".
B) If the bird turns to watch the ball. Reinforce this behavior.
C) After a few Step B reinforcements, don't offer the reinforcement until he watches, then takes a step towards the ball.
D) Then progress through Step C's, offering treats as he moves farther towards the ball over time.
E) Continue this reinforcement progression as the bird touches the ball, picks the ball up, turns toward you, walks towards you with the ball and finally drops the ball where you request.

This might occur quickly, slowly, or not at all. If it's not fun and rewarding to the bird, it will be harder to succeed.
I taught my Sennie to pick up or catch (though he has difficulty with this), holding and dropping a small ball on my prompt. This probably took ten minutes to achieve. My reinforcements were simply verbal “Good Bird” and brief head scritches. Now, he will go after and pick up a tossed toy, but he hasn't mastered returning it to me.

I hope this is of some help to you in teaching your bird to fetch.
Good luck.

[PowerBBS]

This is so awesome... I was about to post something concerning "fetching" just last night but was too tired to hit the web/BB.

Frankie (our Too) apparently loves to play with his "ball". I tossed it up on the air, he gets all fluffed up and tries to catch it in mid air with his beak. He even tries to grab it with his foot some times.

Anyhow, one time the ball hit my foot and rolled a few feet across the floor. I joking pointed at the ball and said... "Get your ball... Get your ball Franky...." and he got all fluffed up and excited. I placed him the floor and started rolling the ball at him. He would pick it up and start tossing it everywhere.

So one time I rolled it about three feet away from him and he went chasing after it. Picked it up and started to toss it. "Bring it here Franky, bring it here... " while patting the floor infront of me...

No kidding... he waddled over and dropped the ball.... Now playing fetch.... it's a nightly thing... it's soo awesome...

I'm so happy other people are trying to teach their birdies to fetch.

[Ashling]

I know it's easy to reinforce behaviours with a positive word and a head scritch, but with most parrots you can give them a nut and a seed as a reward: what can you give a lory, or a lorikeet- that isn't sticky or wet!? Cause they can't really have nuts!! I was thinking sultanas, but theyr apparently not too good for them- too much iron or something. If anyone has any ideas?...

[Maxlovesboating]

I am so glad you started this, I am going to see if we can teach Max and Gilligan to fetch or if not to at least play ball. Bit more difficult here though because we have to put the dogs out. They already know how to fetch. LOL.

[PowerBBS]

Originally Posted by Ashling

I know it's easy to reinforce behaviours with a positive word and a head scritch, but with most parrots you can give them a nut and a seed as a reward: what can you give a lory, or a lorikeet- that isn't sticky or wet!? Cause they can't really have nuts!! I was thinking sultanas, but theyr apparently not too good for them- too much iron or something. If anyone has any ideas?...

How about raisens or pomagranite seeds?