If they are willing to take food from your hand, even if it's just inside the cage, you are off to a good start. The first thing to remember is to be patient and work at THEIR pace. Do not force them. As soon as they start to show fear behaviors (backing away from you, leaning away from you, nipping/biting, etc.) back off and slow down or just come back and try again later.
Target training is probably going to be your best bet here. You want to get some sort of stick-like object (a wooden skewer or chopstick, a plastic straw or coffee stirrer, a knitting needle, etc.) Spray millet is usually a favorite treat, so it works well as a reward.
Start by gently offering the target stick in front of your bird. Most likely the bird will touch it with its beak, either out of fear, aggression, or curiosity. As soon as it makes contact with its beak on the stick, say, "Good!", remove the target stick, and offer a nibble off the millet spray. Then carefully offer the stick again to repeat the procedure. After a few tries at this, your bird will start to figure out that if it touches the stick with its beak, you give it a bite of millet. Gradually start holding the target stick a little further away, so that the bird has to turn its head to touch the stick. Then so that it has to lean over to touch the stick. Then so that it has to take a step. Each time, immediately say, "Good!" and offer a bite off the millet spray. After a surprisingly short time (some birds get there in one 5 min training session, others might take 2 or 3 sessions), your bird will be willing to walk/climb all around its cage to get to the target stick to earn its reward.
Now you can move on to incorporating your hand. Start targeting your bird toward the door of the cage, rewarding each time your bird touches the stick. Place the hand that is not holding the target stick against the bottom opening of the door. Position the target stick just on the other side of your hand that is by the door, so that your bird has to reach over your hand to touch the stick. You will be trying to get your bird to willingly step on your hand just as it would step on another perch to reach the target stick.
Just remember to work in baby steps. When you first start trying to target your bird onto your hand at the door of the cage, take it slow. Make it so your bird only has to step up with one foot at first. Then allow your bird to hop right back off. Don't immediately try to move your hand and walk away from the cage once the bird is on your hand. That will just teach your bird that this new perch is not as safe and trustworthy as it had hoped. Don't try to move your hand until your bird is comfortably and eagerly hopping on your hand to reach that target stick. Then start moving in small increments.
The main thing to remember is be patient. Do not go so fast that your bird becomes fearful or nervous. You want your bird to gain confidence and trust in you and this new technique it's learned for earning treats. If you google "Target Training for Birds" or something similar, you will find lots of training information on how to build trust and teach your bird to step up on your hand, as well as other fun and useful tricks/behaviors. You can also find many videos on Youtube of people target training their birds. Barbara Heidenreich of
Good Bird Inc. Companion Parrot Training Through Positive Reinforcement is a fantastic professional animal trainer who specializes in birds and provides lots of good information through her website and publications.
Good luck!
04-05-2009, 07:43 PM
Training!!
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