clicker training?

[budgzie]

I have two budgies, A older one and a young one and I would like to finger train them. But Gylfie(younger budgie, yes it is a strange name) Is more trained than Bullie and I've had bullie longer, Is it because he's older?.
I read that clicker trininh was good with older birds.....So i thought I might try it,
I didn't understand when I searched it up so I thought that someone who has done it could tell me? and what is beaking? I've got a clicker and I'm ready to go!

[jenseits]

Hi budgzie,

Clicker training is great. I'm glad you're ready to get started. I highly recommend Melinda Johnson's book Clicker Training for Birds .

Beaking simply means that the bird touches something with its beak. When your bird is "nibbling" on you but not biting, for example, that's called beaking. In the context of clicker training, it simply means that the bird touches something (e.g., the target stick) with his beak.

Stewie beaking the target stick: Stewie Demonstrates Targeting « Best in Flock - Life with a Sun Conure Parrot


The clicker simply marks the behavior that you're trying to reinforce. There's nothing magical about it, and it's not supposed to take the place of a reward. You click exactly when the bird does what you want it to, and then deliver the treat. The click is a more precise marker than "good bird" or another type of verbal praise, so the bird knows exactly what it was that earned the treat.


One important thing to understand about clicker training is that the focus is on positive reinforcement (also do some research on operant conditioning if you're interested). Just because someone uses a "clicker" doesn't make them a clicker trainer; conversely, you can use the principles of clicker training without actually using a clicker.

It boils down to this: clicker training is about teaching your bird that he can earn rewards by doing what you want him to. The clicker "tells him" what he's done to earn the reward.

Go join Melinda Johnson's Bird Click group on Yahoo Bird-Click : Bird-Click (tell them Melanie sent you) and you'll get access to a ton more resources, including instructions on how to start.

Keep us updated on your progress!

[budgzie]

ok, Thanks alot! I will keep you updated and let you know if there are any problems!


P.s. I'm gonna Clicker train both birds!

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by budgzie

P.s. I'm gonna Clicker train both birds!

I only have one bird, but folks with multiple birds have mentioned their pleasant surprise at how much the birds learned just from watching their buddy train. For example, if you started teaching the first bird how to ring a bell, the second one will catch on much faster when it's his turn.

If they're really bonded, though, I'm not sure you want to train them within sight of each other. That'd be a good question for the list.

Yay! I'm glad we've got more people trying clicker training!

[tielfan]

If they're really bonded, though, I'm not sure you want to train them within sight of each other.

As a general rule it's best to train birds separately. But birds that are really bonded to each other will often go nuts when they're not in sight of each other and will focus their attention on calling back and forth and trying to figure out how to get back together. In circumstances like that it's best to clicker train them while they can see each other - they'll be calmer and you'll have a better chance of accomplishing something, even if they do distract each other a bit.

[budgzie]

*sigh* I've only got one bird now :( Gylfie died of some sort of sickness.....and I'm hoping like hell Bullie doesn't have it too.

[carlylu]

Originally Posted by jenseits

Clicker training is great. I'm glad you're ready to get started. I highly recommend Melinda Johnson's book Clicker Training for Birds .

That is a fantastic book. I think it should be required reading before buying a parrot. Just engaging in this kind of interactive activity with a bird can prevent so many behavioral problems.

I have taught Carly to stand still and stay calm while I file her nails, fly to me on cue, fly to her perch on cue, poop on cue, as well as silly stuff like say hello when someone says "hi carly", turn around, give me a kiss (with sound effects), hiccup on cue ("are you drunk?"), fly in loops, etc. It's just a blast to play games with them like this. One of her favorite games is to touch a target stick, which I hold in a really difficult-to-reach position on one of her big hanging gyms. That's usually the first behavior you teach with clicker training and we still invent new things with it.

raz

[budgzie]

sounds like fun!

Right now I'm just teaching Bullie to not be scared of my hand.

[Icednova625]

Sorry to hear that you lost gylfie, thats just tragic to hear. Hopefully it don't effect bullie.
With work you will provail with bullie, just don't give up and you'll win him over sooner or later.

[budgzie]

Originally Posted by Icednova625

Sorry to hear that you lost gylfie, thats just tragic to hear. Hopefully it don't effect bullie.
With work you will provail with bullie, just don't give up and you'll win him over sooner or later.

Thanks, I think bullie is ok.......But not as good as he used to be he still just sits there alday but now he looks more like an old man and doesn't play with his toys but I'v been taking him around to see his girl friend so I think he is going to be ok!