Started to clicker train!

[my-africangrey-echo]

Well I have had the clicker and books for about a week and Echo has caught on very quickly! In a matter of a few minutes he had the idea and has learned three things already!!

#1 when I say stretch your wings he will open and lift his wings all the way and will make a whooshing noise/ He decided to add the noise himself.

#2 when I say upside down birdie he will flip himself upside down (we do this on the door of his cage.)

#3 he is learning to lay on his back. This one is hard for him but he has the idea!!

I give him small bits of walnut as soon as he hears the click. I have decided that the walnut will only be given to him when we are in training class Class is only for about 10 minutes so he dosn't get to many treats and or loose is attention span.

[SDavid]

Three tricks in a few minutes! Pretty good....he's a quick learner. I've just begun reading Melinda Johnson's book. I had already begun recall training with info from some articles I printed off of "Carly's Homepage."

Does it get confusing for them teaching more than one trick at a time? I'm gonna stick to recall training for a while because I want to have that down pat. I'm training my TAG and my Galah. They're clipped now but I'd really love them to be able to fly to me from accross the room. And, for them to have the confidence and ability to get where they want to go without bad landings. My sessions are usually ten minutes with one then ten minutes with the other.

I've been using sunflower seeds and toward the end of the session and when they get kind of bored I bring out the big guns.....peanuts. They can't resist those.

[dancelady]

I just got a clicker and now need some help with the training. I wrote to Melinda but she never answered, so now I need some clicker info on how to do it. Can anyone help me out with the details? Can you post it here? I have lovebirds that I want to train; they are not tame at all.

[chirpy]

Join the yahoo group Bird-Click : Bird-Click.
Also got Melinda Johnson's book, available on amazon "Clicker training for Birds"
Good luck!

[my-africangrey-echo]

Originally Posted by SDavid

Three tricks in a few minutes! Pretty good

No It was over a week and 1/2.. But he did learn one trick at a time quickly.

The laying on his back is the hardest one so far since he keeps trying to turn and chew at the table. So I lift him back up and start over again until he just lays there then I click and he gets his piece of walnut.. Recall training is going to be next on my list!!

[my-africangrey-echo]

Originally Posted by dancelady

I just got a clicker and now need some help with the training. I wrote to Melinda but she never answered, so now I need some clicker info on how to do it. Can anyone help me out with the details? Can you post it here? I have lovebirds that I want to train; they are not tame at all.

Try these books I found them on amazon's web site They are awesome at explaining everything..

Clicker Training for Birds (Getting Started) - Melinda Johnson;

The Click That Does The Trick: Trick Training Your Bird The Clicker Way - Robin Deutsch

[SDavid]

"No It was over a week and 1/2.. "

oh...sorry I misread that. Do the two books differ in their approaches? I don't have "The Click That Does The Trick."

"I have lovebirds that I want to train; they are not tame at all. "

dancelady, I'm no expert but I think that before you can begin to train a bird it has to be tame. I mean it should not be afraid of you and should come to you and allow you to touch it without a problem. I think you should start with the taming process first. Your birds need to be relaxed around you or else they'll never focus on learning tricks. Instead they'll keep trying to get away from you.

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by SDavid

dancelady, I'm no expert but I think that before you can begin to train a bird it has to be tame. I mean it should not be afraid of you and should come to you and allow you to touch it without a problem. I think you should start with the taming process first. Your birds need to be relaxed around you or else they'll never focus on learning tricks. Instead they'll keep trying to get away from you.

Nope. This is a common and understandable misconception. The really cool thing about training is that the training itself helps you tame the birds. Training helps you start communicating and building trust. You don't have to be able to touch them to get started.

Training teaches them quickly that you are the source of good things, and that they can easily manipulate you into giving them treats. ("You want me to walk over here? And then I get a treat? Sweet!" "Hey look, all I have to do is touch this and she gives me treats, what a sucker!")

Your best bet, dancelady, is to join the group (you have to fill out the box explaining why you want to join, then you'll get an intro email telling you how to get started in the group). You'll get lots of support, advice and step by step instructions there -- that's a better forum for your questions. Or try her book (also).

[lisark]

Originally Posted by SDavid

dancelady, I'm no expert but I think that before you can begin to train a bird it has to be tame. I mean it should not be afraid of you and should come to you and allow you to touch it without a problem. I think you should start with the taming process first. Your birds need to be relaxed around you or else they'll never focus on learning tricks. Instead they'll keep trying to get away from you.

Logically it would seem so, but the beauty of clicker training is that you do NOT have to touch the animal in order for it to learn. The other thing about clicker training is that it empowers the animal and teaches it that there is an open line of non-stressful communication open between it and the trainer.

Clicker training silly parlour tricks offers some interesting side effects, too. Many unwanted/behaviour problems that occur tend to diminish in frequency and intensity as the animal is taught more and more behaviours. This is a well-known fact.

The main problem you have with an animal that is not tame is how to deliver the treat. With birds that are not happy taking a treat from your hand, you can sometimes use a small plastic measuring cup.

I highly advise joining the Yahoogroup "Bird-Click" that was mentioned before. Read the files for specific directions on how to start. It really does not matter if those birds are tame or not...as a matter of fact, if she clickertrains the birds FIRST she is likely to have an easier time getting them to accept touching and contact later, because she will be able to clicker train it into existence!

[AndreaSctlnd]

Okay, I understand that using the clicker training will help you tame a bird, and someone mentioned that they may not let you hand them a treat, but I would like to work with my new budgie and he flips out when I put my hand in his cage. I try to give him treats and he won't even touch them. I think I must be doing something wrong.

OH and also, do you do the training away from the cage? And if so, how do you work with a bird who is afraid of you?