Clicker training...do you do it??

[angelicarboreals]

I was curious to get some feedback on clicker training. I have never had to learn how to do it as my birds have all known how to step up, etc. before I rehomed them with me. However, I have been having some aggression and dominance issues with my three year old sennie and had been researching different methods of training to use.

To make a long story short, since coming to live with us last year he has decided that he does not have to mind me if he does not want to. I have tried basic training with him, but if I try to get him to step up he bites the tar out of me, and several times too if he can. After watching some different videos on clicker training online, I want to get some feedback. I think this may be the route to take with him.

[macawpower58]

There is a member Shan Lung who I knows posts on this board. I also know he has great success with clicker training. You may want to look up his story and find the sections he speaks of it in.

[New Ekkie Mom]

I love clicker training. I started it with my dog years ago, and I am starting it with my new Eclectus now. I think it's a fantastic way to develop a method of communication between you and your bird. It's based completely on positive reinforcement, which is good for birds especially. It allows for one on one attention time for your bird, and it gives your bird the opportunity to THINK. Your bird will learn to do whatever he can to make that clicker click and get the forthcoming reward! :) I am sure there are others here who clicker train, but there is also a fantastic yahoo group called Bird-Click. If you're interested, check it out!

Danielle

[magdalena]

I don't clicker train because I've never gotten the hang of holding and clicking and having treats and a dog or bird all at once but I do use markers (like the words yes or good bird) and then treat. I think I would actually prefer to use words even if I had 3 hands to mark the behavior because then the bird actually is getting speech training at the same time as a bonus.

[Kolkri]

I dont clicker train. I bought one thinking I would but can not train myself to get the timing of the clicker and the treat with the trick I want. So gave up.

[fishbird]

i have been using clicker training for the last 4 weeks on a cockatiel who was 9 weeks old when i started the training. I now can get him to come to me and step up, move to a spot that i point to with a stick, run through ring(s) that i hold and retrive a small object for me. i would recomend clicker training. i have never used it before, but wished i had before

[Poicephalus girl]

The Parrot Club I belong to will actually have someone come at the next meeting to show us how to use the clicker training. I'm actually looking forward to it as I might try it with my 13 year old Meyer's who would like nothing better than to spend her days biting/chewing on my fingers.
I'll probably end up trying it at first with any of my other birds; when I do feel comfortable enough with it, I'll move on to Petey.

[jenseits]

I clicker trained my Stewie to tame him. Now he loves running through training sessions. He can fetch, put a ball in a cup, put rings on a peg, put a coin in a piggy bank, turn on cue, wave and a bunch of other things. (And he's actually tame now, which is the most important thing.)

Here are a couple videos of him:
YouTube - Parrot Puts Coins in a Piggy Bank
YouTube - Stewie's Non-Prop Tricks
YouTube - Sun Conure Puts Rings on a Peg


One one of Mika demonstrating targeting:
YouTube - Pionus Parrot Target Training (Mika)

[silvercb67]

I also use clicker training & she seems to enjoy it.

[flyingfluff]

I've used it a little bit with my green cheeks and with my caique. I need to go back to working with my conures because I was starting to make some progress with them, just haven't had the time lately because of college. However, my caique is super duper smart and takes to it so well. In fact, I have trouble staying ahead of him. I've taught him to "come" aka fly to my arm on command, climb a ladder, and I'm going to teach him to wave hi next and to drop a ball in a cup and play basketball.

The problem I've had with him is that he's so smart that he will only do the trick if he sees I've got a treat for him. And once he's mastered whatever I'm teaching him, he'll bore easily and not want to do it again.