cute tricks to teach a Grey? something that meshes with their instincts?

[Darci]

I successfully taught mine her second trick! When I say "Shadow, get down!!" she bobs up and down and goes "whooooo!" and when I ask for a kiss she extends her neck so I can reach her beak

I have heard that it's easier to train them if the trick mirrors something they would already do in the wild. Does anyone have ideas? Or tips and best practices for teaching her something new? I'd like to keep up and teach her as much as I can, I'm sure she would get bored doing the same one over and over

 

[Jroyal14]

I would try something that has to do with foraging.. Or something with a puzzle. There is a macaw at the local zoo here who unties rope knots

 

[Birdman666]

There is a macaw at the local zoo here who unties rope knots

That would be my amazons. The harder you make the knot, the more complex and difficult it is, the more she likes it.

My RFM is not that patient, she just bites through the rope. My greenwing is much less subtle. She just bites the thing on the rope in half... (why bother messing with knots when this is so much faster!)

My CAG seems to enjoy bowling. That's the one trick toy he did enjoy.

He likes the pull the bucket up from the well trick too, mostly cuz he knows there's food in the bucket.

I had a friend who had a CAG that used to like to roller skate. And just like a little kid, everyone who came in the house used to have to sit down and watch him show off. And if you didn't tell him what a good bird he was when he was done... well, that would be a big mistake! Watch your toes...

Tusk also does the poofy bird dance. I think they all do, really.

If you can break it down into steps, there's no limit, except how stubborn they are. My CAG really has never been much of a trick bird. (That was my conures. RIP. Those were my trick birds)

 

[weco]

I have heard that it's easier to train them if the trick mirrors something they would already do in the wild. Does anyone have ideas? Or tips and best practices for teaching her something new? I'd like to keep up and teach her as much as I can, I'm sure she would get bored doing the same one over and over

I'm not sure of mirroring things from the wild, but the vast majority of our companion birds are so far removed, generation wise, from their wild cousins, I doubt anything but their natural survival skills are left.....I may well be wrong, but if there is anything remotely associated that they could rely on, what would one of our birds compare it with, that is unless of course they watch Jack Hanna or Steve Irwin's shows regularly.....

Don't have any ideas for you though, sorry.....maybe browsing through YouTube videos might help.....

 

[Selestine]

I've always thought teaching your bird to extend their wings was a cute one. Mine all picked up "shake hands" pretty quickly/easily. Spinning in a circle is another easy one.