How do you START teaching your bird tricks?

[Remy]

I just don't know where to start. How do you introduce a new behavior? I've been working with Puck's behavior a bit. He's better about not calling while I'm in another room (although not great about it, especially if he's in one of his moods).

He keeps getting random bouts of aggression. I'm getting better at identifying them before I get bit, but he keeps biting and drawing blood regularly. He's tame and likes to play, but just seems to get moody!

I think it might help his behavior problems. Part of it seems like he just has too much energy and needs an outlet, which is why I think tricks might help. If I can get him on my hand when he's in a bad mood I can wave him around and bounce him up and down, and it seems to relieve his mood, but sometimes he's just too bitey to pick up!

I've trained dogs before, but never birds, past the basic "step up" and a few noises. It's quite a bit. =P

 

[Rio Mom]

River has been learning "Be a bat". He was always hanging upside down like a little bat on my hand, so I just started telling him "Be a bat!" in a happy tone whenever he did it and giving a favorite treat (pecans). He's starting to get the idea pretty well. Although sometimes, he tries to just sneak off my hand and rush over to steal the pecans haha. So maybe for starters, just try giving a name to something he's doing already.

 

[Remy]

I've been working on that with him since I got him! I say "Batbird!" Lol. Now that I'm paying closer attention, he seems to do it with physical cues, like when my hand moves to flip him over, he's just not responding to verbal cues. And he only does it if HE feels like it!

 

[henpecked]

Have you found a favorite treat yet? one that you give to him only when training.If he's not food motivated ,then a phase like"good birdie" or a scratch on the head.A reward of some type might help him to yet the hang of doing tricks .

 

[Remy]

His favorites seem to take him a long time to eat! He likes berries of all kinds, and figs, because they have little tiny seeds for him to crack. Maybe I should try giving him individual seeds?

I'd rather reward him with verbal praise or affection, but I'm not really sure which will work better for him. I'm not sure how much he takes notice when I do it, so I don't know if it will work. Sometimes he cares, and sometimes he doesn't appear to. Maybe I shouldn't train him when he doesn't care. =P

 

[Remy]

Or maybe he doesn't seem to take notice because I praise him quite often for "being cute" and "being silly"... XD

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Have you considered clicker training?

Honestly I think it's a bit overrated for dogs (it certainly works well, but I don't see much of a need), but for birds it seems to have many advantages.

As you noted, it may take them some time to eat their favorite treats - which makes them less ideal as a reward. But with a clicker 'bridging' the behavior to the reward, they can take all the time they need to eat the food while it is still perceived as an instantaneous reward.

Also a clicker is just for training sessions - so it is unique, and not muddied by all the other time we spend telling them what a good bird they are.

I often think people make far too much of clickers, but when used properly and in the situations which they are fit for, they can be a great tool.

 

[Remy]

That's a good idea! I don't know why I didn't make that connection with the clickers. I definitely agree that they aren't necessary for dogs, which is why I think I overlooked it. I'll look into it!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Let me know if you have questions. I have been training pets for quite some time - though my parrot experience is primarily limited to my own. But I did try clicker training with Auggie - and it worked wonders. He knows it's training time when it comes out, and he's excited and ready to work. I taught him to play basketball surprisingly quickly (little 'wiffle' type ball, with a hoop on the table). I was also able to set up various obstacle courses and defenders (rubber duckies) between him and the basket ... he loves playing.

Of course this excitement is fairly specific to the training sessions - which is not so productive when working on basic behaviors of a well-behaved bird, but for trick training it works great.

 

[Toasty84]

I read somewhere that clicker training can sort of slow down progress when it comes to training birds. The gist of it was basically that the bird learns to associate a correct action (trick) at the sound of the clicker. Once the bird has full grasp of the action and you try to substitute the clicker for only verbal commands, it can end up confusing the bird because he/she thinks they're doing something wrong (on account of not hearing the clicker at the end of said action), which can then discourage the bird.
In the end, you'd basically be teaching the bird the same trick twice (with clicker and without).

I'm in now way saying this is accurate. Just something I read, so I thought I'd give my $0.02.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

I've never heard that Toasty - but as a career behaviorist, I can confidently say it was not from a valid source.

One could apply the same faulty logic then to ANY reward that we provide for our birds.

If you know who you heard that from you should suggest they read up on variable reinforcement schedules.

EDIT:
Thank you for your input Toasty ... I hope not to come across as harsh. I just wanted to stress that the source you heard this from is incorrect.

 

[Toasty84]

Auggie's Dad, not a problem.

I couldn't remember where I had read it or who had written it, but after a Google search I got my answer - Tani Robar is the source of the information I had mentioned.

Given her experience in the world of parrots, I thought that maybe there was some truth to what she was talking about.
After some more searches, I've come to realise that many people in the world of parrots seem to look down on her in regards to her thoughts on clicker training.

My apologies for any misinformation.

 

[Remy]

Thank you all for your input!

AuggiesDad - I might take you up on that.