How to clicker train?

[Mr_Tarell]

Hi there,
I would like to know how to clicker train my Alexandrine. He does not take treats from me. He will go on my arm, sit on my shoulder, give me hand shakes (I thought him to do hand shakes in about 20 minutes with just praises) but he wouldn't take treats from me. I've had him for 10 months now and I would like to know how to properly clicker train him. What are some tips on doing so? Thank you guys.

 

[IgnisSol]

Clicker training works by pairing the click with a treat... So you might have to find some way to give him a treat. You might try having some unsalted sunflower seeds sitting on the palm of your hand with your bird near by, and see if he's willing to investigate, but don't force him

 

[Featheredsamurai]

is he on pellets? With Rosie clicker training didn't work very well until she stopped eating seeds.

You can also reward him with other things, if he has a favorite person interacting with them can be a reward. It takes a little longer but can still work.

 

[friedsoup]

Yeah if he likes scratches or rubs under his wings anything he really likes can be used as a treat, just click and give the reward do this until upon hearing the click he fluffs up for the scratch or whatever the treat is. the move on from there.

 

[IgnisSol]

Yeah if he likes scratches or rubs under his wings anything he really likes can be used as a treat, just click and give the reward do this until upon hearing the click he fluffs up for the scratch or whatever the treat is. the move on from there.

this is not clicker training, this is operant conditioning... The clicker is a conditioned reinforcer, meaning it starts out being a neutral stimulus and must be paird with a primary reinforcer (food)... scratches are almost always a secondary reinforcer

 

[Mr_Tarell]

Any ideas on how to get him to take treats from me. He would sit comfortably on my hands and I can touch his beak without any problem. The second I try to give him a treat he will show his sign of aggression (dilate his pupils, bob his head) and then attack my fingers, by biting me with his huge sharp beak and throwing the treat to the floor in the process. I thought he didn't like certain treats but he does this for every type of treats I've used. Any idea on how to solve this problem, because if he doesn't take the treats, he will not be properly clicker train and then he can learn tricks; and I don't know what to do. Please help. Thank you.

 

[IgnisSol]

Is it possible you can post a video of this?

 

[Mr_Tarell]

I can, but I don't know how to post a vid of it. I recently joined parrot forum. I joined on 10/16/12. Will they allow me to post it?

 

[animallovinmom]

I recommend the book clicker training for birds getting started by Melinda Johnson its very easy to understand. i checked out my copy from the library

 

[Artist]

will he eat a treat out of a bowl? You don't have to hand feed him the treat. you can leave it in a treat bowl then back away until he finds it. he will eventually make the connection.

 

[jbutt990]

I just posted a question similar to this. My lovebird would not take anything from my hands.

I realize your parrot is much larger than mine but maybe the same thing can work for you. I started by offering him millet through the cage bars then eventually worked my way inside his cage with it and it worked!