Treats and training

[josiesmom]

Hi,
I have a 2 year old B&G macaw. She is super smart, but she does not seem to be motivated by food unless it is oatmeal cream cookies. I want to start more consistant training with her, but I don't want to use cookies. All of the training material that I've read says seeds, but she won't give a seed a second look. She has learned a bunch of stuff that we praise her for, so do you think the possitive praise and head scritches is enough?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Anita

 

[JerseyWendy]

Have you tried pine nuts? I understand they are VERY expensive, but most Macaws go GA-GA over them, and a pound will go a long way if only used as rewards/treats.

Praise and head scratches DO go a long way, and may very well be enough, but perhaps she will go the extra mile for additional rewards.

 

[MonicaMc]

The reward can be treats (seeds, nuts, dried fruits, favorite foods first eaten out of the food dish if on seed based diet, etc), praise, attention, toys, going somewhere, etc. It can be anything the bird enjoys! In fact, the more rewards she has, the more you can keep things mixed up and interesting!

When using a treat, be sure that it is a tiny piece that can be eaten quickly - you don't want your bird to fill up too quickly!

 

[JJones1719]

You can also check online for birdie breads and perhaps she will like them enough to perform the command you are trying to teach. Food and toys normally are all it takes. Best of luck Joe

 

[triordan]

if you can train without using food, that's great! if you are trying to use food try cutting back the pellets/fruits/veggies during the day so she is hungry, but NOT starving, remember 2/3 short training session (5 minutes) and always end on a good note!