clicker training

[MadMax]

hi all

i dunno if this has been covered, im sure it has but im going to post madmaxes clicker training and possibly some video as well.my goal is to train max to come to me or my girlfriend as a flighted bird

 

to start off madmax's last mom had him for 5 years,before that a truck driver owned max not much is known about the first year or few years of max's life.what is known is max only likes women and hates men.i'm male so i am going to try to get max to accept me if not trust me and share in this experience to everyone.

 

here is some staring tips on clicker training....you will need a clicker or a ball point pen that clicks can be used. please read thru the entire steps note that im not doing step #6 my step#6 will be noted below.

 

also max has never had any clicker training so now i have to associate the click with a treat for max and hopefully will be able to use the clicker for more advanced training like recall for flight

 

step 1

Train your bird to touch or grab a popsicle stick. It's a simple and easy-to-remember move, and you can then use it to develop more complex commands.

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Step 2

 

Click the clicker and give your bird a treat when you do. This doesn't have to be in conjunction with the particular trick or command, as you simply want the bird to associate the clicking noise with a treat. Repeat the process until the bird clearly understands the connection.

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Step 3

 

Place the popsicle stick directly in front of the bird. When he touches it, press the clicker and give him a reward. Repeat the process several times, rewarding the bird each time he touches the stick or grabs it in his beak.

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Step 4

 

Move the popsicle stick away from the bird, so that she has to move a bit to grab it. Continue the process, pressing the clicker whenever the bird touches or grabs the stick, rewarding her and moving the stick still further away whenever she seems to have made the connection.

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Step 5

 

Refrain from using the clicker after the bird has gotten the hang of the command, unless he performs it specifically. For instance, stop using the clicker and the reward when the bird simply touches the stick. Use it only when he actively grabs it with his beak.

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Step 6

 

Add more complicated permutations gradually, using the clicker and the popsicle stick in conjunction. For example, by moving the popsicle stick up and down, you can get the bird to bob her head up and down, or by turning it around her in a slow circle, you can get her to turn in circles. There are many possible commands, but you should select one and stick to it to avoid confusing the bird.

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Step 7

 

Use the clicker each time until the bird clearly understands the connection to the most sophisticated version of the trick. For instance, once he has learned to bob his head up and down, do not reward him for just grasping the stick. Reward him only when he bobs his head up and down.

 

note my step#6 i will be moving the stick further away from max in order to begin the basics of flight training which will be recall. keep in mind at this point you want your parrot to goto the stick without the click in order for him/het to recive a treat

[Eckobird]

Great post! Let us know how it goes with Madmax's training.

[danmcq]

GreYt post Madmax. Looking forward to hear how your Grey responds to it. :-)

[MadMax]

i just started today and im impressed at how fast and eager max is to learn,mind you madmax hates men(me) and loves women(my girlfriend) max will run after me to bite me.....hes already knows when he sees the clicker hes gonna get a treat, he gets so excited.im glad that now instead of biting me he goes for the stick(popsicle stick) i was hoping to post video but max is easily distracted by the red light my recorder puts out when recording<br><br>Post edited by: MadMax, at: 2009/06/23 20:48

[austinrngr]

That was a great explaination of using clicker training. Thank You.

[Dejecting]

I'm eager to hear how this goes as well.

 

Dafney seems to prefer women over men as well since her previous caretaker was a female, but she doesn't attack me, just avoids me unless I'm offering a treat. She has only been here a few days but she is already letting me get closer and closer without her backing off so I'm quite optimistic about my chances of her trusting me completely.

 

You might try covering the red light on your camera with a small piece of black tape to avoid the distraction it causes.

[Luvparrots]

Can't wait to hear how Max's training goes. This is quite interesting. I look forward to hear more about it!

[Jane08]

Great work with the clicker. I used clicker trainig on our female Kea as she hated me and after doing the clicker training for a few months we became best of friends. It worked wonders and I had so much fun with her where as previously I wouldn't interact with her as she would bite me all the time.<br><br>Post edited by: Jane08, at: 2009/06/24 15:14

[MadMax]

heres a lil video of max after 1 day of clicker trainning...i got max to beak a popsicle stick in 1 day,,,, with the clicker tho i would suggest using the clicker to click when you give a treat for a week heres the video.... i almost forgot when i was leaving this morning max said buh bye dad, boy did that bring tears to my eyes

 

 

 

Post edited by: MadMax, at: 2009/06/24 22:57<br><br>Post edited by: MadMax, at: 2009/06/24 22:58

[MadMax]

i hope i didnt scare everyone away i promise in the next vid ill have a shirt on

[Luvparrots]

Thanks for the clicker training demonstration Ray. Can't wait to see the final results!

[ParrotLover]

I might try something simliar, its hard to find something that april stands up onto without her being scared lol.

Fantastic idea!

[Dave007]

If you really wanna see how well your clicker training is coming along, use objects that your grey is totally unfamiliar with and don't usually have contact with and are uninterested in them. Once a grey knows what a popsicle stick is, it won't need any clicker to tell it to take it. That applies to any type of wood. More than likely in the future you'll have to discard those sticks before he spots them.

 

Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/06/26 00:48<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/06/26 00:53

[MadMax]

my next move is going to be using the clicker to try to get max into his new travel cage.... i will post some vids of this, a first try vid and the end result vid....also now max is making the clicker noise to call me to him so i dunno at this point who is trainning whom<br><br>Post edited by: MadMax, at: 2009/06/27 15:09

[MadMax]

sorry its been awhile since last post heres some vids of max making the clicker sound for a pistachio

 

 

 

im waiting for a new travel cage the first one i bought max didnt want anything to do with so hope fully the new one thats coming now he will take to