Target Training

[william.k.o]

Hi guys,

I've been training my cockatiel Joey to target for the last three days, but i've got a problem,
whenever i put the stick too far from him, he won't go for it, like i want him to climb down to touch the stick but he won't do it.

Could you please help me....... ¡¡¿¡¡¿PLEASE?!!?!



Thanks.

[Wolf]

Try moving the target stick back towards him until he is willing to start moving towards it and then slowly move it back as he moves toward it. I am not promising that it will work but it is worth trying. If this was occurring towards the end of your training sessions it could be that he was just not hungry enough to make the effort.
Let us know how it goes.

[william.k.o]

Well i move it to a side from the perch he's on but when i just put the stick where he can't reach he wont do any thing, and i want him to move around the cage.

[Wayne361]

As Wolf mentioned....its a motivational thing. If he knows touching the stick gets him treats and he isnt willing to move very far for a treat he isnt food motivated enough. i.e. he isnt hungry enough

Wayne

[william.k.o]

Ok. so i just leave him hungry?
I don't like to do that cause then he starts yelling and going from side to side looking for food, and in one ocassion he tried to eat his own poop so i immediately gave him food.

[Wolf]

Well i move it to a side from the perch he's on but when i just put the stick where he can't reach he wont do any thing, and i want him to move around the cage.

Could you describe this a little better for me? I just can't get a picture of it in my mind. Better still if you can post pictures of what it is you are trying to do.
As for him being hungry enough to respond: Imagine that it is 7 AM your bird has not eaten since last nite at dark. You attempt to target him about the cage, he looks at the target stick and then at you as if to say no way, you wiggle the stick a little and say come on buddy you can do this and he reaches towards the stick but doesn't move, so you give him a little treat for at least starting to move and attempt it again and this time he takes a step in the right direction again you treat him and try again and this time he moves to the stick and touches it so you praise him and give him his favorite treat.
this is what I am talking about. He will usually not eat after dark as he should be asleep and they don't eat while sleeping. If you are using a different schedule then just remove his food for about 2 hours before you start to work with him. We don't want to starve him but this amount of time will not harm him in any way or make him hungry enough to pick at his poop. I am in no way into nor do I encourage the abuse of any animal for any reason. It is simply unacceptable.
Let me know how it goes.

[william.k.o]

Well thing is, imagine this i've got two small perches inside the cage one is above and the other one at the bottom, he always likes to sit on the top one, i want him to go to the bottom perch but as soon as i put the stick out of his range he won't do anything, but when i show him the stick on the upper perch he goes for it, so i just like at least want him to go to the bottom perch.

[Wayne361]

You have to not worry bout bird not eating for a few hours. Do you think birds in the wild have a constant buffet of food available 24/7? As mentioned withhold food a few hours before training. If he isnt motivated enough after 2 hours try 3 and so on. Obviously limit the time so he isnt going hungry for hours upon hours...but you get the point. If bird realizes that action = food reward then he will be motivated to work for food.
If you want think the reverse...meaning whats in it for them? If bird is full WHY should he touch the stick when presented? Maybe once or twice out of curiousity....but nothing consistant if he gets nothing out of doing it. Head scratches might work or favourite toys presented....but those methods of praise are time consuming and not as consistant as food motivation.

Hope this clears it up,

Wayne

[william.k.o]

Oh ok thank you, so if let him without food for some hours and i do this constantly he'll be motivated, right?

Now i'll just have to tell my sister not to give him food every time.

Oh and for how long should i keep target training Joey, is it until he goes around the cage trying to touch the stick?

[Wolf]

Yes and no !
Joey will be more motivated to go to your target stick for a treat, but this is not the only factor involved. The next factor involved is that birds have a tendency to go for the higher branches in a tree because they are safer from predators. The perch is just an artificial branch. Do not expect Joey to want to go to the lower perch, so you will have to be patient with him. As in all aspects of parrots slow and easy does the trick.
How long to train Joey during each session and how many sessions per day and how close together can they be, this is a very good question and you deserve a valid answer. Unfortunately, I can't give you an answer at this time. Before you get the right answer we need to know Joey's age. So, if you don't mind, how old is Joey?