reducing food--as training method

[kannon]

I have been watching some films that recommend a controlled monitored reduction of food to the bird to make the bird hungry before training.Have any of you tried this method and is this a good way to go about training?
I have a 9 year old CAG that I think was used as a breeder.She has had no training and I suspect has been controlled with a towel because I saw it being done with other birds they had for sale.

[marie83]

Yes I do reduce food for training but do not "starve" them. Basically mine get smaller amounts of breakfast, get the opportunity to earn a portion of food from training or foraging. They also get dinner in which any training or foraging food that is left over gets added to it.

**EDIT**
Just to make it perfectly clear mine do not go a long time without eating- when I say they have the opportunity to eat then its from a combination of foraging (and training if they are interested)- this is throughout the day. If they are not interested in training then that specific portion of food gets added to the evening meal, they are never forced to do anything from either starvation or other methods of force. They choose to do things in exchange for positive reinforcement.
If these were wild birds then they would get a varying level of food from day to day so I see nothing wrong with what I'm doing as they 100% do not starve.

[Hookturn]

Michael wrote a couple articles on managing weight. Here's one
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=10524
There is another also just do a site search on the blog for "weight management" and you'll find it.

[Hookturn]

For what it's worth, I train my parrot when I get home from work before giving him dinner. I found that he is pretty motivated at that point and since I feed pellets for dinner I figure that is a good time to give a few seeds during training both being high protein foods.

I am sure those with more experience will have other suggestions but it works for us.

[liz]

Shame on you.

How would you have liked it for Mom not feeding you supper until all your homework was done.

[Pajarita]

I think that making an animal go hungry for no good reason but so he can learn a stupid trick is morally wrong and completely reprehensible! It is actually the most criticized technique that avian behaviorists have about Michael's methods. In Michael's case, it's understandable to a point because he has made a cottage industry of his birds... But a parrot should be a companion, a friend, a family member... They are innocent living beings that depend on us - would you make your child go hungry so he is 'more receptive' to learning a trick to entertain you?! SHEESH! I am SOOOOOO disappointed in all of you!

[Wolf]

I don't think that was what Hookturn was saying, just that instead of reducing the birds food she was taking advantage of the time when the bird was already getting hungry before dinner time. And it sounds to me that instead of less food that the bird was rewarded with the addition of some extra food in the form of seeds.

[liz]

I don't trick train. Myrtle has one funny trick and she taught me. She doesn't play dead. She plays dying. Rachel told her no and she made this awful noise, twisted her head sharp side ways and moaned. So Rachel shot her and she did it again.

[Wolf]

I don't spend a lot of time on trick training either, although I might do more of it at some later date. Up to this time, I have concentrated on building a good relationship with my birds as they all were either neglected to varying degrees or outright abused. Kiki, my Senegal is the only one that I have that is actually ready to focus on trick training at this point. If I do start any trick training it would probably just be contact tricks that would help to build more trust in preparation to harness training. In this past month she has begun to refuse to step off of me by asking for more head rubs. It I so cute, the way that she does this as she literally shoves her head under my fingers like a little bulldozer pushing dirt. She is so proud of herself when she succeeds in getting to remain on me for a few extra minutes.

[marie83]

Pajarita, nobody is talking about starving an animal. They still get their full daily allowance, mine get opportunity to eat all through the day.
Domesticated species shouldn't be allowed to just eat what they want IMO- they don't exercise as much, the foods they eat these days isn't as healthy, they have more time to get bored and therefore boredom eat. Harlies a prime example- when I free fed her she was round rather than bird shaped. Lord knows I wish someone was in control of my meals! lol. Its instinct to eat when foods available so that we can survive when foods less plentiful, I'm pretty sure this applies to most living creature.