next step for clicker/target training?

[Superman2016]

I have two budgies (the American version "parakeet') ,male & female. They are "tame" enough that if I have seed (they are now on a diet of fruits, veggies, pellets, and seed) or millet , are hungry , need to get higher where they can't fly (bought them clipped) ,or want to go anywhere they need help with they will fly/walk to us or let us carry them. If they are not hungry , and have no need to fly/get to any place they wan they have no desire to step up even though they will do it most of the time because I've gained that much trust .

If I carry them away from their perch /tree (bought at a bird show) , or cage, they try to get back to where I took them from.

I have them on a routine feeding them at certain times of the day. They are now trained to touch the target stick for millet/seed . If I even have the stick laying near them ,the male will run to it to touch it do he can get a treat . I think they are ready for the next step. A first trick. What is your favorite first time easy trick ?
Oh I should mention I am working on flight re call with the female because she can fly a short distance (not more than 8-10inches but it a start for when she grows her feathers back). I put the target on the other side of my hand so she has to fly to my hand (I started from the perch and moved further back) to touch the target stick for the millet. I say " Memory come!" then have her go back to her perch (since she wants to go back to it anyway, I use that as an opportunity to train her to "go back to perch") then I tell her "memory, perch !"

[Michael]

http://trainedparrot.com/Turn_Around

[Superman2016]

Thank you so much Michael !

[Superman2016]

Michael, I did some more refresher training sessions with just the target. Then , today I started teaching her the spin around trick . After three training sessions look how far she got ( in one day!)

http://youtu.be/1vnv2_Kt_OY

Thank you again, for suggesting this one as her first trick.

[Michael]

Great video. I decided to share it here: https://www.facebook.com/trainedparrot/ ... 11/?type=3

[Superman2016]

Michael I am updating you, and the forum members to share that only after 6 short training sessions, Memory has mastered this trick. it is so cute. Here is the new youtube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW6TAZ-sP0s
Thank you again, for your suggestion !

[Michael]

That's awesome! One suggestion. Don't reward unsolicited spins. Otherwise you'll have a bird that's running in circles all day long! The whole point is to narrow the bird's attention onto you so that it does what you ask. By not rewarding what you don't ask it also teaches the bird to stay put and wait for further instructions. Also this will reduce interference with further tricks you teach. Can't teach go through tube if the bird is spinning over and over uncued.

[Superman2016]

Thank you for that advise . I thought I would "cheat' , and was letting her do that to use it as a way to teach her the verbal cue. I have not tried just the verbal cue, alone yet. I did not think about the consequences you just explained, but am glad you told me.

So now, I will just teach her the verbal cue, while giving her the visual cue, so she is still only doing it when being told.

[Michael]

Well, your cheat is good but only if you use the verbal cue. Let's say the bird is jumping the gun and doing a turn around every 10 seconds. Well when you're expecting an unsolicited turn around, you say "spin" just a moment prior. That time you give a treat. Next time the bird does it with no cue, no treat. Then next time you say it and treat, etc. This will teach the bird to discriminate cued vs uncued responses and it will realize that it could just as well not do the uncued ones because ONLY the cued ones get rewarded EVER!

[Superman2016]

Well thank you. And I hope this post will be helpful to others. I enjoy reading others questions and answers . Well , I will no longer reward or click for in cued tricks unless I say the cue right before it is done.