parakeet training

[parrotsaver]

Do I have to train my parakeets individually or both together.
please answer

[Michael]

Individually.

[macawlover2]

Yes, I'd say that it would work best if you trained them individually. That way they can't bond with one another more than you.

[Kathleen]

They might still bond more with each other than you. But at least if you train them individually, you can train each one with more accuracy. It doesn't make sense to try to train them together. They'll get confused and one of them may not make as much progress on what you're working on as the other. The other bird might serve as a distraction from training. And then there's the problem of having to reward them at the same time.

[GollyFluff]

I am currently training 2 lineolated parakeets (brothers from same clutch) and they are doing--what I would consider--marvelously at this point. I am an amature in this, but I think they are just brilliant! We've been doing 15 minute clicker training sessions 3x a day (which they really seem to enjoy---I am using bird crack (ahem) I mean spray millet as a reward).

I've only had them for a little over a week, and they have both mastered step up, are walking up and down the outside of their big flight cage to target the end of a wooden skewer, are giving kisses on the lips (they just lean forward and touch your lips with their beak), and very reliably waving hello with their foot on command. These are their "strengths."

Now, they are not at the age of maturity yet, so maybe our good luck will wear off some later on as they age and go through bird-puberty. They are about 11 weeks old (fledged around 7 weeks), and were raised by the best breeder anyone could dream of getting a baby from. They came to me very tame, very socialized, and very, very sweet (both already loving scritches and snuggles when sleepy). So this may also be a significant factor in our training success?

But what I wanted to say, which seems interesting considering multiple sources say to train birds individually and not together, including this thread, is that my two seem to benefit from training together. My Doodle actually learned to wave by watching Delta wave and get c/t. I NEVER taught Doodle to wave, but after 1 day of watching he is now waving on command like a pro for a c/t. He totally gets it. I couldn't believe it--I was asking Delta for 'wave' and they both just waved at the same time. Now how can this be explained? They each wave on command, but I only taught one that trick.

Maybe Linnies learn differently than budgies, I would not know about that. But in our situation, training as a "flock" is working to our benefit at the moment. They are trying so hard for that c/t and are learning from each other how to get more c/t's. I would imagine it would be very "distracting" to separate them during the training (they will call to each other very loudly if they are not together.)

They will ride together on my shoulder, snuggle up together with a blanket on the couch with me in the evenings, and they both fly to me at random (seems to always be when I am cleaning--they will fly to my head or cling to my shirt--silly birds!) They seem to be bonded together but also are bonding together with me, if that is possible? Again I am new to this. Maybe this will change later on as they reach maturity? I hope not.

Any thoughts? I don't mean to come in here and throw a curveball against the standard advice. I really don't know anything. I am wondering if training 2 birds together has ever worked out well for others like it seems to be working for me and my two. I just saw this thread and felt compelled to share my sucess thus far. I appreciate the experience and knowledge that is here, and would love to hear opinions. Is our course of action going to fail later on down the road?

I am just a newbie to the bird training world. But happy to be here.

Thanks!!


Oh! and I want to also mention how I manage to c/t for 2 birds at the same time. What I am doing, is I will ask something of 1 bird (at this point I ask for step up, step down, target, give kisses, or wave) and then I will click and treat that bird with just a tiny broken off piece of millet (a little cluster about the size of a pea). Then I immediately will ask something of the 2nd bird, while the 1st bird is still chowing down on his treat. I just trade back and fourth, letting one eat his treat while the other is working for a treat. Works good so far. Linnies are not known for fast movements though, they are rather slow-walking and deliberate, so that probably helps us. Also I am making a point to always say the name of the bird I am giving a command to...in case they may eventually learn their names and know who I am talking to. I hold the millet and clicker in one hand, with the target stick in my free hand. Sometimes I hold everything in one hand though, or will put the target stick under my arm at my side.

[Kathleen]

If you have success training them both at the same time, great. I just believe that it may be to difficult for most. Watching to make sure that both birds are doing the trick correctly, clicking, and rewarding them both at the same time is too difficult for me if the trick is still being taught. I think it's just easier and simpler to train with one bird at a time because I like to perfect a trick and only reward the tries (from the bird) who are getting closer and closer to the trick being perfected.

What I mean by this is if I was teaching a bird how to wave, I would reward the times that the bird lifted its foot the highest, and if they barely lifted it, I wouldn't click. I think it would be unfair to one bird if they are doing the trick properly and the other bird isn't to not click and not reward. And if you click when one bird isn't doing the trick properly, they will still think they are doing it properly when they aren't and you would be rewarding the wrong behavior.

[Michael]

There's really no point in training them together unless you're just lazy.

Irene Pepperburg tried to train Alex and Griffin together but it wouldn't work because Alex would blurt out the answers and not give Griffin a chance. This made Griffin a more receded bird and Alex more dominant. This proved counterproductive to her training efforts. (From Alex and Me)

[GollyFluff]

Thank you so much for your replies Kathleen and Michael. You both make a lot of sense and I really appreciate the feedback and the points you both made. I saw your videos on youtube and I marvel at how wonderfully trained your birds are. You make it look so easy, but I know it takes a lot of time and commitment.

The point about Iren Pepperburg's birds, Alex and Griffin, was an excellent one. At first I didn't know who you were talking about, but a quick search on youtube led me to Alex and I immediately recognized him from tv!

My linnies will probably never talk much, but I can see where the concept relates. I think this means if I ask Delta to wave, but he doesn't and Doodle Waves instead, this can lead to one becoming confused and not as receptive to training. Also one could become more dominant over the other during training causing the other one to hold back like the shy kid in class.

And like what Kathleen said about perfecting a trick, makes complete sense. And how it might be mean to c/t for one bird and not the other, when they are doing the same trick side by side, but one is not doing the trick good enough (not waving high enough). I see now how that could become a problem and also how one bird could think the click was intended for him, when in fact it was for the other.

Thank you for steering me towards a better method. I cannot find any information about training them together. I am glad I found this thread and got some solid advice so early in our training journey before I made any lasting mistakes.

I will try to separate them for training and see if things work out better. I am excited!! (is my newbie-ness like a neon sign or what?)

I just didn't want a single bird because I wanted them to have each other while I am away, and to snuggle with each other at night, and enjoy life as best as a human-owned bird can. They are spoiled rotten let me tell you. Half the fun for me is just watching them interact and play.

Can I ask one more question about parakeet training though? Is it ever okay for me to train them together or must they be separate for training every time? Can they "showcase" their mastered stuff together every now and then?--Because that is quite cute to see (I wish you could see how funny they are waving side by side, lol).

Much thanks to you both, and to the original poster of this thread, parrotsaver!! I hope I didn't intrude. I have never posted on this forum before and this thread was exactly what my question was about so I thought it was relevant enough and might help us both. I am very grateful to all of you! Good luck to us all! :thankyou:

[Kathleen]

I would separate them to train them while you are teaching a trick. I find that with some tricks, I teach in stages.

When I taught Duke to fetch, first I had to teach him to touch an object, then pick up an object, then pick it up and drop it in a dish, then pick it up and drop it in another dish, then pick it up and drop it in my hand, the walk with the object 2 feet and drop it in one of the dishes etc.

If you are teaching a complicated trick that requires stages and a sequence in order to become perfected, it's much better to train separately.

However, if both birds know the trick perfectly and they do it reliably, you can have them perform the trick together. You can showcase a perfected trick in both birds. Trust me, I can imagine how cute and funny it is.

[lover for lil joe]

how do i tame my parakeet? He knows how to talk, but he is not tame please help me.

Thanks