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Is this a good training progression

Exchange information about how to teach specific tricks to parrots. Most of these techniques should apply to all bird species. Share your success stories.

Is this a good training progression

Postby meowzero » Tue Jul 24, 2012 12:13 pm

So my bird can target well. She has learned the step up well too. Well, she knew how to step up the first day we got her. So it wasn't too hard for her to learn those 2 tricks.

Now I just started teaching her the turn-around trick. Is this a good trick for her to learn next? She seems to get the turn-around trick fast too.

In the book, Getting Started Clicker Training for Birds, they recommend teaching birds prop based tricks first. Do you guys agree with this? I tried teaching my bird fetch, but she was having a very tough time. She would fling the object away instead of dropping it onto my hand. I don't click when she flings it or not drop it into my hand, but eventually, she would get frustrated for not getting any treats.

So I decided to change to an easier trick for her to do like the turn around. She seems to learn that easier.

Should I keep teaching her the turn around trick or should I follow the book and try to teach her the fetch?
meowzero
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Is this a good training progression

Postby Michael » Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:24 pm

I prefer to teach wave and shake after target and not turn around. Cause that makes the parrot associate the target stick with turning around too much. I disagree with the method you outlined and my preferred order can be seen on the Trained Parrot blog. I like to mix prop based and cue based tricks to minimize interference. But honestly, whatever way you teach it, eventually it will work fine. Just a question of optimal efficiency.
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Michael
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Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Is this a good training progression

Postby meowzero » Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:02 pm

Thanks for the reply. So based on your suggestion, I abandoned turn around and taught her wave instead. Surprisingly, she learned it fast and can do it without the step up cue. Of course, she hasn't mastered it yet. She needs to wave higher and longer than just putting her foot up briefly. Should I go onto another trick or should I keep training her on wave until she does it close to the level I want her to?
meowzero
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 17
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Rose Breasted Cockatoo
Flight: Yes

Re: Is this a good training progression

Postby Michael » Thu Jul 26, 2012 1:32 pm

Keep working on it until it's really good but not necessarily perfect. Then you can work on another trick while slowly practicing and improving the prior trick to perfection.
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Michael
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 6286
Location: New York
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrot, Cape Parrot, Green-Winged Macaw
Flight: Yes


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