New Parrot (Senegal) - best treats for training?

[cledford3]

Hi,

I come from a dog training background where I trained 3 German Shepherds in a highly demanding dog sport. Food and play rewards are *heavily* utilized in the teaching and positive re-enforcement stages of the training - which is based on the same principals of operant conditioning as the parrot training I've seen here.

What I learned in dog training is that the *best* food rewards and most *favorite* toys/games are reserved for training and performance rewards. These items are referred to as "high value" rewards and are reserved to improve motivation and focus during training sessions. It's not that they are *never* given outside of training (or that slightly lesser value treats are not provided) only that the "best of the best" is typically utilized mainly for training.

Balanced against this would be health considerations, since, as with humans, many of the "best" treats are the ones the need to be provided in moderation.

To this end, I like to determine what food rewards are considered the highest value/most desired for parrot training? I realize that this is in part based on the individual tastes of the bird, however I'm hoping there are general guidelines. Healthy "dosing" guidelines would be a huge help as well. For example, I've read seeds are fattening and a health concern for parrots if provided too frequently. If they are a good reward - is there a safe volume?

Also, I read somewhere that sunflower seeds were BAD for parrots - is this under ANY circumstance, conditionally (based on seed type), or just under to frequent an availability?

For reference, I plan to do marker (clicker) type training.

Thanks,

-Calvin

[patdbunny]

Read this: http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/avnutrition.html
This: http://www.oldworldaviaries.com/text/le ... n_diet.htm
and this: http://www.plannedparrothood.com/diet.html

My ringneck would enjoy almost any table food as a reward.
Sun conure, oddly, works for pellets.
My old conure loved dried papaya.
My old african grey loved dried banana chips.

I know some trick trainers that save sunflower seeds for training only.

[Dave]

Good links!
I feel better too. Mine love pizza! and there it was in the list!

[Michael]

Sunflower seeds aren't bad. Feeding nothing but sunflower seeds is bad. They are ok in moderation as a treat.

Treats for Senegals are easy. They are like a little birdie garbage disposal. There will be things they like more but they kind of like everything. I can get my Senegal to do tricks for nothing but pellets half the time. I think being hand fed the treat is half the pleasure for them.

In the long term though, only you can figure out what your parrot is most motivated for. There will be many many foods that your parrot has never experienced until being with you. So at first you should introduce it to as many foods as you can. Then you give them again later when it is familiar with them and see how motivating they are.

I generally use a classic parrot seed mix for training treats but will sometimes mix it up with fresh fruit or household foods. Also I break up nuts into small pieces and feed them bit by bit. Measuring out the amount isn't that critical. As long as the treats aren't outweighing the staple foods (like pellets), you're ok. The reality of it is that you cannot keep the parrot's attention to train long enough to give it too much treats. Just don't ever feed those treats as meals or between training because then it will become too much and it will no longer be a treat.