Pajarita wrote:Be careful with the clicker because, the way I see it [and correct me if I am wrong, please], she did not do anything to warrant a click and a "Good Girl!" I mean, she simply walked down to get a treat from your hand... I know that the fact that she did it makes you real happy because it means that she is warming up to you but there is actually nothing nothing unusual about it and there was no command given.
My husband has the habit of telling the dogs that they are good boys or girls when they finish all the food in their bowls and I am always telling him not to do that because that's no feat, it's the norm. Dogs will gladly eat their food and parrots will gladly take a treat so what exactly are you praising? It's just confusing to the animal because you are not supposed to praise and/or reward the norm. You praise and reward an action that the animal did without actually wanting to simply because you asked for it. Like spitting off something in the dog's mouth because you told him to "Drop i!" Now, that's a GOOD BOY! worthy. A bird that is perching on its cage and comes to you when you call, now that's a click and a GOOD GIRL! with a reward because the bird is doing recall. See what I mean?
Pajarita wrote:Yes, I did 'get' why you thought that a click and praise was warranted but there was no command given and the action itself is what should be the norm.... I mean, one doesn't want to bribe them into approaching us, one wants them to do it because they want to. What you can do is give her the command: "Chloe, come here" and, when she does, click, praise and reward [but don't show her the millet because the command should be obeyed without holding the 'carrot in front of the donkey, know what I mean?. Linus Too has the habit of climbing down to the floor to try and steal food from the tray I bring into the birdroom while I am cleaning so I have taught him to climb back up by tapping the top of his cage [it's an empty cage that is kept with the door closed because it's used only as a comfortable place for him to perch while eating] with the tip of my finger [makes a bit of a 'clank clank' noise] and giving the command: "Linus, up here!" to which he immediately turns around and climbs back up and then I tell him "Good Boy! Linus is a good boy!" [he actually says the last phrase] and give him a piece of the daily fruit. So, try something similar by tapping your finger on a surface near [and I do mean real near because that's the way you train recall, you start with just a few inches and then make the distance longer and longer] and, when she gets close to your finger, praise/click and give her the reward. But don't do it too many times, just a couple of times twice a day, every day. And don't insist, either. Give the command once and, if she doesn't obey, give it again and, if she still doesn't obey, walk away and try later.
Pajarita wrote:Ahhh, well, the fact that Linus 'works' for produce is not a credit to myself, it's because cockatoos are great eaters of produce. They are the only parrots I've seen go every time for the leafy green first instead of the gloop.
Pajarita wrote:Yes, toos can be a pain because they are so loud and so needy but one really cannot complain about their eating because they are great that way -so are Amazons and conures, in my personal experience.
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