Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

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

Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

Postby idlepirate » Wed Dec 22, 2010 9:14 pm

Do you think this is trainable or just a random parrot behavior which some parrots do on their own. Id imagine you just have your parrot on a table and make him back up somehow and click?



also there's this other one walking backwards : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HXalx4ZR_A

I don't want to use the phrase moonwalking as its too taky but yea....

:pirate:
User avatar
idlepirate
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 211
Location: UK
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Blue Throated Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

Postby iknowwhatiknow » Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:47 am

I've no idea, but it's a neat trick. I'd love some ideas.
"If I think I can figure things out, is that curiosity or arrogance? I know what I know." - Topher Brink, Dollhouse.
User avatar
iknowwhatiknow
Cockatiel
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 76
Location: NSW, Australia
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Cinnamon Green Cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

Postby MandyG » Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:51 am

You should be able to capture the behaviour with clicker training. If your bird takes a few steps backwards click and treat. Once it starts consistantly displaying the behaviour for treats start waiting for it to go a longer distance before you c&t. Start to add in a cue and once the bird catches on only c&t when the bird displays the behaviour after you have cued it.

Should be relatively easy if it's something your bird already does, but I'm not really sure how you could encourage the bird to walk backwards if it doesn't usually do it already. With some experimenting you should be able to figure it out though!
User avatar
MandyG
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 946
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Yellow Crowned Amazon
Flight: Yes

Re: Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

Postby Michael » Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:26 pm

First off I don't think this could be labeled a trick because the bird isn't responding to a cue (I had to watch without sound so if they are saying something like moonwalk and then it does it, then it is a trick). Teaching it is really easy. Any parrot can backup if required but they generally don't like to. To shape the behavior, just push your arm toward the bird (but without opportunity to step up or turn around)... naturally it will have to backup. Click and reward when it is walking backwards. Always say/show the cue and the bird will learn. Eventually you don't have to push it back but make a motion with your arm/hand that would push it back (and like wings) the bird will continue the action on its own without being touched.
User avatar
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

Re: Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

Postby idlepirate » Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:37 pm

awesome thanks for that, just wanted to also make sure its not an unnatural behavior or something as I dont usually see alot of birds walking backwards.
should be fun to train :pirate:
User avatar
idlepirate
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 211
Location: UK
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Blue Throated Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: Teaching a Parrot to Walk Backwards

Postby zazanomore » Thu Dec 23, 2010 2:26 pm

Michael wrote:First off I don't think this could be labeled a trick because the bird isn't responding to a cue (I had to watch without sound so if they are saying something like moonwalk and then it does it, then it is a trick). Teaching it is really easy. Any parrot can backup if required but they generally don't like to. To shape the behavior, just push your arm toward the bird (but without opportunity to step up or turn around)... naturally it will have to backup. Click and reward when it is walking backwards. Always say/show the cue and the bird will learn. Eventually you don't have to push it back but make a motion with your arm/hand that would push it back (and like wings) the bird will continue the action on its own without being touched.


I'd still consider it a trick. I mean, a lot of birds sing songs or mimic sounds without cues, and I still consider that a trick.
Bonnie - :budgie2:
Clyde - :budgie:
Einstein - :greycockatiel:
Alyssa - :thumbsup:
User avatar
zazanomore
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 1314
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Number of Birds Owned: 5
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiels
Budgies
Flight: Yes


Return to Parrot Trick Training

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store