Buddy the Cockatiel can fetch - see the video

[fotohijinx]

I'm so proud of my little Buddy - we have only been training for a few weeks - who said you can't teach an old bird (6 yrs) new tricks!

cheers
Irene

[robert]

Buddy is a very clever Bird , Irene.
Thanks for letting us have a look at the video?
from Robert and Precious

[Laraine]

I'd love to know how you did that Irene, Buddy is just great.

[fotohijinx]

Hi Laraine

I taught buddy using clicker training.

You start with what is called target training. In my case I used a chopstick and held the end of it in front of Buddy. Evently curiosity got the better of him and he gently nipped the end of the chop stick. The moment he touched it I clicked (using a clicker) and immediately rewarded him with a treat - in his case it was the tiniest bit of peanut. He thought that was pretty cool. I moved the chopstick slightly and he nipped it again so I clicked and rewarded. He then realised that everytime he touched the stick he would hear a click and he would get a reward - positive reinforcement.

Once I could make him walk at least 6 steps in any direction, reach up, reach down etc, then I could move on to something else.

I then introduced him to the plastic curtain ring. He wasn't too keen on it at first, even looked at it suspiciously (as they do). But as soon as he beaked it (touched it), I clicked and rewarded him. It wasn't so scarey to him then!! Then I would place it on the stand and let him touch it himself - click/reward. Then one time I didn't click/reward him. He got a bit frustrated and picked it up (as if to say - hey I touched it - where the hell is my reward). I clicked and rewarded him for picking it up. From there I would make sure my hand was under it when he picked it up and didn't click/reward until it fell into my hand.

We did this until he realised what I wanted and I would move my hand away a little bit and would click/reward until it was placed in my hand. He didn't take long to pick that up. Then I finally intoduced the container the same way until he realised he wasn't going to get the click/treat until he dropped it into the container. Then it was a few practice sessions with me making him walk with the ring to drop it into the container - he got that pretty quickly too. I've now changed his treat to a millet spray as he goes a bit crazy for that and would do anything for a quick grab of it.

Anyway, the full turn was done with the targeting stick (chopstick) just by placing it on the other side - touch, click/treat - until I wouldn't click/treat until he would turn all the way around - didn't take long at all. Then he would do it by watching my fingers do a little circle and me saying "turn around".

All up - it would have taken about 5 or 6 15 minute sessions to get him to do this trick - they pick it up quite quickly when they realise they need to hear the click before they get the treat.

I learnt from here: store.clickertraining.com/clforbi.html - I bought the ebook of this - its great - can highly recommend it.

The birds love it - stimulates their brain and it helps create a closer bond with you and your bird.

Anyway, that was a bit long winded, but I hope that helps. Feel free to ask any questions.

Cheers
Irene

[avinet]

Hi Irene,

Thanks for the explanation of how you clicker trained Buddy. It was an excellent account, one of the best I've seen on clicker training with birds.

cheers,

Mike