Touch clicker training progress

pink4289

New member
Aug 7, 2011
8
0
St.Louis, MO
I have a few more questions...

#1 My CAG and I have been working on "touch" clicker training for the past few days. He will touch the end of a marker(capped of course) if it is held relatively close to him. However, if I move it further away were he has to walk to touch it he looks at me like I'm crazy. I can also get him to touch when the marker is on or propped on my hand. We train in the same place with some yummy special treats. His favorite treat are unsalted peanuts! How can I entice him to not be lazy and "go" where I want hum to touch?(since the end result is for him to "touch" and step up on my hand)

#2 When he is excited to see me(mostly after I wake up in the morning or when I leave the house and come back) he will step up on my hand from the cage no problem. But we are still working on him stepping up when I WANT him to and not the other way around. Also whenever he steps up on my hand he always tries to sneak and climb his way to my shoulder. Sometimes I let him perch there but when we are working on stepping up(or I'm moving about the room)I don't want him on my shoulder. And when on a perch or another surface he still seems to shy away from my hands like he's telling me he doesn't want to be picked up or he's a little skiddish of my hands. How many days/weeks will it take approx. for him to start seeing improvement and start stepping up?(granted if we work 10min on it everyday)

#3 Also when perching on my hand he is always losing his balance and flapping his wings and digging his claws in to my hand. Holding a parakeet is different than holding and african grey... What is the BEST way to situate my fingers/hand so he can get the best grip and balance?

Sorry for posting so many question here on the board but being a good and new African Grey mommy is soooo important to me!:grey:
 
Last edited:

suebee

New member
Jan 13, 2011
2,394
3
to answer some, (suggestions)

i'd say hold your hands into a fist, i have to do that with nut at times, just to give her a sturdier base so to speak

as for making him move, put peanut there after you touched it with marker, and then do it other way, he may not want to move away from you as he knows you got the goodies! lol

do you ask him any different when you need him in his cage?? or he knows your routine so is happy to step up at these times, and the rest his happy where he is?

and you are a good birdie mom! but it can take a few days/wks or even months before they realise what we want from them, or they will do what we want of them :)
 

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