Have clicker, will train ;)

[MomtoPercy]

I have eventually found a clicker yesterday and started on the "clicker charging" with his lordship late yesterday. He thought hed died and gone to heaven I think - he was thrilled to get all the titbits LOL! I used corn to start but when I switched to pieces of his beloved pumpkinseed, he really got excited. He was a bit intimidated by the sound at first but got over it quickly. Then he was curious/scared of the actual clicker (which by then I had made visible to him) so I allowed him to check it out and taste test it and now he is fine with it.
I wasn't sure yesterday that he was actually making the connection between the sound and the treat but this morning I did another session with him and it is clear that he realises there is some connection. He looks at the clicker in my left hand and as soon as I click, his eyes shift to my left hand where the treats are coming from. He even takes the treats so carefully, so as not to bite (even as small as they are because I break the seeds into 3 pieces) because he bit yesterday and I did not react other than calmly turning my back on him for a few seconds, hiding the treat from view and then tried again - took it very gently.
I am going sloooow for now but I think I see progress.
Hold thumbs for tonight!

 

[Calace]

YAY Percy! Awesome work, it's so exciting to see progress!

 

[MonicaMc]

Sounds like progress to me!


Although when he bites, you need to consider *why* he is biting, rather than just ignoring it. Then work on avoiding getting bitten next time.

 

[MomtoPercy]

Excellent start. Birds are smart critters and he will catch on in no time. I assume you are target training him? Sorry dont know your history. Are you taming bird as you mentioned being bit? Regardless seems you are on correct path....training has so many benefits.

Wayne

No, not yet. I have suspended all other training until I've gotten him used to the clicker and what it means and I can interact with him without lunging or biting.
Following MonicaMc's advice to me on another thread, I've made good progress but I'm making sure we are ready to move onto the next step (targeting) by waiting and reinforcing what we've accomplished thus far.
My parrot is 5 years old and has never been trained and I strongly doubt that he was regularly (if at all) handled and/or allowed time out of the cage, before I got him 3 months ago. As a result, he is quite headstrong and easily overwhelmed/frightened by new stuff happening around and to him. With Monica's and others' help here, I've seen where I was going wrong with him and we are now slowly but surely getting on track.