Help training GCC

[Annageckos]

Sunday I got a pineapple GCC. She is great, friendly and sweet. She steps up and comes to me, especially when she wants something. I just need some suggestions on training. When she comes out she wants to be on top of her cage, which I don't mind, but I would like her to spend some time with me too. I know she still settling in, but is there any way to encourage her to stay on me? The other thing is she just started today, she is flying off the top of her cage. Her wings are clipped, but she can still get to where she wants to go. She is supervised at all times, but it would be better for her to stay on her cage, the couch or me. Is there any way to discourage her from landing on certain things? I have been putting her back into her cage when ever she flies off, but I don't know if that is the best thing to do. Any help is appreciated.

 

[choreokyeelove]

When my GCC Cho-Rok finally learned how to step up she wouldn't stay put either. I would be moving around with her perched on my finger and the next thing I know she starts to flap and off she goes, not very far though because she's clipped. After getting to know me better she actually stays put now and when she wants to go down she bobs her head downwards or to whichever direction she wants to go in. Do you use a clicker and treats? I think they work wonders! You can try sitting in a room with no distractions with her and have her step up onto your finger and play with her. She will probably try to jump off but when she gets used to you she won't be doing that as much. Watch out for the shoulder! My GCC loves the shoulders and hair! At first she would never climb up to our shoulders but now that she knows us she would just climb and climb an snuggle up and groom our hair. And now everytime she's up there she refuses to get down when she's feeling comfortable. I think it just takes time and patience and she will be clinging onto you and not wanting to get off in no time.

 

[DebsFlock]

My training advice, such as it is, to think about what behavior you want to encourage, not about what behavior you want to discourage. Make being where you want her to be as rewarding as possible, with treats, toys, interaction, whatever floats her boat.

 

[Annageckos]

Thank you. I have been giving her treats, and she likes scratches too. I am reluctant to give too many treats. Also I don't want her to come to me only for treats. I know it will take time. She does come to me, and nibbles my fingers. She will also climb on my shoulder and likes to chew on my glasses. I understand she is young and wants to explore, I just want to make sure I am doing the right things.
Does clicker training work well? I tried it with my dogs, but one dog is terrified of the sound. One is a basset hound who refuses to learn other then sit, stay, leave it and wait. And come, when he wants to. So I pretty much gave up on it with my dogs, but if it works well with birds I will give it another go.

 

[DebsFlock]

If you want her to stay on a playstand, you might set up a foraging opportunity there, for example.

Personally, I don't think clicker training is literally necessary for birds -- they are so verbally oriented, I think "good!" paired with the primary reinforcer is probably good enough. But the same kind of bridge conditioning is supposed to be quite effective. I've mostly used attention and scritches as my reinforces, so I have a sort of loosely trained flock, but mostly they do what I want them to... although I want to start interacting with Scotty in a more structured way as I think he is a little bored. I have used clicker training with horses a little, FWIW.

 

[choreokyeelove]

There are people who don't use a clicker and do fine but I prefer to use one since they know that a click=treat so that when they do a behavior I like/want them to do, I just click and give them a treat. I think it helps them learn that if they keep doing that good behavior they will get rewarded so they will continue doing so.

 

[DebsFlock]

There are people who don't use a clicker and do fine but I prefer to use one since they know that a click=treat so that when they do a behavior I like/want them to do, I just click and give them a treat. I think it helps them learn that if they keep doing that good behavior they will get rewarded so they will continue doing so.

I just want to clarify that using the same verbal signal consistently can accomplish the same thing. With a dog, and even more so with a horse, they are less attuned to voice communication so the distinctive sound of the clicker is almost necessary. A parrot is far more likely to understand that a specific voice sound=treat the same way click=treat. And I'm quicker with my voice than with a clicker! But it does still need to be paired one for one with the secondary reinforcer IF you are doing formal bridge conditioning.

You can also train in a more casual way, but I was trying to make the point that even with traditional bridge conditioning, voice can suffice for a parrot IMO.

 

[Echo]

To get her used to staying on you, in the evening take her in a room away from her cage and keep the lights really low or off With just a small light near you. Birds don't fly in the dark or when they can't see well