training 9 month old rex help ?

becca470 · Jul 25, 2013

okay so i went to every single pet store no one has a parrot clicker so i decided to use a pen that makes a clicking sound, how exactly do i start the training hes started biting and really hurts will that stop him from biting,do i get him to do a command and then if he does it click the pen and then give him a treat ?
info plz

Julianna · Jul 26, 2013

You don't have to use a click for the sound. I use the word "good" as my "click". It's really just any sound that marks an action as being the right thing. You just have to pick something and stick to it. A pen should work just fine. You can start by just clicking and giving a treat, but I prefer to start by actually training a trick, although something simple is best to start, such as touching the end of a stick. Wait for him/her to move toward a stick of some kind, then "click" and give a treat. The next time wait for him/her to get closer than the time before, and so on, until he/she is touching the stick. Once you've trained this, he/she'll probably understand what the click means. Good luck!

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

Julianna said:
You don't have to use a click for the sound. I use the word "good" as my "click". It's really just any sound that marks an action as being the right thing. You just have to pick something and stick to it. A pen should work just fine. You can start by just clicking and giving a treat, but I prefer to start by actually training a trick, although something simple is best to start, such as touching the end of a stick. Wait for him/her to move toward a stick of some kind, then "click" and give a treat. The next time wait for him/her to get closer than the time before, and so on, until he/she is touching the stick. Once you've trained this, he/she'll probably understand what the click means. Good luck!

thanks so much for your advise do u reckon it will help with his biting ?

MikeyTN · Jul 26, 2013

Are you pushing for training on stepping up first? If so, you need to get back to basics and start with something else until he is familiarized to clicker training then move onto stepping up. Like Julianna mentioned, use a stick first, don't offer your hand just yet!

PetSmart, Petco, PetSupermarket, all three carried the clicker....where did you go?? Or are you not in the states?

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

MikeyTN said:
Are you pushing for training on stepping up first? If so, you need to get back to basics and start with something else until he is familiarized to clicker training then move onto stepping up. Like Julianna mentioned, use a stick first, don't offer your hand just yet!

PetSmart, Petco, PetSupermarket, all three carried the clicker....where did you go?? Or are you not in the states?

yeah well i use to be able to put my hand in and he use to climb onto it then i had to work away for a few months and has gone scared and i put my hand near him he will bite,so best thing to do is go back to basic and use a stick get him to climb on that ?

MikeyTN · Jul 26, 2013

Yes use a training stick to start, I had to do that with Dixie the Cockatoo when I first got her as she was abused at one point as one of her owners used to yank her off her cage by her feet so she absolutely hated to have hands close to her feet or even touch her feet. So I trained her to step up onto a perch. Then eventually she will go from the perch to my hands. We still do that now days cause I think she was traumatized by that incident years and years ago and it's scarred her for life. But yours is in a different situation, so with a little coaxing and training, you should be able to just pick him up once again.

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

MikeyTN said:
Yes use a training stick to start, I had to do that with Dixie the Cockatoo when I first got her as she was abused at one point as one of her owners used to yank her off her cage by her feet so she absolutely hated to have hands close to her feet or even touch her feet. So I trained her to step up onto a perch. Then eventually she will go from the perch to my hands. We still do that now days cause I think she was traumatized by that incident years and years ago and it's scarred her for life. But yours is in a different situation, so with a little coaxing and training, you should be able to just pick him up once again.

aww poor least shes in good hands now yeah ill do the stick thing and hopefully he gets use to me again thanks heaps

MikeyTN · Jul 26, 2013

I hope everything works out for you!!! Also do remember, at his age he is starting to get into his hormone too, watch his reaction! Has he molted yet?

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

MikeyTN said:
I hope everything works out for you!!! Also do remember, at his age he is starting to get into his hormone too, watch his reaction! Has he molted yet?

aww k im new to birds what do u mean by molted yet sorry ? feel dumb now haha

MikeyTN · Jul 26, 2013

Basically has he loss lots of feathers and replace them with new ones, at the beginning they look like porcupines, little pin needles all over and full feathers come out.

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

MikeyTN said:
Basically has he loss lots of feathers and replace them with new ones, at the beginning they look like porcupines, little pin needles all over and full feathers come out.

oh no he hasnt yet do they do that then around that age ?

Betrisher · Jul 26, 2013

Becca, when you offer your hand, offer him the back of your tightly clenched fist. He can't get hold of anything to bite and it allows you to not back off from his bite either. This has helped me a lot with my Alexes (the Beaks) - their bills are so darned *big*!

Another great help to me was distracting the bird with a stick or bit of fruit or something as you ask him to step up. The theory is that if his beak's full, he can't bite you - LOL! I've had a few good sessions recently with my pair: we went back to basics ('step up' for a reward) and they're *nearly* at the point of staying on my hand and stepping up when I ask them. Nearly...

Keep us posted on what you do - it's always interesting to hear what works for others!

PS. Clicker training didn't work for us. I just found it too hard to organise the clicker, the treat, the bird and the other bird in my head. I just say 'YES!' at the moment when the bird does what I want and then offer the reward.

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

Betrisher said:
Becca, when you offer your hand, offer him the back of your tightly clenched fist. He can't get hold of anything to bite and it allows you to not back off from his bite either. This has helped me a lot with my Alexes (the Beaks) - their bills are so darned *big*!

Another great help to me was distracting the bird with a stick or bit of fruit or something as you ask him to step up. The theory is that if his beak's full, he can't bite you - LOL! I've had a few good sessions recently with my pair: we went back to basics ('step up' for a reward) and they're *nearly* at the point of staying on my hand and stepping up when I ask them. Nearly...

Keep us posted on what you do - it's always interesting to hear what works for others!

PS. Clicker training didn't work for us. I just found it too hard to organise the clicker, the treat, the bird and the other bird in my head. I just say 'YES!' at the moment when the bird does what I want and then offer the reward.

im gonna try the back of my fist i normal to hold a treat in mty hand and give it to him and then as soon as i pout my hand near him he will drop what he has and go to bite

MikeyTN · Jul 26, 2013

Has he replaced any feathers at all? Never notice any feathers on the bottom of the cage?

Clinched fist is a good idea you can try and see how it works for you. There's just a lot of different methods people use to train their birds. I just prefer to use the stick.

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

MikeyTN said:
Has he replaced any feathers at all? Never notice any feathers on the bottom of the cage?

Clinched fist is a good idea you can try and see how it works for you. There's just a lot of different methods people use to train their birds. I just prefer to use the stick.

aww theres a few feathers at the bottom off the cage now like lots of little white ones

MikeyTN · Jul 26, 2013

Those are down feathers most likely! I'm sure it's nothing to worry about so don't over stress or worry about it! Just start your basic training and go from there!

becca470 · Jul 26, 2013

MikeyTN said:
Those are down feathers most likely! I'm sure it's nothing to worry about so don't over stress or worry about it! Just start your basic training and go from there!

okay kwl yeah

CaitlinBird · Jul 27, 2013

Becca, you asked if target training will help him stop biting, yes it will! There is a principle in behavior modification called differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA for short). This means that he cannot bite you to get what he wants if he is too busy touching the target to earn a favorite food item!

So yes if your concern is the biting I would teach him target training before step up training. Step up training is made much easier if you target a bird to the stick. I did this with Jojo and there was no stress.

CarmenSwayze · Jul 28, 2013

I've got a green cheek conure, Carmen who is roughly a year old and a really loveable girl who always wants to be out her cage. 2 days ago we got a Hahns Macaw from a fairly strange man and situation. Swayze is also a year old - apparently. He loves coming out his cage but doesn't really want to come near my boyfriend or I so it's luck of the draw if we can pick him up and get him back into the cage. I know he's got to learn to trust us first but any suggestions on how to go about teach trust would be so helpful. Sadly, his previous owner only fed him seeds, smooth peanut butter and satsumas in two days, he will eat from my fingers and is eating sweet corn and Harrison's high pellets but is shying away from his food bowl. Both Carmen and swayzes cages are next to each other with a suitable gap in between them. They are incredibly curious about each other but I'm very wary of introducing them too early as one bite from him could be so detrimental to her! How long do I wait and what's best when first introducing them?? I really hope we can all bond and be a happy family!! Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can make!!

training 9 month old rex help ?

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