offering treat during clicker training.

[MattieGirl]

I have been doing a lot of reading about clicker training and this is the route I am planning on going.

Much of what I have read and watched has the bird taking the treat right from the persons fingers. Most of the time we offer Mattie anything she will act like she is going to take it and then nip my finger.

How do I 'load the clilcker' and do this training if I can't give her a treat right out of my hand?

Help please.

 

[lotosha]

Maybe you can try to train him when he is sitting on a table and then to put the treat on the table so he could pick it from there?

 

[Featheredsamurai]

You can use a small bowl for him to take a treat out of, that way you are still holding the treat but your fingers aren't at immediate risk.

 

[chippy]

I have been doing a lot of reading about clicker training and this is the route I am planning on going.

Much of what I have read and watched has the bird taking the treat right from the persons fingers. Most of the time we offer Mattie anything she will act like she is going to take it and then nip my finger.

How do I 'load the clilcker' and do this training if I can't give her a treat right out of my hand?

Help please.

In this video, the guy uses a spray of millet and his hand is too far for the bird to easily get...[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkI9PvOsjS0]Building Trust With Your Bird - YouTube[/ame] I have been doing this with DDs lovebird who would quite happily eat me for breakfast if she thought my guard was down.. LOL... it works...she loves the millet more than she wants to kill me... In just two days, i have gotten her to step up. I keep the sessions short and sweet so she ends happily with a mouthful of millet.

 

[brianlinkles]

that was a great video! thank you

 

[chippy]

You're welcome...I really like it, too!

 

[Hayden1987]

Has anyone ever tried offering organic fruit puree, like what they feed babies?
I was feeding this from a plastic baby spoon which was taped to a length of dowell for some cockatoos and lorikeets i was training for a commercial.
It kept hands away from the buisness end until i fully trusted the birds
It worked a treat for me anyway just thought i would share one of the ways i used to get treats into nervous birds

 

[MonicaMc]

Hayden, that's a great idea!

I was also thinking of something like a tablespoon or a measuring cup!


And speaking of millet.... pet stores used to sell "mega millet", although it's been years since I've seen this. I don't know what it actually was, but it appears to have been sorghum?


Sorghum seems to be a common ingredient in chicken, maybe dove, turkey and quail mixes.... and wild bird seed. It looks like giant pieces of red millet. I guess it's also known as Milo, but I don't know where one could buy the sprays at anymore... but it would be a great size for the large birds!