Training Questions

FieryPhoenix

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Jan 18, 2022
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Quaker Parrot Sun Conure
I have been seriously training my two birds - Quaker and sun - for almost two months. I donā€™t really know what I am doing so I have questions.

1. I am still doing a lot of the same behaviors - targeting, spinning and step up. How often should I be added a new behavior. My girls are older so I feel like they need to go a bit slower than baby birds.

2. I train them before their first meal. If I uncover them at 7am, how soon can I start training? I am concerned about jumping in when they may mentally still be waking up. However if I wait too long I worry that they will starve or whatever. I donā€™t take the food cups out the night before but you know I am not a bird so I donā€™t know how long they can go without sting before they go nuts.

3. Whst other hands off tricks can I teach them like the spin?
 

zERo

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I have been seriously training my two birds - Quaker and sun - for almost two months. I donā€™t really know what I am doing so I have questions.

1. I am still doing a lot of the same behaviors - targeting, spinning and step up. How often should I be added a new behavior. My girls are older so I feel like they need to go a bit slower than baby birds.

2. I train them before their first meal. If I uncover them at 7am, how soon can I start training? I am concerned about jumping in when they may mentally still be waking up. However if I wait too long I worry that they will starve or whatever. I donā€™t take the food cups out the night before but you know I am not a bird so I donā€™t know how long they can go without sting before they go nuts.

3. Whst other hands off tricks can I teach them like the spin?
1. Even with older birds, as long as they are eager and don't seem stressed out I would say you can add a new trick once they learned the one you were trying before.
2. I guess maybe try targeting once in the cage and see how they react after letting them wake up for a few minutes, see how it goes?
3. You could teach them to wave, my Quaker does, basically you act like you want them to step up and when they lift up their foot you click and give them a treat, you could also wait (capture the behavior) until they scratch their head click and give a treat. There's also shake but not all birds will like this trick sense it isn't hands off, only my Gcc will do this.
Another trick you could teach is to either hand upside down from a perch or to go fully around a perch, my Gcc does this too.
Those are all I can think of right now, good luck!
 
OP
F

FieryPhoenix

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Jan 18, 2022
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535
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Quaker Parrot Sun Conure
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1. Even with older birds, as long as they are eager and don't seem stressed out I would say you can add a new trick once they learned the one you were trying before.
2. I guess maybe try targeting once in the cage and see how they react after letting them wake up for a few minutes, see how it goes?
3. You could teach them to wave, my Quaker does, basically you act like you want them to step up and when they lift up their foot you click and give them a treat, you could also wait (capture the behavior) until they scratch their head click and give a treat. There's also shake but not all birds will like this trick sense it isn't hands off, only my Gcc will do this.
Another trick you could teach is to either hand upside down from a perch or to go fully around a perch, my Gcc does this too.
Those are all I can think of right now, good luck!
But to do a wave you have to approach them them same way as a step up. Wonā€™t they get confused. I think my Quaker could learn this but ju Sub would get confused. She doesnā€™t step up as well as jy Quaker.

I www going to teach them bow.

I would love to capture. behaviors too
 

zERo

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But to do a wave you have to approach them them same way as a step up. Wonā€™t they get confused. I think my Quaker could learn this but ju Sub would get confused. She doesnā€™t step up as well as jy Quaker.

I www going to teach them bow.

I would love to capture. behaviors too
Yeah when you first teach wave it can be confusing and not all birds can learn it without getting too frustrated.
 
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FieryPhoenix

Well-known member
Jan 18, 2022
293
535
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Quaker Parrot Sun Conure
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But to do a wave you have to approach them them same way as a step up. Wonā€™t they get confused. I think my Quaker could learn this but ju Sub would get confused. She doesnā€™t step up as well as jy Quaker.

I www going to teach them bow.

I would love to capture. behaviors too
Oh I see.
 

wrench13

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I use hand signals for a lot of the tricks Salty does. THere are lots of tricks that are able to be taught that do not require props, like wave hello, shake hands, lie on their backs in your hand, roll overs, etc. Take a look at the training videos on my channel , link below.
 

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