The first couple tricks are hard to teach them, because they don't understand you are trying show them what they need to do to get the treat. Now, Salty knows we are going to do some thing new and gets excited, hoping from foot to foot. And he gets stuff in 2 or 3 tries. I think they enjoy learning new things. Salty swill even devise new things to do with some of the props. If you've seen the video of him flipping the ring over his head, he invented that, I didnt. And he came up with a second way to it , too, where he balances the ring on its end, and then he just walks thru it. Salty has a set time every night that we train, and heaven help me if I am late, he will raise a ruckus. I think training your parrot to do tricks help strength the trust.
So true! They come to enjoy the training for two reasons, IMO. One, because it's a form of mental stimulation. They are intelligent and, as such, need to challenge themselves and engage in activities with others to keep from being bored.
And second, because it's a form of communication with their person. No matter how good we get at reading our birds' body language, we still miss a lot that another bird would not. So developing a trick, or a command and response exercise of any kind that has a result that can be anticipated, would be an exciting prospect.
Amazing video btw, Al! Blows me away every time I see it!
As for tricks and such, Jolly will:
-spin on command
-ask for kisses (in either a sweet voice or this really grimy sounding voice, depending on his mood. Lol!)
-make a kissing noise if asked for a kiss
-sing a song comprised solely of his name ("Jolly, Jolly, Jolly, Jolly... you get the point. Lol!)
-raise his wing on command
-shake hands (when prompted by the phrase, "Pleased to meet you")
-fetch specifically requested colored rings and fly them to me on command (currently knows red, blue and yellow)
-take said colored rings and fly them over to a designated cup
-targeting and recall at virtually 100%
-stay put on command at maybe 80%
-hangs upside down on command
-100% potty trained and will fly off to his tree stand to poop
Spoken words and phrases
-"Jolly's a good boy!"
-"Good job!"
-"Well done!"
-"Love you!"
-"Out!" (In context, when he wants to come out of his cage.)
-"Hello/hi"
-"Mom" (Reportedly. He apparently only says it to my Mom. Lol!)
-"Gimme kissssssss!"
Maya will:
-spin on command
-hang upside down on command
-targeting at 90% (because if she's preening, I just have to wait until she's done.)
-recall at 100%
-hangs upside down on command
-fetch specified colored rings and walk them to me upon request (because the Diva still refuses to fly!) Currently differentiates between red and blue
-returns colored rings to cup upon request
-makes a show of stretching upward when I ask for a kiss
-grudgingly allows the harness to be put on (yes, I absolutely count this as a trick! Hahaha!)
-potty trained in that she'll hold it as long as she can. But since she doesn't like to fly, if you don't notice her squirming... she'll give your shirt a new look. Lol!
-does the whistle from Hunger Games
Spoken words/phrases:
-"Maya" (said in a freakishly exact mimicry of my wife's voice that has fooled me more than once!)
-"Hello/hi" spoken in a frightening array of voices: old man, gravelly Wolverine voice, little child and deep man voice
