# Info: 6 way's of training



## fullmetalgirl (Nov 11, 2010)

I wrote an artikel on my site about training your birds,
since it's in dutch I'll translate it for you. (If admins could remove some spelling errors i would be very thankfull!)

*My 6 way's of training:*
1. Millet training
2. Clicker training
3. Baby training
4. Training without food
5. Learning to talk
6. Disciplining bad behavior.

1 remark up front:
their cage is their home. It's a safe place for them and should remain a safe place. Do NOT change this. if you try to bother him to much inside the cage (in the wrong way) it will result in biting!

*1. Millet training*
I made a video explaining this method. I'ts very effective.
note that if you have a young bird he needs about 2 weeks to get used to his new home. it also takes about 2 weeks for them to discover the millet when they were'nt given it at there old home.
the video's are starring with budgie's, but ALL the rules apply to cockatiels aswel!

*Step 1 to 6:* (training inside cage)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkkT0i376rI

*After step 6: *(training outside of the cage)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B3x2dx_9hM&feature=related


*2. Clicker training* (basics)
Cockatiels and humans talk in a different language from eachother. this makes it hor for your bird to understand what you want him to do. That's where clicker training comes in!

Clicker training only works if your bird want's something very bad. this can be millet, vegetables or even a toy! as long as your bird WANTS it.
Clicker training is especially a good method to use when you're rehabilitating a bird with a trauma. This because it doesnt require very close contact at first, and you give them something they can understand. 

note:
when rewarding your bird just give him a little bit. Like 1 or 2 bites of millet, or a few seconds of toy time (though food definetly works best!).

You need something that makes a sound while holding it in 1 hand for this training to work. Most of the time a special clicker is used. Also you need a target stick. This is used to point out what your want.

*Step 1:* conditioning the clicker
Click = food, that's the key.
Click, then immediatly give a treat. give the treat within 2 seconds, otherwise it's hard for him to make the link. do this about 5-10 times, then maybe later on the day again. Do this until you feel he gets it. it could take multiple days. 

*Step 2:* conditioning the target stick
Touching target stick = food
Hold your target stick near the bird's beak. If he attacks it do nothing.. if he touches it click and give a treat. do this very fast! the moment he touches you click and within 2 seconds you should give the treat. Try this until he understands that he has to touch the stick in order to get the treat.

*Step 3:* show what you want
Start with a simple excersise. walking towards the stick. hold the stick a few inches away. he knows the target stick from step 2, if he walks towards it and touches it you click and reward. If he doesn't you should go back to stap 2.

These are the basics... now you can use the target stick to show what you want. on youtube there are a lot of video's on this subject. Target stick is often used to teach birds to lie dead, play basketball, wave, or turning upside down.


*3. Baby training*
Baby training can only be used when your bird is younger then 8 weeks. So this is only possible if you are hand reering your bird or if you are breeding birds. After 8 weeks your cockatiel is way to independent and this method will backfire on you after about 2 weeks! it might seem to work at first but believe me, your bird is just frightened!

It's very simple: hold the baby about 10 to 15 minutes every day for 3 to 6 times. The bird needs to be atleast 2 weeks old before doing so. Also watch if the mother is at ease, since we don't want to disturb her to much.

Again.. holding a bird that's older is NOT advised!!!


*4. Training without food*
Sometimes, no mather how hard you try, your bird doesn't like ANY treats or vegetables. Stil you want to tame him. This method takes a lot of time, but it does get the effect you want!

Also again very simple: 
the bird should see you as a part of his life. This means you to be around a lot. hold your hand for 10 to 15 minutes inside the cage for about 3 to 6 times a day. motionless. do NOT approach him. approuching your bird is very intimidating. Once you see the bird calmed down you can try wiggle a few fingers. Once your bird get's used to you he will stop staring at you all the time and start doing other things. Now you can try to move your hand around a bit.. and if he hasn't done it already: try to get him to step up.
Talking sweet talk or baby talk to your bird helps big time! They like the high pitched sounds and it is reassuring.

*5. Teaching to talk*
Not all cockatiels learn how to talk. But you can help your bird by a few simple things:
Use short words (cu-ty, hel-lo, coo-kie)
Use the words when doing something, like hello when coming in to the room
Always say the words cheerfull, they can hear if it's a fun word or not.

*6. Disciplining bad behavior.*
We all know them, the birds who eat your plants, poops on your pc and bite.
We love our birds, but we need to be strict sometimes!
I've devided this in to 2 sections: sitting on bad places and biting.

*When your bird is sitting on "bad" places:*
When your cockatiel is sitting on a spot he is not allowed (like plants). just let him step up.. and put him back in the cage. Be very strict about it. It's a zero tolerance rule. the 1st time he will probably go back without any problems. Then he learns that, when he sits in the plant and you're standing up, that he has to go back into the cage. At this point he will try to flee. Stick with him though. don't rest until he is back in his cage. Finally he learns that there is no getting away from you and will avoid the bad place.

*Biting:*
First off: why is your bird biting?
Is he scared? Is he trying to defand his cage? Is your bird being dominant? Is your bird sick?
Shouting, flicking most of the time only works against you. here are some tips you can try:

The best methode: do not let it escalate, ignore.
When your bird bites for the first time, it's probably just trying you out. Don't do anything... they use their beak to feel things. If you react to the bite he might find it fun or he might get scared of it. neither one of them is the effect we're after and it might escalate to more biting.

Another method: putting him back in cage.
If you're bird bites you outside of the cage you should simply put him back inside. This works the same as teaching him not to sit on bad places (see above).

Another method: letting him work!
Learn him that biting means he has to do something he doesn't want. Everytime he bits let him step up on your fingers rapedly for about 5 to 6 times. this way he learns that biting is simply exhausting. 






Hope i had a few things in here you didn't know yet...
Any more suggestions are always welcommed!
And remember: patience is the key!


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## fullmetalgirl (Nov 11, 2010)

Side note:
I do not consider wing clipping as a training method. 
Wing clipping does have emotional effect on a bird. not all birds mind if you give them enough attention, but it always worries me. 
When a bird is clipped he can not get away from you. You are forcing the bird to be with you this way. I always wonder: can you ever gain trust... when forcing something upon someone. My believe is that forcing is not wright.. so I excluded it on purpose.

Training should not be the reason for clipping.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Very good advice! I agree on the wing clipping....


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Well iv clipped them once but not again as iv made so much progress with my birds
even tweety was a break though as she will come on my hand now, tweety would never ever come near me, scream murder if anybody is near her, cage bound the lot.
Tweety is a budgie who will not learn at all, iv tried all sorts with her, she is just frightened little budgie which i dont think she should of been put in a home but like an aviary would be her more thing to bully other birds like she does lol


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## fullmetalgirl (Nov 11, 2010)

lperry82 said:


> Well iv clipped them once but not again as iv made so much progress with my birds
> even tweety was a break though as she will come on my hand now, tweety would never ever come near me, scream murder if anybody is near her, cage bound the lot.
> Tweety is a budgie who will not learn at all, iv tried all sorts with her, she is just frightened little budgie which i dont think she should of been put in a home but like an aviary would be her more thing to bully other birds like she does lol


Wing clipping is always a discussion... that's why i added my opinion about it. It's not a rule 

Did you try clicker training as wel? 
I've seen some amazing effects of clicker training with traumatized birds. Might take about 3 to 6 months though...

Not that a budgie has to be tame to be fun  i love watching my untamed birds play with eachother!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

yep tried everything on her, she is the only bird i had to be so stubborn and so stuck up lol she is the only bird who iv had a problem with


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I agree with you on the wing clipping thing, they look so happy and beautiful when they fly it just hurts to clip their wings!!!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

i done it about 3 month ago now they can fly 
away from me at times  tweety is the crafy one, while on the floor she will climb onto your foot waits till you lift your foot then she will fly away, she is just weird


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