# Feather doing her trick



## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

This is my cockatiel Feather doing her new trick "wings". We just starting to put it on cue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD-rvrUfzXs&feature=channel_page


Vicki


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

Good demonstration of shaping behaviour... I bought the program from BirdTricks.com with clicker and all but have not tried it yet...


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Birdlette said:


> Good demonstration of shaping behaviour... I bought the program from BirdTricks.com with clicker and all but have not tried it yet...



Thanks! I haven't seen their program. I am a professional dog trainer and work with exotics using clicker training. I love clicker training it's really effective when done well. I hope you will share some of your work after you get started.

Vicki


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

That's excellent!  

She's so beautiful too.


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## Justin (May 15, 2009)

That's great! Rocky has a similar trick, except his cue is 'I'm an eagle' and he says it too 
We started off doing it with the clicker, but then transitioned to simply 'good boy' and then treat, although later transitioned to praise. 

Feather is beautiful btw!

Also I was wondering... Where did you get that hanging twisty thing? I'd love to have one of those, but I've never seen them anywhere.


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Justin said:


> That's great! Rocky has a similar trick, except his cue is 'I'm an eagle' and he says it too
> We started off doing it with the clicker, but then transitioned to simply 'good boy' and then treat, although later transitioned to praise.
> 
> Feather is beautiful btw!
> ...


Thanks guys!

I am just putting the behavior on cue (which you saw in the video) eventually I will randomize the rewards, etc. 

I got that sisal twister thing from Fosters and Smith. www.drsfosterandsmith.com

Vicki


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## Justin (May 15, 2009)

Thanks, I'm going to get one of those!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Awwww that is too cute  What a smart little girl


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## littlebird (Aug 26, 2009)

How cute! Way to go Feather! Good job! :clap:


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

braveheartdogs said:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> I am just putting the behavior on cue (which you saw in the video) eventually I will randomize the rewards, etc.
> 
> ...


Talk to me about randomizing... I get the behaviour/clicker/reward sequence but what next after that??? Justin talked about transitioning to praise instead of treats... how do I know when and how to do that???? Can you explain???


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Birdlette said:


> Talk to me about randomizing... I get the behaviour/clicker/reward sequence but what next after that??? Justin talked about transitioning to praise instead of treats... how do I know when and how to do that???? Can you explain???


Good question  When I get Spike to do a trick I just praise him. Iam not sure if he would even take millet out of my hand. He hates it when I try and feed him things by hand :wacko:


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

Birdlette said:


> Talk to me about randomizing... I get the behaviour/clicker/reward sequence but what next after that??? Justin talked about transitioning to praise instead of treats... how do I know when and how to do that???? Can you explain???



The rule is that once the behavior is 80% reliable you can change your criteria. Going to a variable or random reinforcement schedule is a criteria change. So, once the behavior is 80% or better you can stop reinforcing on a 1:1 ratio and can start to randomize it. With this behavior it is not even on cue or generalized yet, so I would not go to that for a long time. 

Before you start randomizing you want to make sure that the animal does the behavior reliably (80%), that you have it on cue, and that you have generalized it (like Feather doesn't do that behavior yet on every perch, only on one perch so I am trying to generalize it to other perches).

Let me know if this makes sense I can clarify if you need me to

Vicki


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## braveheartdogs (May 14, 2009)

xxxSpikexxx said:


> Good question  When I get Spike to do a trick I just praise him. Iam not sure if he would even take millet out of my hand. He hates it when I try and feed him things by hand :wacko:


With some animals you have to test and try different reinforcers and different delivery methods. For instance, I worked with some hogs who take food VERY roughly, you can't stick your hand in there. So, we made a peanut butter mix and gave it out of a huge syringe like a bottle. With fruit bats my friend used canteloupe juice out of a syringe. I use millet because I find it easy to deliver but you coudl try a chopstick with something on it like some yogurt or a little baby food or peanut butter blob on the end of it.

Some animals will do some things for praise, but if that is the only reinforcer what happens is that the behaviors do not stay very strong and reliable unless there is absolutely nother better to do.

Vicki


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