# I've never trained a bird before... help?



## Jedders (Mar 11, 2013)

So... I consider myself excellent at taming, I've had my Iolani for almost 2 months, now and he's clearly decided I'm mama. Now, in the past, I've always clipped the wings of my birds because I was scared they would fly away... Now, I want my baby with me all the time and to be as comfortable, confident and happy as he can be, so I've made the choice to not clip his wings and bought a harness for him until he is trained.

As the head of this thread will tell you, I've never trained a bird, so I don't know what to do- what with conflicting information online and the way I want to train him. I also have no idea what to expect, what hiccups might we run into and so on.

I bought some bird treats (dried papaya, banana chips and millet sprigs.) He doesn't seem to care for anything but the millet, so I use that. Depending on his mod Lani prefers tickles and pets to treats, so when he preforms a trick I offer treats and when he finishes a bite or two of millet, attention.

I have no training perches, no target stick and he came to me clipped so his flight is limited. I'm trying to train him recall by randomly offering my finger from a few feet away and calling his name, I no longer have to bribe him by holding his treat above my finger, but he hasn't been very motivated lately and I'd like him to come to me after one call, not calling him 50 times before he half-heartedly comes to me to shut me up. I DO use a clicker, though. What information can you give me?

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This is just additional info in case you need it... not necessary to read. 

Lani is hand tame and when I bought him he seemed pretty clumsy climbing around his cage. The man I bought him from said he was probably around 3 months old. 

He can't stand letting anyone touch him but me and the only person he allows to hold him (other than myself) is my mom. he's never really been aggressive and never bit anyone and successfully caused pain.The only time he was ever aggressive toward me was when I tried "trust training" (letting him have a choice in everything) and I tried to put him in his cage for bed. So I stopped the trust training. (It's not as if I force him to do a lot, he just hates being shut in a cage.)

He has 2 cages, a huge one that he sleeps in and would comfortable fit another Cockatiel, and a parakeet cage we only use as a safe place to go while I'm babysitting (I leave the door open so he can come and go) and for when its sunny I shut him in the cage and put it outside. If you need anymore info just ask.


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## Jedders (Mar 11, 2013)

Anyone? >.<


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

If you're currently having to call him over and over at your current distance, I would decrease criteria by decreasing the distance between him and yourself. Once he's flying to you confidently and consistently at a shorter distance, _slowly_ (the key word here) increase the distance. Only move on - increasing the distance by small increments - when he's comfortable with the distance you're working on.
I would also mix it up when you're working on harder exercises by doing recall at a very short distance that he's comfortable with, in between practicing the longer ones.

Hope I made sense! ^^"


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## Jedders (Mar 11, 2013)

I see, thank you~  I had started doing that since my first post, thinking I may have tired him out too quickly. He's more likely to come to me on the first call, now, but still seems pretty unmotivated.:tiel3:


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## tielwoman (Oct 4, 2014)

Hi, I think it is great that you are trying to train using positive reinforcement. It is true that there is alot of conflicting information out there so thought I would suggest a reputable place to start. Barbara Heidenreich and the Good Bird website has alot of information and videos on how to train. She also runs training workshops and webinars that you might be able to access. Her methods are based on solid research, you cant go wrong. 

If you can start to train using the clicker and target stick (which is easily made) you will make things alot easier for yourself, especially if your bird has chosen tickles and pets as reinforcers. The key is to reinforce immediately following the desired behaviour and this is hard to do with tickles etc. if your not using a clicker. In fact its even hard to do with food treats. The clicker signals that a treat ie tickle, food is coming, so it can be clicked immediately following the desired behaviour. 

Also, it is helpful to understand the philosophy behind this training. A good book to read is "Dont shoot the Dog". Its a classic about positive reinforcement training.

Many people struggle with training because they try to get the bird doing things it is not yet ready to do because of fear and then the bird will associate that behaviour with something negative. It is important to remember that youre trying to communicate that if the bird does a certain behaviour it is associated with positive consequences so that the bird does these behaviours by choice. So when you get frustrated or the bird gets bored, tired etc its time to stop and resume another day. Since you have only had him 2 mnths, it is early days and he is still building a relationship with you. Be guided by his behaviour, if he doesnt want to do it, try something easier or leave him for the moment.

In order for the bird to understand what your trying to say you need to follow the golden rule which is to reinforce small aproximations towards the desired behaviour. So, if you want the bird to come to you then divide that behaviour ie flying on to your hand at a distance into small behaviours towards that behaviour you're after ie does he get onto you hand at all, if not first teach that, does he get onto your hand when called, if not teach that. And you may have to break these behaviours into even smaller approximations. Often you have to start really small ie if he looks in the direction of you hand when you call, reinforce that, if he steps towards you reinforce that. Much of the work to set this up will need to be done in close proximity to the bird and then he will know what you want when you call him from a distance. This way of doing it makes the behaviour a strong one so that he will know immediately when you call and you wont need to call twice. 

Hope this makes some sense. Its a bit complicated so I highly recommend Barbara. She has specific videos on harness training which you will definately need because if you do it wrong your bird will never go in the harness. It is much harder for the future if the bird already has negative associations with the harness because you have not been able to successfully train that it is a positive thing. I wonder if he has negative associations with the cage. You might be able to turn this around using positive reinforcement.

Doing this right takes a bit of work. Its about training you as well as your bird. But it is extremely rewarding and you will develop a very close relationship with your bird.

Good luck


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

I agree with everything that's been said thus far! I also think it's great that you want to leave him flighted.  Use the treats that he likes, that motivate him. Not surprised he's not into the papaya and banana chips -- most tiels don't much care for fruit. If you spend time with him, give him positive reinforcement, and as few negative associations (i.e. forcing him to do things) as possible, he should begin to bond with you as a flockmate and naturally seek our your company.


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

Karen Pryor's "Don't Shoot the Dog" is a must read!


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