How I trained doing 360s

[ellieelectrons]

Hi All

Someone asked me how I trained Janey to do 360s so here it is!

Here is a demonstration of what the behaviour looks like:
http://youtu.be/N4ACEumfH4s

I cheated a little with this one. Janey would sometimes do 360s on her own when she was excited... so I'd wait for her to do it and as she did it, I'd give a hand signal, say the word 'twirl' and follow up with a treat. I think this is called 'capturing' a behaviour. You take a natural behaviour and add a verbal and/or non-verbal cue to it. You can do this with talking and any other natural behaviours.

Despite it being her natural behaviour it did take her a while to catch on, partially because it wasn't a behaviour she exhibited that often.

At first she'd only do it on a "happy perch" (see http://www.happy-perch.com/happyperchflyer.html) which is a suction cup perch I use in the shower and sometimes I put them up on windows or glass doors in the house... but eventually I was able to train her to do it on her gym and her T-perch.

I trained Charlie the same way but it took longer... partially because he doesn't get as excited as Janey so he wasn't naturally presenting this behaviour... and he's either not quite as smart as Janey or it's that he's almost a year younger or it's because she is very fixated on humans and he's more fixated on Janey... not really sure.

Now, they'll be sitting on their T-perch presenting this behaviour even when I don't ask hoping for a treat... It's very funny!

I have heard of others training this behaviour by pushing the bird with their hand... but my birds don't like too much man-handling and I don't like to force them to do things that they don't want to do.

Another way you could try training this behaviour is by offering the treat or target below the perch so they have to hang off the perch to get it and then try guiding them that way. I did try that with Charlie but it isn't the way he ended up learning the behaviour.

As with any training, it takes lots of persistence and patience and trying to think of new and inventive ways of approaching your teaching.

Good luck & best wishes.

Ellie.

[JoaoPt]

ohhh that was cute =)

i said to mine to do that...and he/she stare at me.... ohh well....

[sean080181]

Thank you for your reply... will sure give it a go

[Mandiecal]

Hi Ellie,
I trained my baby creamino male Riley to do turnarounds!
Thanks to you, I researched it a couple of months ago and did it.
He is an eager student so he made it easy. I used the reward underneath
of him on his perch, and moved it in a circle as he followed back around to front.
Then he got a " GOOD BOY" and a nibble..He loves diong it. Like you said, he does it when I don't
even ask, if there is something he wants.
I posted him on you tube.
" Riley doing turnarounds" I don't know how to post the link on here?
For some reason you have to click full screen to see it right..
THANK YOU, I always enjoy your advice! I hope Janey is settling after the whole
laundry room event..

Mandie

[ellieelectrons]

Hi Mandie

Ooooo! He's so cute! They're so cute when they're babies! My hubby and I love the colour.

Here is the link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILv9S1hw3rs

Mandie, you should be able to post links soon. I think it's after 10 posts and being a member for 5 days.

... and yes, Janey is doing much better now that she can't get into the laundry.... although she is still trying to nest beside the microwave. She squeezes herself in between the microwave and the cupboard as far as she can go and when I call her she comes out but has to come out backwards because there is no room for turning around in there. It's really quite funny to watch but I do feel sorry for her.... the nesting instinct is soooo strong! I've trialled putting all sorts of things in front of the microwave to stop her from climbing in there. This evening I put about 10 bottles of water across the front ledge. I wonder if she'll figure how to pull them down! Time will tell!

Ellie.

[pararigger]

That is so awesome