I can strongly feel how much Kiki appreciates her roosting box that was erected for her two months ago. Basically it’s made out of a plastic container (widely available at any tupperware store, even a used ice-cream tub is suitable), with a cut-out at the top lid as entrance.
I’m planning constructing one for Kermit. Of course, this round it won’t be made of a plastic container, because of the vast different in physical size between Kiki and Kermit. Most probably, I will need to customize a roosting box that is with a dimension of 9-10inch square base and 15inch in height. The following dimension should be sufficient enough for Kermit to move without much limitation. More research has to be done, before commencing the DIY Roosting Box project.
Many might wonder: What’s the different between a roosting box and a nesting box? What’s the need of furnishing the cage with a roosting box?
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On my earlier post, I mentioned about Clicker and Target Training being introduced to Kermit, my Senegal Parrot. There’s a tremendous improvement in the training. Many have learned about Target Training from articles online, books from library and even a post titled “Introducing Target Training” written by me dated a few months back. But many still unaware and have little information about Clicker Training, some readers emailed me asking about details on Clicker Training.
Clicker Training is not something new in the animal behavior training culture, it has been established many years back. Currently now Clicker Training is commonly used in training domestically bred dogs, thus is never difficult to see pet dogs stores selling all sort different designs of clickers. I’ve got my clicker from the local pet dogs store too.
What is a clicker?
A clicker is actually a simple device that creates a unique distinct “click” sound and is easily recognized by all animals.
And What is Clicker Training?
Clicker Training is a process use to train animals (like dogs, birds, cats and even chickens) with the use of a conditioned reinforcer – the clicker. The conditioned reinforcer which is the clicker, which is able to mark the desirable behavior and rewarding it.
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Tags: Clicker, Clicker Training
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Lately I received couples of feedbacks and emails asking me what kind of food that I offered Kiki as treats during her training session, and leads me to a decision to write a post on incentive treats. I do hope it will be a useful information to all parrot owners.
First to begin, I need to define what is a treat and make it clear to everybody the purpose of a treat. A treat is something out of the parrot’s daily diet, which means it’s not a common food that he or she can find it his or her food dishes. Next the treat to be simple and small in servings, why? Small servings will not make our feathered friends feel too full, and making them yearning for more! Parrots are like humans, just imagine when you have lots and lots of packs of French Fries at one go, and later on someone offered you another pack. I’m sure you will definitely stop and not go on as you are full and rather sick of French Fries at that very moment.
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Tags: Bird Food, Bird Seed, Parrot Diet, Parrot Food, Parrot Training, Parrot Tricks
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For the past Trick Trainings that Kiki learned, I used to believe in the usual method of the PRT (Positive Reinforcement Training), by holding the treats to lure them to do certain behaviour, to be the most effective way to train them. But soon, I noticed I have to correct this statement. Especially when training them in performing Advanced Trick which involve several steps chaining together. Holding treats as cue to lure them to do certain actions can be a big mistake.
I notice whenever I do my fingers (where index fingers and thumb together) in the manner where I’m holding a treat, Kiki will be lured over to both my fingers. Many might ask what’s wrong about luring her to the fingers? They don’t see any big issue to that. But I foresee many possible problems ahead…
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Tags: Target Training
Posted in Knowledge Sharing | Comments Off on Introducing Target Training