IndianRingNeck.com

Does clicker help in training?

Definitely! At least in the beginning. Then you can use a "bridge" word in place of it. You don't always have a clicker but you do always have your "word". The clicker definitely got Gracie and I to have the same language. It helps us understand each other. Click away but make sure you click exactly on the behavior you want. If you miss you will have to undo the click. lol. Lots of good info out there on clicker training.Not to mention the experts around here! I'm not an expert like they are, still learning myself.

I should really get one. I'm excited to train my IRN but I'm having a hard time it's either he freaks out in the cage or he'll bite me. Thank you for the reply:)

I would definitely suggest to you to pull up some clicker training videos and watch how using a target stick and the clicker can help out with taming and training. I use the clicker and then a plastic (not wood) chop stick for Gracie. She has learned to go anywhere I ask her with the target stick. She also has learned her "turn arounds" with it. And I do still use the target stick and the clicker with her while she's inside her cage even though she's out and about the house now,,, just to walk her around inside and keep her in tune with the whole targeting stuff. I bet if you get your plastic chopstick and a clicker and a treat, sit by your birds cage, slowly show him the target stick and then if he's ok with it, hold it just outside the cage bars. Point it just so he can touch the very tip of it, not grab it. Hold it where its pointing at him, not sideways. And hold it at his eye level at first. Right when he touches the end of the stick (parrots are curious so he'll prob do it no problem), CLICK and then offer a treat. Do it a few times each day. Then work to where he'll move around and come to your target stick while inside the cage, touch it, click and treat. It really is a valuable tool for training and taming. Hopefully someone else will chime in with more details. I'd start there though. Just working with him thru the bars. Before you know it hopefully he'll follow the target stick to come out of his cage, and also go back in.

Teaching with a clicker can be very helpful, but the really important thing is to learn to read his body language so you can avoid upsetting him enough to make him panic and/or bite. This will help build trust, which is the basis of training.
Have you been to goodbirdinc.com and behaviorworks.org websites? There is a lot of helpful information on them to get you started on training. Also do a search on the internet for Karen Pryor, her website is all about clicker training different animals, if my memory is correct.


Regards,
Claire

tip
do not let small children get hold of the clicker

Karen Pryors website: http://www.clickertraining.com/library? ... kpctnavbar

zentoucan wrote:tip
do not let small children get hold of the clicker

This I agree with. I am guilty of being an annoying clicker. I took mine to work and every time someone did or said something right i would *click*.... it was a joke but I can only imagine a little kid with unending clicks.