Clicker training for your bird: Step 1 (with Pixel the parakeet)

This video demonstrates a basic method for clicker training with your bird. It doesn't matter what kind of bird you have, be it a parakeet, cockatiel, or macaw -- it works with all of them. Clicker training is a form of operant conditioning, a way to reinforce desired behavior in your pets.
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[@petarnastoski]

Bold of you to assume my new budgie would fly to my hand

[@caitkat3739]

you can just use a pen as a clicker 😂

[@moxielady]

The initial clicker training is called "charging the clicker", meaning you have to "charge" it (i.e.: "fuel it") with motivation for him to want to perform the desired activity which is what actually creates the association in his mid between the clicker sound and the reward. I think it would be helpful to show the next phase in this methodology which is called "recall" whereby you hold out your finger WITHOUT the millet bait and just click the clicker and make sure the treat is out of his line of sight (hide it where he can't see it but still have it handy). If you can't demonstrate the finished product (i.e.: desired result) of the training, it gets lost on new bird owners as to why you employ the click training at all. (The clicker was originally used to train dolphins and the method is referred to as "operant conditioning" and it signals in the mind of the animal that "Oh goodie, a reward is coming if I perform XYZ when he clicks that clicker" and therefore the clicker acts as a "bridge in time" that he can depend on you that the treat is coming soon once he hears the click and then complies with the conditioning that you've set up.) I hope this helps.

[@wyattspop]

I had the same "issue", clicking after the bird has performed the desired behavior literally removes the clicker from the process, the parakeet flew, ate the treat and a "click" came afterwards? His bird would have done this (and did just that) without any click association. Probably more effective to show us a behavior the parakeet didn't perform prior to click training.

[@navybluechilipeppers]

My budgie is also blue, and named pixel! how funny.

[@rainbowbeetle]

Same

[@rainbowbeetle]

0:43 listen to pixel lol

[@vogelvrouw]

I was just thinking about starting to clicker train my conure, great timing

[@allisonsmith1290]

Love this! Great video😊

[@sandyschwartzkopf3510]

But...... won't they start making the clicker noise to drive their sibling crazy and/or try to pull a fast one?

[@nickjohn2051]

Sandy Schwartzkopf Good one.

[@moxielady]

Hahaha, love that!

[@Whatnoww]

That's soo cool.

[@michellequick194]

Yeah but how did you get him to do it the first time? He wouldn’t have known about the clicker yet until AFTER he did it so what did you do to get him to fly to you initially?

[@KiwiandPixel]

Start by training them to step up on your finger. There are tutorials to watch.

[@Skylrrider]

Love!!

[@leighann5308]

Did you use a target stick first to get him to do this? Please let me know how? Thank you I love your channel.

[@aika8169]

Ur parakeets r so amazing ^^ Such intelligent and lovly birds I love each video from u and the both, u done a great work with this both and believe really there not only ur pets ..there r something like family member for u ;)

[@jah0oliah]

Very good! Thank you for your video. I don't have a birbie yet, but I know of another owner that uses a small clicky container with millet. About 1:33 into this video ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnywhKGEbbirgqM , or search "（インコ芸）オヤツで釣ってシーソーを教えてみたが…どうなる！？" ) you can see him training Suzu the command to ride a seesaw. The added visual of bringing out the container seems to help reinforce the stimuli, if you may need it. He does some cute editing on his bird videos if you would like to see that too. It's quite a hilarious Japanese-speaking bird.

[@aboowjaooo]

after you have trained your bird with the clicker do you have still use it when he is well trained?

[@HumanNature9870]

Not all the time, if the bird is well trained.

[@Jayyisswayyy]

Would this work to tame a bird and get it used to just being around my hand?

[@KiwiandPixel]

I don’t know but possibly

[@Fidi987]

I have violins and I would never dare to leave them openly in the room my birds fly, because I fear that someday, I would just find a heap of sawdust in their stead!

[@thecatguy893]

Do we have to have a clicer to train a budgie

[@KiwiandPixel]

No, you can use a mouth sound and millet to reinforce desired actions.

[@thecatguy893]

@@KiwiandPixel so you can just say good bird and it works right?

[@KiwiandPixel]

@@thecatguy893 More like a click with your mouth.

[@thecatguy893]

@@KiwiandPixel Ok thanks

[@moxielady]

*association in his MIND (Sorry for the typo)

[@leviidergames]

I'd use a fidget cube

[@levipunkthebudgie6411]

yup, cuz u don't have a clicker!

[@KARTIKFFRANGER]

Bhai fek hai bhai fake hai pehli woh chidiya agar pahli baith gai hath mein unke aur unhone bad mein button dabaya

[@KiwiandPixel]

"Brother is fake, brother is fake, if that bird first sits in his hand and then he presses the button" No, not fake. Why would you think that? LOL