Since I brought up clicker training, I thought I'd make a post about exactly what it is and how it's helped me and Cleo. clicker training is also used for dogs and horses. Maybe other animals too. Maybe even humans.
Clicker training uses a clicker and a target stick to bridge the gap between you and the bird. The bird is given a treat for accomplishing a task. It conditions the bird to getting INSTANT confirmation that it accomplished the goal. and a reward (treat) is on the way. By this quick bridging, it also increases trust between you and the bird.
You only need a dog-training clicker, a toy clicker or anything that can give immediate nano-second feedback to the bird. Some people cluck or tick with their mouths to substitue the click.
The target stick is used as a bridge to get the bird to get close/touch or work with the desired thing.
The reward is up to you. It has to be something that the bird really wants as a treat. Some people just reward with verbal praise and a pat on the head. It's whatever gets the job done.
Animals are used to working for what they want and enjoying the rewards. In bird's cases, they enjoy the reward AND your praise AND spending time with you AND the accomplishment. So, it's a very good thing to increase bond between you and your bird.
I started ground up with Cleo. I got the target stick, in her case a bright colored pencil and clicked her for just touching the end of it with her beak. She touches it in my right hand, left hand has the clicker at the same time, CLICK then stop and give a treat. Only after a few times they figure out that the click means "hey...a good thing is coming to me now!".
Once they get that down with the target stick, you can move to other things. It has to do with the TOUCH part of it all.
Cleo then TOUCHED the shower ring..click/treat (c/t)
Cleo opend her beak and took the shower ring....c/t
Cleo held the shower ring in her mouth....c/t
Cleo let me touch the cup to the shower ring when it's in her beak...c/t
Cleo then held the shower ring in her beak, and moved one foot towards the cup and touched it wth the ring..c/t.
Cleo allowed me to put the cup under the ring in her mouth...c/t
Cleo dropped the shower ring in the cup when I pushed upward a little bit with the cup...c/t
And finally, until she walked across the cage with the ring in her mouth and put it in the cup...BIG c/t!
It's all graduated up from one nanosecond response of touch/click/treat/praise.
Always remove the props they are not toys.
In the beginning schedule two or so simple training sessions a day when they are in a good mood.
Always end the session on somthing they do that gets them a treat. Never leave on an unsuccesful note.
Only click once for a reward.
Train in a neutral room where the bird is not feeling dominant.
Only click when it is done correctly but be ready to fire on a nano second cause they associate whatever just occured with the treat. Not later when you have time to get the treat in the hand. That's why clicker training works. It's a time issue.
U can get a clicker at a toystore, petstore. They can be dog clickers.
Mind you that clicker training did NOT get Cleo to stepup. IT's not a cureall.It's a bridge. Clicker training did increase her trust of me to work with her on stepups. Some will tell you that a bird can do anything if clicker trained properly. That's just not correct.

So, hope this helps anyone wanting to clicker train,
Mark

Mark, I have been trying to potty train Parsley. Can I use the clicker? I put her on her cage and tell her to go poop. When she does I praise and give millet. Should I click and give millet. Or do you think I should do the stick and clicker thing you explained before I do anything else with the clicker?
I hope this isn't too confusing.
Nancy

Yes, you should start with the clicker and target training. It all builds on the bird feeling success from small nano-second success'. From touching the target stick and anything on up.
As far as poop training, I suppose it could be used for that. I am yet to train one to poop on command. But, I hear it can be done. I also hear that some don't feel it's healthy for the birds because it can condition them to unnaturally "hold" it in until you give the cue. So sometimes, you simply can't be around, they have to go poop and they poop without your cue, thus it confuses them in addition to the possible unhealthy aspect of constipation. ouch....
But clicker training is a great way to start bridging the gap.
Hope this helps!
Mark

Thanks Mark, that's a great start there. I had been thinking about looking into it, and that really clarified it for me.

Mark, what do you give Cleo as treats while clicker training? Ryan's doing pretty well with it, but I cannot find anything that he's really crazy about, so he loses interest quickly. We're working on shaking hands, which he's got, and waving hello.

I have tried cut up almonds, cut up nutriberries, mango, cheese, etc. Although he likes these things, he doesn't really get too excited over them. I cut stuff in small pieces so he can eat them quickly while training. But after a few, I don't think we last 5 minutes, he wants to play, and actually ignores the treats.

Any suggestions?

Wendy, I had great success with the cockatiel food Zupreem. It's small enough so that she can eat it quickly and stay on task. It's dry so it can stay in your pocket when your hands are full of props.
Also, it's not anything she gets any other time. Only for clicker training.
Also, Cleo responds well to not only the physical treat but the BIG verbal deal I make when she does something outstanding. I withold that until she 'jackpots' and get's a zupreem buffet for doing the big goal.
You could try that.
OR..
If he has mastered the task, he could be just plain ole bored. Have him move to the other side of the cage and do the trick, then get a treat.
OR..
give him a new challenge...learn a new trick. I think my next trick will be a basketball trick in the goal. For whatever reason, Cleo seemed to really pick up quickly on the concept of dropping that ring in the cup. I want to build on that.
I have stopped working on clicking, temporarily, with Cleo due to focusing on her stepups. But, I do go back and work with her occasionally on Big bird, the ring, ring a bell, wave, etc. She loves that interaction. She really enjoys it and wants to make me happy and get a treat.
Once they get clicker training, they realize it and want to do more.
Mark

Mark, thank you! This was great! I would never have thought to use cockatiel food. I love that idea!

The treats seem to be the only problem with him, it's the treats he's bored with. Once we begin training, he's totally into it for a good 3 maybe 4 minutes. So moving on to something else is difficult as we don't spend much time training. I don't think so anyway. The only thing I feel he has down is the hand shake, but he's getting better with waving.

I would love to train Ryan to do the ring in the cup and all that stuff. They're my goals! But first I have to get that treat. I'll try to pick up the cockatiel food this weekend and I'll let you know how we do.

Thanks so much Mark!

Wendy you are certainly welcome. I figure that after all I have went thru with Cleo, read, studied talked to so many people, I might as well use that info to make some bird and their owner's life easier. And that makes a better flock for us all.
Mark
Keep us posted on how it goes!