How to Target Train Your Parrot | Parrot Training

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Target training your parrot is one of the most useful skills you can teach to your bird. What you simply use is a target stick. This happens to be a chopstick, but you can just as well use a wooden dowel. Avoid using pens and things like that, because it may be toxic. Also, using your finger is not the best idea because the bird ends up touching it. You don't want to necessarily teach your bird to bite your finger. So, a target stick is the best method to use.

Then, I'm going to use my clicker, which makes a clicking sound. I'm going to click whenever the bird touches the target stick and give it a reward. At first, when you're starting to teach your bird a target, it doesn't know what a stick is. Luckily, most parrots touch anything you put in front of their beak. When you put that target stick in front of their beak, they may just naturally touch it or play it. Right as they touch it, you're going to click your clicker and give it a treat to teach it that touching the target stick is what you want it to do.

Good.

If your parrot is scared of the target stick, or running away, you can just patiently leave the target stick in front of the bird and wait for the bird to come toward the stick. Even if the bird just inadvertently by accident turns to face the stick or walks in that direction without touching it, if it's moving towards the stick, that's progress. Click and give a treat.

Eventually, you're going to be able to direct your parrot with the target stick and have it turn its head or take a step to touch it. Over time you're going to be able to use that target stick to teach that parrot to step up and to do other tricks, like this.

Target. Good bird.

Since the parrot is focused on targeting to the stick, they don't quite notice your hands there as much. They're less likely to bite since their attention is captivated on the target. They're forced to step on your hand and touch the stick.

The target stick not only teaches your bird to follow and touch, it also teaches your parrot how to learn. Since it's such an easy behavior for your parrot to pick up, it's a great trick to begin with.

Also, it's useful for teaching additional tricks to parrots, such as turn around by having them follow the target stick.

Target. Good boy.

That's how you target train your parrot.

[couturexbarbie]

My little budgie learned this in 20 minutes! smart guy

[jacintamendonca]

target training is helping me a lot!! thanks for this video!! this is day one of me training rio to let me touch him, he hated being touched under the wings and anywhere on his body except his head . after doing this there is aldready progress from day one. this is going to take weeks and months but i m going to do this everyday with him so i can put the harness for him !!! thanks again parrot wizard!! and howcast too!!

[mayapatch]

That's one of the best methos I've seen! I never tought to use it! I'll try!

[featheredphoebe]

omg this video is amazing. as you can see from my profile i LOVE birds. i taught my cocktiel, peter, to target. worked like a dream. now he can perform over 47 tricks! thanks to your videos.

[KaranSingh-jsdh]

Great person love the way u r admiring the birds

[FamilystoreRoss]

i wondering if you can help i cant get my sun conour to traget also she dosnt except treats i offer

[caninebehavior]

Nice job! Howcast has not allways posted the best training videos especially with dog training, I have seen a few using punishment based punitive training, but in this one the trainer was on" target" with his use of a marker and target, but tell people the science behind the clicker please.

[Emilysarahmerritt]

i think this is the only good howcast video xD

[zzaraa]

The target stick can be like a wand from Harry Potter

[claud-qgmn]

Can I do this if I have 2 birds that are inseparable? And they don’t fly away or try to escape they just freeze so this seems hard

[petarsimic]

Hello the greatest info that i've ever had was by following the Parrot ploy plan (i found it on google) - definately the best treatment that I've followed.

[Blitznstitch]

what if the bird is scared of the click sound? any other suggestions?

[mmyyyy]

Hello howcast

I have two cockatiels one is male one is female but the male bites and is scared, so how do I stop that.btw he perches on my hand or finger and I don't know why he is like that so plz help



Yours sincerely
Your fan

[rivet]

What is the training food you use and where can I get it?

[issaalbalushi]

Please can you share a video about how to train your parrot to perch on hand

[kryptone]

Do I have to use a clicker or could I just snap my finger or something?

[brahhhh]

My parrot goes to the popstick and grabs it because he wants to play with it lol

[jasonmohr]

He live in newyork and gos to the same bird store as me:)

[TheAverageGamer_CJ]

Use the steam of a millet stick, they love biting it anyways cos it tastes good to them.

[mememunar]

can you tell me what are you eating it?