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How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

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How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby Michael » Sun Aug 15, 2010 8:44 pm

How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Ok, so first off, this is footage and training from before Truman's injury. I was originally going to have a much more in depth article/video about training fetch to a greater extent than shown here. We got up to 8 training sessions with Truman before he got injured and I was thinking by the 10th one he would be able to run around on the floor or table to get stuff for me. However, with the footage I have to date, the training was not quite completed and his injury will delay the completion of this training for a while.

Since I have too much footage to fit a 10 minute youtube segment anyway, I'm breaking this up into 3 parts: getting the bird to hold an object and put it in cup, getting a parrot to walk around a table to put object in cup, and getting the parrot to go get the object itself and bring it to the cup or hand. This first section I posted an article/video about is getting the parrot to hold the object meant for fetching and then drop it at the presentation of a bowl. Getting more motion into the trick I will cover later. So enjoy this article about the basics of teaching a parrot to fetch.
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Re: How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby ginger » Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:45 am

Very nice video and article, Michael. Now I need to put this into practice and get one of my guys to "fetch." I think I'll have more time this week, and will try to work with one of them on the training perches that I got from you. I'll let you know how it goes. BTW, how is Truman's recovery coming along? He looks great!
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Re: How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby HyperD » Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:13 pm

Another great article and will come useful when I come to teach this...

Thanks!
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Re: How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby JadeW » Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:10 am

Great article! I've been hoping you would do a Fetch post soon :) I can't wait for Cas to get the concept of ball in cup instead of flinging ball around :lol:
Michele and Cas <3
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Re: How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby Donovidge » Mon May 20, 2013 8:00 am

My Indian Ringneck is learning a bit of fetch. He really initiated it himself and i managed to expand on it. He would fly down to my desk to steal objects presumably to get me to respond. Well at some point he showed interest in a wooden ball (that was his anyway). He would sling it around or pick it up and drop it off the side of the desk. I got to where I would say, "throw me the ball" while he was messing with it and hold my hand over the edge of the desk and if the ball landed in my hand he got a click and a treat.. if he flew off with it or missed my hand he got nothing.

Sometimes he likes to actually throw the ball at me, and sometimes he rolls it, and sometimes he walks it over to me and places it in my hand.

At first i gave him smaller treats for making the effort and larger treats for successes. Now I can roll it across the floor and he'll go back and get it. He's mostly locked into the idea of dropping it off the side of the desk, but i'm working on that by starting to put him in new locations around the house for it. I can tell when he's done playing because he takes it up to a nest he built (sorta built, don't ask)

Anyway, the point here is that there is more than one way to train for this. Although I should change "Throw me the ball" to just "bring it here" that applies to all delivery methods and objects.
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Re: How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby NivN » Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:32 am

Hey Michael, I find you articles very helpful so first of all I wanted to thank you! Now, I have one question about the fetch trick.. I have psittacula and I bought a plastic ball with little holes like you used with Truman.. My parrot is afraid from the ball, what can I do to make him want to play and fetch it? Thank you very much :)
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Re: How to Train Parrot the Fetch Trick

Postby LadyFearless » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:38 am

thanks for all your video's it has been a lot of help. this is my first parrot im training and been going relatively good. she can wave and turn in both directions so far. but struggling with this one. she will take the ball, hold it and drop when i give the cue but as soon as i move the bowl she doesn't move with it she just stands still and drops it. i don't give her a treat when she does this but don't no how to get her to move to the bowl
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