# struggling with clicker training



## NBCGLX (May 10, 2015)

Our two budgies, Paco and Pico, are very tame, very willing to be with and around people, and overall very friendly. We expected this since we got them at the beginning of November from Lindsey (aka CuteLittleBirdies)  We began clicker training this past Sunday with the end goal being not just friendly birds, but birds that actually respond to our commands. We're not looking for tricks or talking, or anything of that nature. Rather, we'd just like to be able to recall train them.

Anyway, the birds love their millet (especially since their daily diet is pellets and fresh veggies, with virtually no seeds), but they aren't responding at all to the clicker. They go for the millet immediately after it's offered, but the clicker elicits no response on its own. We've been consistently doing the clicker training every night around their nightly feeding time, for a good 30-45 minutes (as long as we can keep their attention, basically). Any tips for progressing??


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Paco and Pico are very smart bird's and know that you haven't been showing them off on talk budgies like you should be, so they are refusing to clicker train...

Of course I'm just kidding, and I am not a clicker trainer so maybe someone who is, can give you some insight. I will say this though, clicker trainer or not, I do have to tell you I think you've set the bar awfully high for the boy's. It may happen on rare occasion's but many bird's are going to take longer than you have given them to catch on. I also think it may be more beneficial to have shorter training sessions, but I am no expert, let's let some of our more experienced folk's give their input...


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## Wiki (Feb 25, 2012)

The clicker is just a bridge, you're just looking for signs that they're anticipating the reward coming when they hear it. Are you pausing between click and reward?


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