Age for trick training

[Carebear]

Hello all -- I've been reading up on trick training, and I loved Bean's "play dead" video on YouTube. However, I haven't read anything about the age a bird should be before you attempt trick training. My p'let is just a baby -- not yet 3 mos. old. In the same way you wouldn't attempt to teach a human toddler long division, is there an age at which birds are too young for trick training? How old should birdie be before I can reasonably expect her to be capable of learning tricks? (I'm talking simple tricks such as 'turn around,' 'nod yes,' etc). Thanks for your input!

[BUUZBEE]

I am guessing here, but i would say once he has learned the step up and step down commands, you could start???

[memmey]

I believe I remember Karen saying that little Bean learned that because she cuddled him and snuggled him in her hand, I think that is what she said...I think that tricks are a trust thing, maybe they do what you say to please you and because they want to be with you...that's why dogs do it. You know that drug dogs are only playing get the ball, they scent it to the familiar smell they are looking for, but they are looking for the ball!

[bean]

That's right, I did not go out and try to teach Bean anything. We just have a few rituals and repetitions that seemed to turn into a trick. I would not be a good person to ask since I don't have a clue when or how he will do his next trick. He's 5 years old too. I would not wait that long to try. If you are building a bond with your bird you can do all kinds of games that eventually turn into something. I am sure there are other resources out there for bird training too. One game I recently started was to open Bean's cage door and ask him to come out and have a little chat. I say, "can I have a kiss?" and he kisses me and I say, " what does a chicken say?" and imitate a chicken. If I go on too long, he will hop back into his cage and go back to what he was doing. Other times, he will hop on my shoulder and hang out with me.

Recently, he started doing better chicken noises. So, I think practice is very helpful.
;)
Karen