Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Parrots are very intelligent creatures and highly capable of learning. Not only can they
differentiate colors, but also shapes and concepts. So, teaching a parrot a four-piece
puzzle is a way to challenge their intelligence and keep things fun for them.
The easiest piece to teach is the circle because it has no square ends, so it goes in no matter
which way the parrot turns it. So, at first we start teaching a puzzle by teaching the
parrot to put the circle in here by having it fetch to your hand.
And you put your hand over the circle. Alright. Go fetch. Then you can get the bird to drop
the piece somewhere near the circle. She already knows how to do it. She drops it right in.
If your parrot can just drop the circle anywhere in the vicinity that's already worth clicking
for and rewarding. But, eventually, you're always going to reward the parrot for dropping
the circle closer and closer and into the slot. Fetch. Good bird.
The second piece you're going to want to teach is the square. This one's tougher, but it
can go in in multiple ways. Wait one second. It can go in this way and it can go in this
way. It can't go in on a 45, so the bird needs to learn to turn the piece to put it in. We're
going to tap on the square because they already know how to do the circle and she's just going
to put the square in. Good bird.
It's really important that your parrot have a good foundation knowing how to fetch. And
you're going to just keep practicing the pieces one at a time, over and over again. So you're
going to teach the circle first. Then you teach the square. Then you go back and teach
the square and the circle.
You're going to add one piece at a time so that the parrot can learn additional pieces.
So, once they know the square and the circle you can teach them to do the triangle. They
have to turn it one of three ways to get it into the slot. Fetch. When they're not getting
it in, you don't click. And if they miss then you take it away or they're going to keep
trying. Fetch. Good bird.
When they get it close, even if it's not in all the way but they got it almost right,
you reward them for that so they can learn to do it like that. Go fetch. That's good.
Alright. Let's try it again. Go fetch. Oh, that's much better. Very good. Alright. Go
fetch. Okay. Now you got it in all the way. Very nice. Good bird.
Finally, the trapezoid piece on this puzzle is the most challenging because it can only
go in one way. The circle can go in any way. The square can go in four ways, the triangle
three ways. Trapezoid goes in only one way. What I've been doing is I put the trapezoid
facing the opposite direction away from her so she can turn around and place it inward.
Kili, go fetch. So when she turns 180, she's heading the right way and can get it in. Very
good.
Just remember that the puzzle's one of the most difficult tricks you can teach a parrot.
And with a lot of time and patience, you can teach the four colors and have the parrot
do the puzzle.
And that's how you teach a parrot to do a four-piece puzzle.