FIND THE PEA
B.J's FIND THE PEA TRICK
HOW TO PLAY IT
Player No1, has three upturned plastic egg cups with a pea hidden under one of the cups. By switching & changing the position of the cups. Player No2, your bird has to guess which cup hides the pea. Swop pea for treat..
HOW TO TEACH IT TO YOUR BIRD
Keep the lessons short, no longer than twenty minutes per session. Max two sessions per day.
Days (1&2). Sit at a table with the bird, 3 plastic egg cups, a little millet, & a slice of cake, & a mug of tea or coffee. Your bird will let you know if its cake or millet he prefers, encourage him to play with & investigate the egg cups. For instance, lie the cups on their sides & drop a crumb or a millet seed so he has to push the cup
out of away to get it. When he's familiar & comfortable with the egg cups. Show him your hiding a treat under one of the upturned egg cups & ask him to, "FIND IT." If he touches the cup, or better still knocks it over he gets the treat. Put the treat under a differentcup each time. If he thinks its gone & some birds & animals think that out of sight means gone. You will have to show him where it is, keep trying some birds are a bit slower than others. When he's succesful 3or 4 times, take a break & repeat again the next day.
Days (3&4). Line up the 3 upturned egg cups & show him your putting a treat under one egg cup & make a one switch move, & ask him to "FIND IT". If he ignores the other egg cups without the treat & goes straight for the treat cup. Your on a winner, if he hesitates show him where it is. Try the one switch move three times & take a break for the day, before your bird gets bored & the treat loses its attraction.
Day (5&6). Move on to, two slow switches.
Day 7. Increase to three slow switches. Now swop the treat for a pea & drop a treat for your bird every time he gets it right. By now your bird should be able to handle a three cup move done slowly. More moves & speed will come with practice Don't forget, you have the easy job, he only has a bird size brain. OK. Job done, Yours B.J.
