# Tips On Clicker Training?



## IGotTheMusicInMe (Dec 6, 2012)

Just what it says. I've decided to attempt clicker training my girls, and wondered if anyone had any advice for me.


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## Hephaestion (Jan 27, 2013)

Hi,

I too am very interested in this. I bought a bunch of books to get me started, some rat specific, some general.

Debbie Ducommun' s 'The Complete Guide to Rat Training' is a quick read with vey concise descriptions and protocols.

Miriam Fields-Babineau's 'Rat Training' is along the same lines as above but with rather adventurous ideas such as harness walking.

Karen Pryor, a populariser and massive proponent has many texts on clicker training. I have read 'Don't Shoot the Dog' which I think is out of print now but available secondhand on amazon. Also her more recent 'Reaching the Animal Mind'. These two texts deal with aspects of behaviourism, viz. operant conditioning, positive reinforcement, etc in the context of clicker training. 

Also, check out Karen Pryor's website clickertraining.com. The first, second and fourth books I mentioned are available on iTunes. 

As said, I am just beginning to explore this area and also want to clicker train my girls. I would be keen to discuss ideas with you or anybody interested.


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## IGotTheMusicInMe (Dec 6, 2012)

Clickertraining.com is an excellent resource! I think it'll really help me out! Tips from forum members are stilled highly desired, though.


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

I haven't done anything too crazy with clicker training, but we did use a clicker to get our girls to avoid ledges (we had a jumper and had to train her out of it). Ours all just naturally seem to hate the sound of it, which helped a lot. We'd just click it every time they leaned over a ledge and kept up with it until they started avoiding the ledges altogether. Now every now and then one gets especially brave so we get the clicker out, but it was effective in less than a week. I haven't really put much effort into figuring out what more we could do with it, but I'm interested to see where this discussion goes.


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## zurfaces (Jan 16, 2013)

I know rat whisperer is clicker training her rats and has videos up. ratwhisperer.net


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

I was thinking once my bond with Bifur was stronger i would start clicker training him. I clicker trained my cat so she high fives me, but that's as far as I got with that haha


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## Hephaestion (Jan 27, 2013)

So, I introduced the clicker. I am on step one and will be on this step for at least a week. 


Step one simply involves associating the click with a food treat. I call me girls out on to the door, offer a treat and click when they accept. The click initially terrified them but after a few attempts they just accepted it. As said, I will continue this until the meaning of the click is apparent to the girls.

Did you you get to check out any of those books I mentioned? Karen Pryor is a very clear and entertaining writer on the subject.With three girls, things get frantic when it comes to threats so once I am confident that they are no longer cautious of the sound, their clicker time will move to one on one.

I use a multi-clicker which enables me to control the volume. I have heard of people also just using a vocal sound like a click of the tongue. Check out the videos by MasterOfTheMidgets on youtube. She gives a nice set of instructions and a great demonstration with her rats.


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm doing my clicker training a bit differently.

Instead of offering them food first, I make them do a simple trick. Then I click the clicker and give them a food treat. 

Right now, I'm doing very simple things. I'll call them from the top level to the bottom level of their cage or I'll make them go from the floor of their cage to the shelf. Once they get there, I'll click the clicker and then offer the treat. If I want to get them on the shelf. I tap the shelf. They climb up, I click and treat time.  I do the same tap thing for level to level. I separate them for training. It's just less stressful for them that way. 

Blue caught on instantly. It's like she knows what to do before I ask her to do it. LOL. Holly is slow, since she doesn't like Armageddon's scent. So, going from level to level doesn't work to well with her. She'll do it, but reluctantly. Armageddon doesn't like going to the lower level at all. He's just doing the shelf thing. I think Armageddon will do better after he gets used to the idea he's alone during training. 

Once training is over. I close off the top level and put everyone back. Then they get fruit and/or veggie treats. 

The food treat they get for training is either a rice crispie or a freeze dried mealworm. Both are they favorites.


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## Dubuquedogtrainer (Feb 8, 2013)

You can get started by reading my articles on Animal Info Publications about clicker training, positive reinforcement training and how to get started: http://www.animalinfo.com.au/fact_sheets/index/2/25/Positive_Reinforcement_Training_for_Dogs Even though these articles refer to dogs, you teach any animal the same way. You are only limited by what the animal is physically able to do. Start with conditioning the clicker, i.e. pairing the clicker with food so that you can use it in training, then teach the animal a simple behavior, such as targeting.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

My biggest tip is to make sure that your clicker isn't loud. A lot of cheap clickers are so loud that they will frighten rats that aren't yet trained.

To that effect, I skipped the clicker itself altogether and opted to simply click my tongue. I find that it works well. It frees your other hand up for more complex commands and you never have to worry about losing your clicker when you need it.


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## LeeLoo (Dec 10, 2012)

I just started clicker training my rattie this week! She is doing pretty good considering we just got started. At the end of sessions, sometimes she has ADHD and wants to roam the bed! I have to hide the treats, because if she sees the pile she will go right at it. I may have to try freeze dried meal worms, to see if she likes them! Right now, i'm just working on her coming when I call her name.


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## Hikari (Feb 5, 2013)

I have been thinking about clicker training. I have not been able to make it out to get one yet so I really like the idea of using my tongue to make the clicking noise. Sweetie Belle is awesome and comes when I call her name but my other two are lazy and have a serious selective hearing problem, so I think clicker training would really benefit us all. 

Any suggestions for starting with 3 rats that cannot agree on one treat as motivation?


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

I think that most rats love mealworms as a treat; all but one of mine and my girlfriend's 8 rats love mealworms and can't wait to gobble them up. I am going to try to train my two youngest girls I think, as they are 100% immersed and socialised with me. My older two however still need a bit of socialisation work so that will come with time. I'd love to start this in a couple weeks when I have the time when I finish University.


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## Hikari (Feb 5, 2013)

I have a mealworm farm so I am in constant supply of 1000's of mealworms, but only 2 of my 3 girls like mealworms. Twilight who is my mealworm fiend hears me go in the office when I keep the worms and hears the containers and by the time I come back in the living room she is hanging on the side of the cage waiting.


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