Melinda wrote:
>>I was wondering if any of you folks could tell me of any new tricks I can
>>teach my carpet sharks.  Here's what they will do so far: ...
>
>How the heck did you get them to do that much?  And you want more?
 
It's really not difficult at all.  I am no expert animal trainer by any
stretch of the imagination, but getting them to do these things is just a
matter of 1) finding out what you have that they want, and 2) getting them
to do something for it.  After a while it becomes habit for them.
 
From my experience, you can't teach more than one at a time.  You have to
separate them, or they'll distract each other.  You also can't get
impatient, and you can't expect them to be able to learn for more than 5-10
minute stretches.  Start simple and work your way up slowly.  Be consistent.
 
My little panda girl Peanut can learn a trick in a day or two.  But my big
silver mitt boy Freddy takes a bit longer, maybe 3-4 days.  Each morning
they pester me until I give them their "lessons".  :-) I put one of them up
on a chair, and one on the floor, and spend about 10 minutes teaching them
something or reviewing some old stuff.  They love it because they get
treats!  (I also think they enjoy a little mental stimulation.) And I enjoy
just being around them.
 
Here's a little story you might like:
The last trick I taught the rugrats was to "spin".  I had Freddy on a
kitchen chair and was teaching him his trick.  He's a bit slow, so I have to
be extra patient with him.  While repeating the command and doing the hand
signal, "spin", <hand signal> "spin", <hand signal>, I noticed something out
of the corner of my eye.  Peanut had apparently arrived sometime during the
lesson, and was off to my left spinning around and around and around!  She
had picked up on the command I gave to Freddy.  It was the funniest thing!
:-D I have no idea how long she'd been spinning, but she was probably making
herself dizzy.
 
I gave her a whole raisin, rather than the standard 1/2 raisin, for that.
She was most happy.  :-)
 
Gary
[Posted in FML issue 2364]