Training the rats to go to specific areas of the cage depending on where I am standing is going well. About 75% of the time the rats are going where I would like them to go. Now, I am planing on raising the criterion for the amount of time, because they are currently rather slow on the uptake.
I thought that working with two animals at the same time might be a little difficult. If they heard the click how would they know which one got the click? But it has turned out rather useful. For, when I click and treat, and the other rat doesn't get one he looks to see what the other rat was doing, then runs and copies him earning a click and treat himself. Who knew rats were social learners?
Feeding Sparticus outside the cage in a dish has proved to solve the trick. He still isn't accepting treats reliably without his bowl present, but progess is progress.
Halted training:
Charlie has developed a skin allergy. Training will be halted until the problem is cleared up as a rat that is focused on scratching is not focused on training.
I have read Karen Pryor's book, 'Reaching the Animal Mind' and I must say I absolutley loved and enjoyed it.
