thanks this was a really helpful post. I'm trying to condition my "bridge" too, but on day 2, I don't see (or expect to see) any reaction. However, it sometimes seems as though the light elicits a "startle" behavior. I'm worried the reinforcer I am trying to condition so carefully may be intrinsically unpleasant for my fish, and therefore counterproductive. Did you notice any behavior like this when you introduced the light?
No in fact the light produced no change in behavior when i first started. so, i felt good in using it. the 'startle' behavior you see now that it is conditioned is actually darting to seek the food as it knows its coming.
I'm just using cheap fish flakes as he is a very small fish and that is all he can eat without filling his entire mouth for minutes.
I must have done 100s of repetitions so far like this since day one. I feel somewhere midway (day 50, approx 200th rep) he got what the event marker meant as when the light flashes, he jiggles and darts a bit, as if to anticipate having to search for the flakes that soon will be deposited. Prior, the light didn't affect his movement.
On that note, I did not condition the marker first before beginning shaping. He was swimming through the hoop by the first week without a lure, but I feel the light was meaningless to him early on.
how long did it take you to condition the marker signal light? How did you know when the fish was properly understanding the meaning of the marker signal?
I am currently (attempting to) transition from lure-based fish training (as is taught in the R2 kit) to actually being able to free-shape behavior with the fish.
ma questo è fulminato
SoulMusic9009 1 week ago
Good job, Andre!
ilovecanines 7 months ago
thanks this was a really helpful post. I'm trying to condition my "bridge" too, but on day 2, I don't see (or expect to see) any reaction. However, it sometimes seems as though the light elicits a "startle" behavior. I'm worried the reinforcer I am trying to condition so carefully may be intrinsically unpleasant for my fish, and therefore counterproductive. Did you notice any behavior like this when you introduced the light?
emilylanglle1 2 years ago
hi Emily,
No in fact the light produced no change in behavior when i first started. so, i felt good in using it. the 'startle' behavior you see now that it is conditioned is actually darting to seek the food as it knows its coming.
greanie 2 years ago
Hi Mary
I'm just using cheap fish flakes as he is a very small fish and that is all he can eat without filling his entire mouth for minutes.
I must have done 100s of repetitions so far like this since day one. I feel somewhere midway (day 50, approx 200th rep) he got what the event marker meant as when the light flashes, he jiggles and darts a bit, as if to anticipate having to search for the flakes that soon will be deposited. Prior, the light didn't affect his movement.
greanie 2 years ago
On that note, I did not condition the marker first before beginning shaping. He was swimming through the hoop by the first week without a lure, but I feel the light was meaningless to him early on.
greanie 2 years ago
thanks for letting me know!
cheerioTrainer 2 years ago
Quick question---
how long did it take you to condition the marker signal light? How did you know when the fish was properly understanding the meaning of the marker signal?
I am currently (attempting to) transition from lure-based fish training (as is taught in the R2 kit) to actually being able to free-shape behavior with the fish.
Mary
cheerioTrainer 2 years ago
very nice!
what are you using as a reward? flakes?
cheerioTrainer 2 years ago