Niabi Zoo Cotton-top Tamarin Training: Premack Principle

This female tamarin is most familiar and comfortable with the upper branch for stationing. Being an arboreal species, having plenty of branches that provide the tamarins habitat variety and comfort is critical. In this video, the trainer implements the Premack Principle: *briefly* stationing at the lower branch (low probability behavior) will be immediately marked by a *click* (no food) and then cued to jump to the upper branch (high probability behavior). Note on the second cue to come to the lower branch, that the latency was reduced (the tamarin came to the lower branch more quickly). Also note how the trainer begins cuing other behaviors that are fluent (follow targets, shape recognition) to keep the session successful and positive for the tamarin! The trainer is now offering food after the click as this video shares how we advanced this behavior as the tamarin became more comfortable.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Niabi Zoo
• Cotton-top Tamarin
• clicker training
• Premack Principle
• targeting
• voluntary weights