Ring Toss
Props:
Pre-Requisite: Your rat must already know how to fetch before you train this trick. If you would d like help training your rat to fetch, you can find my tutorial on how to do so here: |
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Step 1:
To start, smear a liquid treat on top of your stick/cone to encourage your rat to target it. Once they have finished licking off this liquid treat, reward them from your hand for sniffing the top of the bare stick/cone.
Step 2:
Now throw your ring, and reward your rat (who should already know how to fetch) for dropping it near the cone/stick.
Now throw your ring, and reward your rat (who should already know how to fetch) for dropping it near the cone/stick.
Step 3:
After every few fetches, reward your rat for just sniffing the cone/stick top a few times.
(Don't forget to jackpot reward your rat whenever they get the ring onto the cone!)
After every few fetches, reward your rat for just sniffing the cone/stick top a few times.
(Don't forget to jackpot reward your rat whenever they get the ring onto the cone!)
Step 4:
Practice, practice, practice! Once your rat can consistently place the ring onto the cone, you can start practicing from different angles to "proof" the behavior.
Practice, practice, practice! Once your rat can consistently place the ring onto the cone, you can start practicing from different angles to "proof" the behavior.
Step 5:
Finally, you can now begin to gradually add in more rings.
Finally, you can now begin to gradually add in more rings.
Continue to practice until your rat can consistently get all the rings onto the peg!
Optional:
If you want, you can now modify this trick so that your rat has to place the ring onto your index finger.
Video Tutorial:
Disclosure: Esther (and her site rattrix.weebly.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com