#scaletraining

Question: What do you do when both monkeys are trying to get on the scale at the same time? (In this example Callitrichids – tamarins, marmosets) Answer: Train them both to wait! You can teach each one to wait on either side of the scale. Feed one for waiting while you cue/prompt one to go to the scale. Reinforce the one on the scale and reinforce the other for waiting at the same time. Then cue/prompt the one on the scale back to his station and cue/prompt the other one to the scale. Same procedure…now the first monkey that was on the scale get reinforced for waiting, while monkey number two gets reinforced for sitting on the scale. Over time as this is practiced each will learn there is value in waiting and they won’t feel the need to always race to the scale because reinforcement happens other places too. In the past all the good things happened on the scale so that was the only place worth going. Now they will learn another place has equal value. They will just need to wait for your signal when it is time to go to the next location to get desired things. Send me your questions. I may answer them in podcast or social media. Link in bio @barbara_heidenreich #scaletraining #monkeytraining #tamarintraining #marmosettraining #callitrichidtraining #traintowait #animaltrainingquestions #barbaraheidenreich https://www.instagram.com/p/B7bexzEli5o/?igshid=1m5nstvy44egf

I helped a friend take her cat to the vet yesterday and noticed this awesome set up. It makes me veeerrry happy to see veterinary clinics embracing antecedent arrangement to make it easier to get compliance for behaviors like getting on a scale. If you zoom-in, you will see the concrete has been drilled out so that the scale is flush with the floor. You will also notice there is a rubber mat on the scale which makes a nice stable non-skid surface. The one little tweak I would recommend is not having the shelving pushed up against one end. Giving animals a nice long runway to approach and walk over the scale will make it even easier to gain compliance. It’s simple changes to our set up like these that makes a big difference when it comes to many behaviors. Think of it as the less work the animal has to do to present the behavior, the more likely it is you will get the desired result. You can get super creative with this part, which can be really fun. #antecedentarrangement #scalebehavior #weighinganimals #scaletraining #fearfreevetmedicine #medicalbehaviors https://www.instagram.com/p/B5qRm_6limt/?igshid=1tlcf6u4grpu7

Not too bad for her first session ever on stationing and scale training. #meerkat #meerkats #stationtraining #stationing #scaletraining @zoopoznan (at Zoo Poznań Official Site)