How to train your goldfish to commands; is that possible?!
How to train your goldfish to commands; is that possible?!
It turns out that all of the old stories about fish having three second memories are untrue.During recent scientific studies, fish have been taught many long-term skills that they are capable of remembering over the course of many months.Dr Phil Gee from the University of Plymouth says,”Research has also shown that fish can learn to distinguish between different shapes, colors and sounds. They can even learn that pressing a lever will dispense food at certain times of the day.”The applications of this newfound skill are still being explored but fish farmers are set to capitalize on it by training fish to swim to feeding stations.Hang on a second and read the results before I teach you how it’s done.At a certain time of day, every day, the fish will respond to a specific, pre-trained noise and all swim to the same place in a lake. This even works when the fish are in open water, free to roam as they please.This system is using fish’s intelligence to better improve their quality of life and at the same time keep the animal rights activists at bay. The fact that fish can be reliably trained to be called on command for feeding and monitoring means that the fish farmers can now keep the fish without using cages.– So how exactly do I go about training a fish? What can I teach it to do?The most basic way of training a fish to perform a task would be through what psychologists call “Operant Conditioning”. It means that the fish will learn how to operate a simple device simply because when by chance they do operate it they get a reward.A basic type of operant conditioning device for fish is a small box with a sensitive lever that will dispense food when the lever is pressed. To see a video of a fish doing this go here: http://www.psy.plymouth.ac.uk/fish/ Download the video and watch.You see the fish operating a very sensitive form of lever rigged to a food dispensing device. With a little bit of thought, something similar would not be difficult to make.You can buy fish food dispensers with small levers online and the idea is that a fish learns to use it through trial and error. At some point a fish will accidentally make the dispenser work and will receive the reward of food. The reward entices the fish to perform the same behaviors as the first time and receive the reward again at a later time.At this point the fish is trained to use the lever.Conditioning a fish to respond to a command is a slightly different task. One of your options is to wait until you see your fish performing the behavior that you want, perform the trigger (e.g. a unique noise like a bell) and give your fish a reward (e.g. food). Over time, if you do this while giving your fish a reward one in three of the times that this works then your fish will become conditioned to respond to the noise in this way.For more complicated behaviors that your fish does not already use then do the same as above only in stages building up to the final behavior. For example, condition your fish to swim forwards on command, and then swim backwards on a different command until you have trained it to do laps.The principals of classical conditioning hold that this will always work the same way it does with dogs and the dolphins that you see in sea world.I hope that this article has at least been interesting for you to read and maybe given a few hobbyists some ideas for their fish.If, by any chance, you are a fish-owner looking for fish related supplies for decent prices online then I highly recommend http://www.desertcoralaquatics.com”With literally thousands of items in stock and ready to ship, you can be assured that you ll receive what you need quickly. See us for aquarium lighting, aquarium filters, aquarium chillers, external water pumps, tank heaters, protein skimmers and so much more. We carry all the top brands with the best prices you ll find anywhere online. Shop in our convenient online store for brands like Mag-drive, Kent Marine, E.S.V., Dolphin Pumps, JBJ, Aqua Logic, Ice Cap, Aqua Medic Lighting, Sunlight Lighting, Current USA, Neptune Systems and other leading quality brands.” Feel free to distribute and host this article wherever you please and free of charge as long as none of its content is changed. For more infromation about search engine optimization please visit:<a href=http://www.desercoralaquatics.com>HERE</a>
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Animal Assisted Therapy
The term “animal assisted therapy” is to be distinguished from the more familiar practice of “animal assisted activities”, which refers generally to pet visitation at hospitals and residential care facilities. Animal Assisted Therapy is part of a formal and carefully designed treatment program with specific and measurable objectives that matches one animal to one patient. Under the guidance of a trained medical professional, patients with severe mental and/or physical disabilities are encouraged to interact with a “therapy dog” under the supervision of a trained dog handler. The patient’s interaction with the dog is increased gradually. Initially, the patient may merely observe the dog or touch it. As the patient becomes more responsive and confident, activities may include brushing, attaching collars and even walking the dog. Progress records are maintained as milestones are met and exceeded. Studies have shown that therapy pets motivate people to participate in therapeutic interactions. Dogs are not judgmental, they don’t hassle or pressure their partner and they have endless patience. Further, simply because they are animals and require care, the patient grooming them or walking them is made to feel useful. The benefits and expectations of animal assisted activities, or pet visits, vary according to the needs and conditions of the patients being visited. Pet visits are less formal; they do not follow a particular treatment plan or schedule and they are not usually set up on a one pet to one patient scenario. Pet visits are common to hospitals, assisted living homes and nursing homes. They are often nothing more than a way to entertain people or to change their routine and brighten their day. On the other hand, when visited by a pet some people who have basically shut themselves off from human interaction will begin to work their way back to reality. Apparently the pet stirs emotions in them that have been lying dormant. Examples have been given where patients who have not spoken a word in over a year will begin to talk to the visiting dog. Now that pet therapy has become a proven and documented reality, institutions are beginning to capitalize on this phenomenon with the “resident pet.” This term refers to a cat or a dog that becomes a permanent resident of a particular facility and is usually given free run of the place. Each resident benefits from a proprietary interest in the animal and looks forward to assisting in its care. In some cases, a full course of therapy has been designed around the care and feeding of a resident pet. The residents meet to discuss what must be done and develop their own charts and schedules to accommodate the pet’s needs. However, staff must be constantly on the alert to avoid problems of jealousy and feuds over the pet’s affections. The attributes and characteristics that comprise a good visiting dog or therapy dog have more to do with temperament than training. Not to say that the dog will not need training in basic obedience, but that is normally sufficient except in extraordinary situations. Patients and residents react to the dogs in a variety of ways. Some are effusive, some impulsive and others are shy. Therefore, the dogs must be ready for anything. It surely wouldn’t do for a dog to lunge away or growl if a patient makes a loud noise or reaches for them abruptly. When selecting a dog for these purposes you would not necessarily want an animal that is high strung or one that is too laid back to get up and socialize. Numerous studies have documented the benefits of pet therapy. Pets have been used in treating AIDS patients, cancer patients, the elderly and the mentally ill. One study determined that petting a dog can lower blood pressure and another found that pets can reduce stress related illnesses. A study at City Hospital in New York noted that heart patients who owned pets lived longer than those without pets. Owning a pet was found to be more significant to long term survival than the presence of even a spouse or friends. Pets make us feel good. They comfort us, allow us to be ourselves and give those of us that need it a reason for living. Please visit my website for more great information at http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com Chris Suckow lives and works in Los Angeles CA http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com
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