Animal Behavior Conversations: The Podcast of The ABMA

This episode Rick Hester, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and BehaviorWorks, discusses a free operant approach to behavior management. Rick starts with explaining the practical application of free operant behavior and, in order to get the full scope, also discusses discrete trial training and the relationship between the two. Breaking down some of the science, Rick educates about Lindsley's (1996) Four Free Operant Freedoms and the considerations for providing and maintaining a free operant environment (depletion, satiation, and dosage of resources). Rick finishes the episode with giving advice on how to start curating free operant environments by celebrating each approximation. Stay tuned in for a "dam" great "Training Tale" about creating a free operant environment for beavers using the sound of running water. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to contact Rick email [email protected] Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

6:40 Definition and application of “Free Operant” 

10:05 Definition and application of Discrete Trial Training (DTT)

14:10 Connecting the dots between environmental enrichment and free operant principles 

16:55 The Freedom to Present Stimuli 

17:20 The Freedom to Repeat Responses Many Times to Each Signal 

17:50 The Freedom to Form Responses 

18:20 The Freedom to Slow or Speed Responses 

19:15 Considerations for providing and maintaining a free operant environment

20:40 Resource Depletion 

23:20 Satiation of Resources 

24:50 Dosage of Resources 

28:00 Advice for Getting Team Buy-In; Using Approximations 

35:35 The balance between free operant and discrete trial training 

39:50 “Training Tales” 

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the human side of the animal care field. In this episode Scott Trauger, Natural Encounters, Inc., dives deeper into a discussion centered around his presentation at the 2024 ABMA Annual Conference titled "Expanding Our Feedback Loop: Evolving the Way that We Give Feedback to Our Peers". Scott discusses the different types of feedback and considerations to think about in order to effectively give specific and honest, but also kind, feedback. Scott also discusses the thought of also giving choice and... control to people while providing feedback. Stay tuned in for a "Training Tale" about how Scott used his tree climbing skills and relationship to rescue a pied crow. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to reach Scott contact him on the ABMA Community or email [email protected] If you are an ABMA member you can watch Scott's presentation on animalprofessional.com Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

This episode we are joined by Tegan Noel, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, to discuss some practical applications and examples of providing choice and... control. This episode is a continuation of Episode 50 where Ken Ramirez broke down the science of choice and... control. The episode starts with Tegan commenting how the focus of those two topics have changed and shaped behavior in recent years. Additionally, she educates about what it means to remove "forced" choice and providing control through the use of encouraging animals to say now. Tegan gives thoughtful examples of providing choice and... control and why it is not only important for animal care professionals to have an understanding but also the public.   Stay tuned in for Tegan's interesting "Training Tale" about a pygmy falcon who decided to create an awkward ending to a show. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to reach Tegan you can email [email protected]  Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

2:45 Introduction to Teagan Noel 

5:40 How has the focus on choice and control evolved and changed the way we care for animals? 

11:30 Giving animals control and encouraging animals to “say no” while still receiving active participation 

16:00 Practical examples of providing choice and control: Squirrel Monkeys 

28:35 Practical example: Control over putting on a harness (coati, wombat) 

31:10 Giving more control and removing “forced” choice 

40:35 Importance of providing choice and control from the view of the pubic 

49:40 Advice for starting the process of providing more control 

54:35 “Training Tales”

This episode we are joined once again by Chris Jenkins of Natural Encounters, Inc. in order to dive deeper into Antecedents, specially looking at Distant Antecedents and navigating the role they play in behavior.  This episode is a continuation of Episode 6 where Chris broke down the fundamentals of Antecedents. The episode starts with defining the difference between immediate and distant antecedents and then shifts to the slippery slope that is labeling behavior using distant antecedents as the reason. Chris educates about how behavior is influenced by a myriad of environmental conditions and gives advice on how to take away the subjectivity of a distant antecedent and instead listen to what the animal and their behavior is telling us.   Stay tuned in for Chris's interesting "Training Tale" about a double mouth open with a tapir! Additionally check out "The TEC Talk Podcast: Presented by Natural Encounters, Inc.", a like-minded podcast hosted by Chris and Ari Bailey! For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to reach Chris you can find his contact information on the Natural Encounters, Inc. website.  Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

3:10 Introduction to Chris Jenkins 

7:10 Immediate vs Distant Antecedents 

13:20 Antecedents affecting motivation and how our view of them can affect behavior 

15:50 Not letting our “arrogance” create roadblocks or excuses for behavior 

21:30 Using antecedents to inform decisions while not labeling 

26:25 Past consequences become future antecedents 

33:00 Using behavioral observations vs our subjective thoughts 

37:15 Recognizing that behavior is influenced by more than one condition 

41:10 Advice for encouraging others to not place “blame” on distant antecedents 

48:55 Critical role us as the human trainers play in behavior 

51:50 “Training Tales”

This episode continues on "The Behaviors of..." series which dives into the human side of the animal care field. In this episode Justin Garner, Committee Chair for The ABMA, helps to give advice on how to successfully implement change. The discussion begins with ideas and advice on communicating ideas to others and how to then put those ideas into action. Justin and Shane also talk through ideas to overcome some of the common "roadblocks" to successfully implementing change including not enough time, we've always done it this way, and a lack of resources. Stay tuned in for a "Training Tale" about a ground hornbill's love for popcorn and how that almost prevented a new idea from coming to fruition. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to reach Justin contact him on the ABMA Community or email [email protected]  Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

This episode Sandy Jabas, The First VP of The ABMA, discusses what it means for a behavior to be under stimulus control. Sandy educates about how to tell if a behavior is under stimulus control and also the importance of stimulus control in our training. Sandy also teases the 2025 ABMA Annual Conference in Galveston, Texas hosted by Moody Gardens! Stay tuned in for three "Training Tales" about a funny mishap when shifting dolphins, a dolphin tail fluke splash gone wrong, and interesting research about dolphin dive reflex. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to reach Sandy you can email [email protected]. Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

This episode, through daily live recordings, features a recap of the 2024 ABMA annual conference (April 15-19 2024) hosted by the Nashville Zoo. Each day of the conference, one of the presenters for the day discusses their presentation and other learning that impacted them. 

Day 1: Benjamin Fainsod, Jerusalem Zoo & The Animal Behavior Community ([email protected])

Day 2: Dr. Cathy Mingee, North Carolina Zoo ([email protected])

Day 3: Cam Luna, Nashville Zoo ([email protected])

Day 4: Chandelle Cotter, Bird Treatment and Learning Center ([email protected])

If you are an ABMA member be sure to log in to Animalprofessional.com to watch most of the presentations and panels from the 2024 conference. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected]. Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

This episode Tim Sullivan, Brookfield Zoo Chicago and one of the founders of The ABMA, discusses how to use behavioral goals to provide purposeful lives to animals. Tim starts by giving a little history to the founding of The ABMA and then jumps into discussing why behavior is an all encompassing word. If you were at the 2024 ABMA annual conference in Nashville or if you are an ABMA member and watch Tim's environmental enrichment workshop on animalprofessional.com, this podcast episode is a great companion to his presentation. Tim educates about shifting our mindset in order to provide purposeful lives to animals. Taking ourselves away from providers and into a facilitator role, allowing animals to do the jobs that they do best! Tim also speaks to what it means to teach animals to be good learners instead of teaching animals "good" lessons and how we can all successfully navigate this shift in thinking. Stay tuned in for Tim's "Training Tale" about how he started thinking about the correlation between guest applause and the behaviors of the animal. For questions or suggestions about the podcast email [email protected] and to reach Tim you can email [email protected] Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

This episode Sarah van Herpt, Animals Asia - Vietnam, discusses relationship and trust building with animals who previously lived in adverse and traumatic environments. Animals Asia rescues bears from the bear bile industry so Sarah is able to give practical examples of how they help the rescued bears move from trauma to trust. Sarah educates about desensitization and different techniques used to build trust such as temporarily using negative reinforcement with animals where the best reinforcer is distance and space. Sarah also talks about how to build trust back quickly after a situation that may require some of that trust to be broken. l Stay tuned in for a "Training Tale" about giving the power of consent and control back to rescued bears! For questions or suggestions about the podcast email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ To reach Sarah email [email protected] and to learn more about Animals Asia visit their website at https://www.animalsasia.org Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!