potty training

[JazzyBabe]

someone told me you could train a parrotlet to be potty trained. She said "its all about the timing".

has anyone done this? does anyone have any techniques i could try?

[carlylu]

Yes, I've done this. You can teach them to poop on cue (helpful if you're out in town with them) and/or to poop in specific places. It's a matter of anticipating when they are ready to go, putting them in an appropriate place, and then treating when they poop. Very similar to dogs really -- they only respond to positive reinforcement, not punishment.

Good Bird magazine (a training magazine) has an article with specifics about poop training in the current issue (Spring 2008). You can download single issues here to avoid the single issue shipping charge.

raz

[kellywess]

Two of my four fids are potty trained. The other two we are still working on. Every time you see them drop to poop.. say "poopy" or "whoops" (my re-homed miligold likes "whoops") and reward them a praise "good bird" Also when you let them come out of their cage before you pick them up start telling them "poopy" or whatever word you prefer. When they do it... give them a treat and pick them up and tell them what a good bird they are. Marvin (my severe) knows that when she climbs out of her cage that she has to "poopy" before I pick her up. She will climb to the top of her cage door "poopy" and them immediately tell me to "step up." Shes a pro... in the back ground my Hahns "Dewey" says "good bird" when this happens. He is the one who offers Marvin immediate praise... this is helping him to learn the potty training business as he is starting to "poopy" as soon as hes let out. Then he yells "step up." Go figure.

[enslin]

i also trying to train my grey that,but i try to train him to poop in an tissue;i think its better for he poops every 15 min. for then i would not have to bring him back to the cage every time,

but what do you guys think?Is it an good idea to train it like that??

greetings sara & charly[charly is my grey][he is almost two years old now]

[HeyBird]

Both of my conures are potty trained. Mine have learned to poop in garbage cans and in the sink.

We started the potty training by catching their first poop of the morning. FIRST thing in the morning we take them out of their cage and hold them over the garbage can and tell them to "Make a poopy". Sometimes we're there a while but not usually first thing - they're ready to go as soon as we get them up. We then tell them "Good Birdy" and scratch their necks. From then on, about every 15 minutes we do the same thing.

If we forget then obviously they're going to forget and go where ever. And whoever handles the birds have to be on the same page - like children - they need consistency.

My vet was thrilled when she needed a sample and they did it on command.