How to Potty Train Your Parrot
When I first heard about potty-training birds, I was amazed. It didn’t occur to me that even pet birds could be trained to do so. And so, I taught my galah potty training as soon as I understood the concept! So if you’re interested in potty-training your birb, continue reading to learn more!
Listed below are several pointers to take note of, when you begin your training session with your birdies:
Key Tips For Potty Training
1) Understand their natural behaviour:
Parrots have a natural instinct to defecate frequently, approximately every 15-20 minutes, a parrot will poop! Understanding their natural habits will help you foresee when they might need to potty. Every bird is different, and the age and feeding habits of your bird will determine when it will need to poop. Babies consuming formula will potty as often as every 20 minutes. Consider the time of day and if your bird has eaten recently.
2) Observation:
Spend time observing your bird's behaviour to identify signs that they are about to poop. These signs might include shifting on their perch, extending their behind to prepare for the incoming poop, etc. After your bird poops, you should give a verbal praise and immediately remove them from the cage or perch, which is usually the greatest reward you can give a bird. This praise should be in the form of a word, which you will use to tell your bird to potty when you need him/her to. I usually say “Good girl, Sakura!”". Since you now have an idea of how long it will be before the next bowel movement, you can prevent an accident by putting the bird back into the cage or on the perch when half of the expected time has passed.
3) Choose a designated area:
Choose a specific area where your bird can poop. It can be a perch, a newspaper-covered spot, or a training perch with a tray underneath. Place your parrot at this spot before you expect them to poop.
4) Timing:
Consider when your parrot will likely poop based on their daily routine. For instance, they often poop shortly after eating or in the morning. Sakura tends to poop more frequently after breakfast and dinner, around every 10 mins within an hour or slightly less. After that, she will poop around every 15-20 minutes. It is also good practice to inspect your bird’s poop to ensure it's healthy.
5) Verbal cues:
Use a consistent verbal cue like "go potty" or "time to poop" every time you place your parrot in the designated spot. Over time, they will most likely be able to associate the cue with the action.
6) Positive reinforcement:
When your parrot successfully poops in the designated spot, immediately offer praise and/or give a treat. Positive reinforcement will help them understand that using the designated spot is a good thing!
7) Consistency:
Be consistent in your approach. Place your parrot in the designated spot daily when they are more likely to need to poop.
8) Patience:
Potty training a parrot takes time. Every parrot is different, and some may catch on faster than others. Be patient with the little cutie! Some birds might be able to grasp this potty concept within 72 hours, while others might need more time. For a young bird, just like a human, bowel control may not be possible until your baby is at least a year old. If an accident does occur, do not reprimand your bird.
It is very important to not punish your bird for making a mistake until they totally understand the behavior you want them to perform. Punishing/scolding your bird will just confuse him/her and prolong the learning process. Always use positive reinforcement by praising the behavior you want to reinforce. Remember, it's your responsibility to pay attention to your bird's body language and schedule and get them to the proper place to go potty.
Below are a few YouTube videos that you may find useful as well:
How to Potty Train your Parrot | PARRONT TIP TUESDAY
How to Potty Train Your Parrot | Parrot Training
Take Note!
Please do not force or pressure your bird to potty when they don’t need to, as it will cause them stress. The last thing you want is for your bird to associate potty training with negativity.
It is not advisable to intentionally stop a bird from pooping or making them hold it. Birds naturally need to eliminate waste frequently, and forcing them to hold it in can lead to health problems and discomfort. Here's why you should not prevent a bird from pooping especially when they need to:
Holding in waste can lead to digestive issues, such as constipation or impacted feces. These problems can cause discomfort, pain, and even severe health complications.
Physical stress: Forcing a bird to hold in the waste can create unnecessary physical stress on its digestive system and internal organs, but mentally as well!
Behavioural issues: Attempting to stop a bird from pooping or making them hold it can lead to behavioural problems and anxiety. Birds might become stressed, agitated, or even start plucking their feathers.
Negative association: If you punish a bird for pooping, they might associate pooping with negative experiences, which can hinder its potty training progress and even lead to fear or avoidance behaviours.
Natural behaviour: Birds have a natural instinct to poop frequently due to their rapid metabolism. It is not a behaviour that can be completely controlled or suppressed without risking their health and well-being.
Instead of trying to prevent pooping, focus on positive potty training techniques. By providing a designated area for your bird to poop and using positive reinforcement, you can encourage them to associate the chosen spot with positive outcomes.
Conclusion
With patience, consistency and plenty of positive reinforcement, many birds can learn potty training quite readily and understand that pooping on humans (or furniture) is not encouraged. While it does require effort on the part of the owner, most claim that it's much easier than tending to the laundry and messes that un-trained birds create. So have fun with your bird and make potty training a learning experience for both of you. And with that, I wish you a successful potty-training journey with your feathered babies!
