Potty Training

[Kathy]

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[Senor Azul]

Hi Kathy! Did you see the pictures of Senor Azul? He looks like cute little Kiwi. I've also heard that they can be potty trained. I'm hoping that is true. Thinking of investing in some Videos or Books on training.... hmmmmm.... might be a wast of money. I'll let you know if I hear anything else.
-Cari & Aazi

[Senor Azul]

That's true. The information seems so subjective as well. One little tip my boyfriend gave me that you may already know is that if I discover a pooping pattern, ie - he usually poops when I remove him from the cage - hold him over a paper towel until he goes. That's a good first step to teaching him to go in a certain place at a certain time. Then move on from there.

[Petey McSweetie]

The best way to potty train a bird is to take him out of the cage, hold him over a garbage can or whatever you want him to poop in and wait for him to poop. Most do shortly after they are out of the cage. When he poops praise him, give him kisses etc. Then 10-15 min later have her perch on your finger over the garbage can again and wait. Repeat all those steps every 10-15 min and it works like a charm. I'm not sure if a P'let can be taught to do this simply because they probably poop more often since they are so little. So try it with your P'let but try every 5-10 min. I have had several birds and all have been potty trained using this method.

[peekaboo]

I can usually time when Bruce will have to go. I hold him over the cage, the toilet etc and say "poop". He usually just repeats after me - "poop....poopoooo" but he usually goes eventually. He's definitely not potty trained though. If I wait too long, he just goes.

[ArtS]

My female, MeMe, hangs upside down from the blinds in our bedroom for longer periods of time so, if I pick her up, the first stop is over the garbage can so she can do her little squat. The bird isn't trained - I am! My guess is that you can potty train little birds but no one bothers - a parrotlet poop is not in the same league as a macaw turd.

Regards,

Art S.

[bean]

Bean has me trained. I have him 'go potty' over the trash can before taking him out. Then wherever we are sittting, he goes on a kleenex or a napkin every 10-15 minutes. It's a great way to decorate junk mail too. I swear that sometimes, he will chirp when he has to go. He also chirps and paces from shoulder to shoulder if he has messed on me and wants me to remove it. I have also seen him aim a squat from my shoulder and it lands on or near my hand while I am typing. So, it's not so much that they are trained but that you know the timing of when they may need to go again and you are consistent. Use the same command, like 'go potty' and give praise when they are successful. I used to have an amazon that I gave the command 'Bombs Away' which he learned to say and also learned to be well potty trained. Good luck and also don't worry. P'let poops are nothing compared to the bigger birds, especially ducks! (my ducks are not potty trained tho):D

Karen