Think of training your parrot this way; every interaction you have with your bird is a training session, whether you like it or not. In that time you are either doing something to increase the likelihood your bird is going to repeat that current behavior it's showing or decrease the likelihood through your actions.
For example, if every time your bird comes out with person A and always goes back into the cage with person B, it's likely the bird will be eager to see person A and bond more strongly to that person than person B. It's also likely the bird will begin to resist going to person B by ignoring or running/flying away and later that behavior escalates to lunging and biting.
With a basic understanding in parrot training person B could easily avoid or repair this situation with any of the following training methods:
- Target training the bird back into cage
- Randomly rewarding the bird for going back into the cage
- Applying the 60/40 rule
When people are just getting started in training their bird, there's two important tools we ask them to master first.
You will use these again and again, they're more powerful than I can express. Make sure these are trained to 100% consistency because these will be the foundation of your training.
There's one thing that gives most parrot owners a hang up on training and that's finding the proper reward (remember, it doesn't have to be food and variety is the key to success!) so lets talk about food motivation.
Once you are armed with your 3 fundamental tools of your bird's favorite treat (one he/she is willing to work for), your clicker (and your bird's understanding of its meaning) and your target stick - you are fully capable of "adding and deleting" behaviors your bird displays.
If you want to see that behavior repeated, reward it!
If you don't want to see that behavior again, ignore it.
These are the basics. You can get into things like shaping a behavior - which means to take a behavior like a bird who scratches its head and shape it into a bird who waves on cue. Here's an example of this with an Alexandrian parrot I trained using this very method (and still in the training phase in the video!)
For more parrot training, trouble shooting and advanced parrot training resources:
31 comments
Hello Jamie I have been watching your videos over & over again I also bought your baby bird video. So I bought a 2 month old Indian ringneck & I wished I would of watch your video first he is so freaked out all the time & he was hand fed he doesn’t know what treats are so he’s not treat motivated I paid so much for him & I love him very much but he hates me & I don’t want him to live in fear could you please help me I don’t want to rehome him but he’s impossible Please please help
Honestly over all the team is great! I always reach out when I have random questions and they are always happy to help. Feeding, training, and house questions always get different answers based off of practices. BirdTricks does such a great job with LITERALLY anything you have questions on. My only wish is that there was more availability so I can book a zoom call as fast as I can but normally you have to wait a week or so. But that just shows they are busy busy busy helping others! Keep up the great work everyone <3
keep it up the good imformation
Hello Birdtricks! I just received my first order of toys from birdtricks. They’re awesome! Each toy is so well put together and thoughtful down to the very last scrap. I’m so pleased with the purchase and thankful for all the tips and videos that are helping bird lovers everywhere. It’s a very special thing you do for all of us and for our birds. Thank you!
My male Cockatiel is in his cage and really wants to come out. I allowed them (2) parakeets and him to be free all day long for several years now. He (Cockatiel) Mochi has been very aggressive towards me as of late. It was advised to cage him. How long do I cage? Thank you LeAnn
We have a nearly 4 year old male Red Tail Black Cockatoo called Maxx that has become completely obsessed with our 16 year old daughter. This has been going on for over 12 months but has gotten so bad lately that as soon as he hears her bedroom door open, hears her foot steps, everytime she speaks he just screeches and squawks constantly. We have done lots of timeouts, covering his cage up, taking him away far enough that he can’t hear her voice to settle him down. Its so bad now that we can’t have him out of is cage when she is around, he will constantly fly to her shoulders, and when he know that she is in her room he will stand outside her bedroom door guarding her door walking back and forward like a solder attacking peoples feet when they walk past her room. Maxx will try and bite other family members if my daughter is around, but when she isn’t he will be fine with everybody else. Any help or suggestions from you guys would be greatly appreciated at this time. We really need to nip this behavior in the butt.
I have a Harlequin mccaw male parrot that hates me. I have tried the clicker and stick training and no results he charges at me every time I get close to his cage. Please help me. Thanks
Hi, we have a Scarlett macaw about 8 1/2 now. We regrettably clipped her feathers when she was young (suggested). We did that for the first 2 years only. But years later she still is under the mindset that she cannot fly. Even with attempts to get her going she thinks she cannot do this. Any suggestions. We want her to be a happy bird. Thanks
I have an African grey approx. 25 yrs. Old also a blue and gold macaw. These are both rescue birds, given to mÿ son. The Macaw use to talk that is why he gave him to me to keep me company. He is 16 years old and l am 71 so trying a birds impossible for me. I was wondering if you train òther people’ birds. Please get back to me and let me know.
Love you guys videos. I have a picky African Grey which I’m trying to work through some biting issues. Was wondering what type of training treats you use. He doesn’t like pine nuts or almonds. Thanks for all your help and keep the info and videos coming!!!
I am excited with your BirdTricks website. I haave a African Grey, Maggie (25yrs old) I hand fed her as a baby. She is my love. I saw on one of your comments that you have a channel that you share info. on different aspects of sharing life and the knowledge you have. Can u please share the name of your channel, please? My Maggie is very sweet and so fun. I am in the process of changing her to your pellets. I ordered you sample box for I wanted samples and hopefully a foraging toy. My Vet suggested. Iw ant her to get new toys, I ordered her a new cage today also. New world for us both!
Hello, I’ve only just came across your youtube and wish that I had found it when I got my Black Capped Lori. He is turning 12 or 13 and I’ve had him since he was 6 months old. I hope it isn’t too late to train out some of his bad behaviors. He is very needy and has or at least wants to spend every waking minute with me and if he can’t he just yells and screams. I’m going to have to watch some more of the videos online. Kimo Sabi is a Pollen and Nectar Parrot and I wanted to know what I could use as a treat when trying to train or reward him??
I have an alexandrine male whom we were given after his dad passed away (human) we know nothing about him. I have had him for over a year and being in lockdown I found your YouTube channel and started clicker training with the stick and he is doing amazing he now even flys to me when the cage is open. But… I still can’t touch him. He tries to attack me….We are in new Zealand and none can help I’m just wondering if you had any tips? Thank you so much! Alysha and tj
I have a 4 month old baby Quaker like to teach it some tricks .Can you lead me in right way.
I was wondering, do you do consultations before someone gets a parrot? I am thinking of getting a Macaw and know a lot goes into taking care of them and making sure they are happy and healthy. I was wondering if you do meetings where an inexperienced handler could come to a training class or something to get some experience on handling parrots before buying/adopting one. (I don’t live close to a shelter that takes birds so sadly voleenteering is not fesible for me)
I’ve been working with my B&G macaw named Angel with target training/clicker training. She likes to hang out on my forearm and not my hand and the treats we give her (pine nuts) she likes to hold it in a foot when eating. My next goal with her is to get her to feel comfortable on my hand but I dont want her to take her foot off my hand to eat her nut. Do you have a suggestion on a softer treat that she could eat without using her feet?
blue and gold macaw that has started lunging and trying to bite the owner and loves the girl friend
Does the 2 – 5 minutes of training include needing to leave the room when my parrot gets overestimated or aroused? Thank you for all your training tips!
I have a very sweet sun conure that plays really rough. He bites during his play and sometimes it’s too hard. Which lessons address this?
What’s the best way to start indoor recall training
Hi I like to prepare food for my parrot and learn to train it.many years in the cage. She or he is pulling the feather. To me I find her slimmer. I have her for 17 years. Can I still Stan a chance to train it. Please advise. I’m taken her on Tuesday to cut the wings she hasn’t been out many years.it bites. Thank you
Hey I am trying to figure out the best treat to use to start training my African grey. She loves roasted cashews, but I don’t want to give them to her in too high of a quantity, do you have any suggestions for other treats?
Need some help in my significant other & I with our parrotlet bird. He (Oolong) screams a lot while in cage just to get our attention. We have to cover cage in order to get him to go silent. But being so smart he has now learned that even when getting covered he can get a little chirp instead of screaming. Significant other (Paul) has said it is my fault cause of me running to him to keep quiet. Well he does as well by giving him food to get quiet. Don’t know how to handle this situation. I don’t like using clicker training.
I had 2 blue and golds for 30 yrs. Each was obtained at different times from unscrupulous merchants. Both came with diseases and eventually succumbed to them. I live in a Canada and the US government took my money but never came through with travel documents. My birds were under the care of an exotic bird vet and deemed healthy to travel. I would love to get another macaw but only if I can go back and forth across the border since I go south for the winter every year. Have things improved with the travel documents?
Hi, We have a young toucan at home since 1 year ago, it is very docile, but few months ago it started screaming at early morning and whenever no-one is on sight from the cage. Do you recommend the course Stop screaming to correct this behavior or the Basic training Course instead. Thank you
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