A bird can be taught to potty in 3 days but you need to be on the ball! Birds will defecate about every 20 to 30 minutes. Spend time watching your parrot before you begin. Watch his body language; most birds will give you little signs, like a tail wiggle. Some will squat, wiggle, then potty.
Decide where you want your bird to potty and place a piece of paper where he must go. If you have a bird that has the run of the house place pieces of news paper in each room. When you change the paper be sure to put the paper in the same place so that your bird gets to know that that is where he must potty. Decide what word you are going to use — potty, poop, toilet.
Get your bird used to that word. Remember that after your bird has done his potty you must reward him with a treat or a cuddle or scratch. Use the same treat each time. Remember to give the treat only when the bird does the important business. Eventually you will be able to give less treats after he has done his business.
Please be aware that some house bound birds will be so eager to impress his favorite person that kidney damage can occur when it waits for his key word, verbal command. So like wing clipping you must decide whether you want to potty train your bird or not. I would potty train — because then there is less mess to clean up and the furniture and carpeting is spared.
If you go ahead with the potty training remember that the bird needs continuous access to that all important piece of paper.
Cockatoos and Macaws are generally the easiest to train but if you are patient and observant any bird can be trained. Some birds will potty as soon as it’s handled so beware of this and move fast to that all important piece of paper. Remember that your bird cannot tell one of piece of paper from the other so don’t leave important papers lying around the house.
So in point form……….
1. Decide where you want your bird to potty.
2. Decide what word you are going to use.
3. If you are using paper put it down where you want it.
4. Watch your bird’s body language so you know the signs when he is going to potty.
5. Hold him over the paper till he has done his business.
6. Praise him lavishly, and give him a treat.
7. Wait for 20 minutes, watch his language, hold him over the paper and repeat — Wait, Praise, and Treat.
