A parrot training plan basically needs to be done individually for each bird you bring or keep at home. Each bird has a unique personality and requires a certain combination of technique, patience, camaraderie, and “bribery” (in this case, gift giving) in order to be trained effectively. Therefore, there are some general tips that will help you prepare for your practice and, of course, practice useful basic skills.
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Part 1 of 4: Managing Exercise Success
Step 1. Create the right training environment
Imagine when you wanted to teach a small child. If he feels safe, calm, comfortable, and alert, he is likely to receive and understand the instructions given effectively. The same goes for your parrot.
- Find a quiet place where you and your pet bird can focus on the task or exercise at hand. Choose a place that is familiar to the bird so that the ai has a comfortable level of comfort before starting the exercise.
- Don't try to train him when he's feeling restless. Wait until he feels calmer. However, exercise with a treat is most effective when he's hungry. Therefore, exercises performed before meals are usually most effective.
Step 2. Prepare yourself
While parrots are generally known to be friendly and considerate creatures, in general they are known to have very limited patience. Pauses and errors that occur in training sessions are usually not responded to in a positive manner so it is important that you prepare beforehand.
- Gather the equipment needed for the type of exercise to be performed. The kit includes items such as a perch (which can be held by hand), a towel, a clicker (for clicker practice), chopsticks or drumsticks (for target practice), a harness or rope (for outdoor training), bitter apple spray (to train birds not to be attracted to biting areas or certain items, such as cloth), and-of course-snacks.
- Choose a snack that your parrot likes, as well as a snack that can be given easily. For example, thin apple slices can be a handy snack for your parrot.
Step 3. Start exercising as often as possible and early on, but don't try to train it too hard
You may have heard that older dogs have a hard time learning new tricks. The same goes for any animal, including parrots (and humans too!).
- Start the training process as soon as possible. As long as your parrot is at least able (if it doesn't really have the initiative) to eat its food directly from your hands, you can actually give practice.
- Do several training sessions in one day. Ideally, the exercises are done at the same time to be consistent. However, it is more important that the exercise is done when your parrot is in a suitable condition to train (in this case, it must be calm).
- Make sure that the training sessions are relatively short-no more than fifteen minutes per session. If your shadow bird starts to seem bored or disinterested, it's a good idea to end the training session and start training again at a later time.
Step 4. Feed him straight from your hand
Giving gifts or treats to birds directly from the hand is an important thing to do in any given type of exercise. It also helps build a relationship between you and the new and/or young parrots you are raising.
- Begin the process by feeding the birds when they are in the cage. Approach him slowly and show him the treat. Remain calm and give him praise or positive encouragement if he manages to take the treat.
- Sliced apples can be a great snack choice if you're afraid you'll bite your finger while giving him a treat. If you want, you can also wear gloves though (actually) the parrot may be more interested in biting into the gloves you're wearing.
Part 2 of 4: Using Basic Training Strategies
Step 1. Form the desired behavior
“Behavior shaping” is a training ideology that focuses on rewarding birds for estimating (and, ultimately, realizing) the steps required to complete a training task.
- The ideology is well-regarded and well-known because it covers everything about shaping behavior through positive reinforcement.
- For example, if you want to teach a parrot to bathe and clean itself in a small water container, reward him for each intermediate step he shows, such as looking at the container, looking at the container, moving towards the container, moving towards the container., tried the water that was in the container, got into the water, and finally splashed the water on his own body.
Step 2. Set up the clicker device
Pets, from birds to cats, can usually be given clicker training to demonstrate the desired behavior. This exercise uses a clicker device (a device that makes a clicking sound, such as the sound of a pen button or a metal juice bottle cap) to signal that the animal's good behavior deserves a reward.
- The clicking sound produced by the device serves as a sound signal that is given when the appropriate response or behavior is shown by the animal. The device must be sounded as soon as the desired behavior is demonstrated by the animal, followed by the award of a reward. Therefore, you may have heard (or needed to know) the term “click and treat”. The term refers to the process of sounding the instrument and giving the gift.
- For example, if you are using the clicker device during a climbing or jumping exercise (as described later in this article), beeping the device and awarding a reward should occur as soon as your parrot successfully jumps or climbs onto your finger/hand. Clicker exercises can also be combined with other exercise programs.
Step 3. Encourage the parrot to stay focused on the desired target
Another training option (which can also be combined with clicker training if you prefer) is known as target training. This exercise requires the bird to use its curiosity to observe a new object so that it can show an appropriate or desired response.
- In the basic version of target practice, the object used (eg chopsticks, drumsticks, or other wooden sticks) is pointed around the bird. If he manages to make contact with the tip of the wand, he'll be immediately rewarded with a treat (or a click, if he prefers). Slowly and over time, the parrot will learn to follow targets along the cage and around the room while learning to follow simple commands.
- Target practice can build key basic skills so that it can be a way to get more specific training.
Part 3 of 4: Trying the “Up” or “Jump” Command Variations
Step 1. Use the “Up” or “Jump” command as the first step in the exercise
As the name suggests, this skill requires birds to learn to step or jump from one branch to another, on command. The target branch or perch used is usually a hand, finger, or perch that can be held directly (such as a dowel).
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This skill is an ideal skill to teach early on for several reasons:
- This skill is relatively easy to master, both for you (as the teacher) and your pet.
- This skill is derived from the parrot's natural behavior, namely the desire to move from one branch to another.
- This skill is practical because you can tell the bird to climb up and perch on your hand, making it easier for you to do various things, from playing to cleaning the cage.
- This skill is useful as a basic maneuver and helps the bird to learn other, more complex skills.
- While this skill is fairly simple, there are a variety of training methods of varying complexity for you to choose from. Some of them will be explained in later steps in this article.
Step 2. Test the most basic method
If your parrot has had previous training or simply has a natural tendency to show off his skills, usually the most basic training options are enough to develop his skills.
- Extend your finger or wrist in front of the parrot (depending on the size of the bird and your preference). Place your finger or wrist in front of him, at chest level. Usually, many birds will naturally jump and climb onto your finger or wrist without needing to be instructed or trained.
- Create cues to indicate the desired behavior or action. You can say commands like “Up!” and “Jump!” or use the clicker device simultaneously to get him to move. Give him a reward immediately if he manages to move or climb onto your finger or hand.
- If he doesn't want to climb or jump when instructed, use behavior formation techniques and reward him for additional behaviors or actions he exhibits (eg touching a branch or perch with his beak, putting one foot on the perch, etc.).
Step 3. Use another reward or snack based exercise method
In this method, you'll need to use the treats more often as an inducement to get him to show the desired behavior. However, the basic principles of the practice are fairly similar.
- Hold the snack in one hand, and extend the other hand/finger toward him (at chest level). Point your hands so that the easiest or closest way the bird can follow to get the treat is to climb on the "perch" you provide.
- If he doesn't go up to your hand or finger at first, give him a treat even if he only shows contact with your finger or hand. After that, only reward him if he manages to climb onto your finger or hand.
- If you don't mind using the clicker device while your hands are in use, clicker practice and/or verbal cues (e.g. “Up!” or “Jump!”) can be included in this exercise.
Step 4. Proceed to jump training combined with target training
If other training methods don't work, or you've previously given target practice, you can teach jumping skills using specific targets the bird is familiar with, as well as a reward system.
- Hold the target (eg a wooden drumstick) with one hand, and the other perch (eg fingers, hand, or graspable perch) with the other. Alternatively, if you have the manual dexterity to do something like this, you could hold the target and extend the perch with one hand (or use that hand as the perch as well), and use the other hand-for example-to hold a snack, using a clicker device, and others.
- Place a target so that the bird is directed to move to its new "perch". Make sure you position the perch in its usual position, at chest level.
- Reward him immediately if he exhibits the desired behavior and use a clicker or other verbal cue if desired. At the end of the day, you don't have to use the target to tell it to show the desired behavior.
Part 4 of 4: Teaching Birds to Talk
Step 1. Don't assume that your parrot can (or can't) talk
Parrot owners (especially first-time owners) often feel that speaking is the first skill to be taught. They also sometimes assume that birds can master this skill easily.
In reality, every parrot has a different personality and disposition. You shouldn't keep a bird-even a breed that is known to talk-assuming it will talk
Step 2. Take care of your speech
Some parrots need a little practice to be able to talk (there are even some birds that need no practice at all). Sometimes, parrots will also remember and repeat words or phrases which, of course, is not a good thing to repeat over and over again.
Sayings or utterances of joy or excitement-like the things you scream when you watch a sporting event on television-are often easily remembered by parrots. Plus, parrots also listen more often than you might think. Therefore, be careful what you say when you are around him
Step 3. Start training when he is young and stay calm
Parrots also talk to the flock and it will be easier for you to become "part" of the flock when they are very young. Therefore, the training given is likely to be more successful if it is given from a young age.
- Use a clear voice in a calm, happy tone to repeat simple words or phrases as the practice begins. Just imagine when you want to teach children to say the word “Mother”.
- At the start of the process, reward him if he manages to produce any sound. Also reward him if he makes a more or less accurate sound and, of course, when he gets it right.
Step 4. Keep repeating the exercise process
Repetition is an important element in training parrots to talk. In other words, the more often you say the desired word or phrase to her, the more likely she is to remember the word and repeat it herself.
- Train him as often as possible. Even if you feel bored or tired, the parrot will not feel bored chatting with members of the flock.
- Based on expert advice, try recording your voice as you say the word or phrase you want, then playing it over and over so your bird can hear it. However, this method certainly reduces the personal interaction between you and the parrot.
Tips
- Be patient.
- Show slow, calm gestures or movements when you're around him.
- As much as possible do so that there are no disturbances in the practice area.
- While it can be an effective reward, give it as much healthful food as possible. For example, banana chips can be a good type of food to give to birds.
- The use of a clicker device can help the training process.
