Parrot Training
Being intelligent and active pets, parrots need various sorts of physical and mental stimulation, so parrot training is quite a complex process. Parrots are more intelligent than most other pets we keep traditionally in our homes, but can be more difficult to handle for novice pet owners. In order to train your parrot to behave in a desirable fashion, you must approach each training session with responsibility and patience. Parrots must be trained through positive reinforcement, and it is absolutely inadmissible to punish them, since they are extremely sensitive to aggression.
If you are on the point of purchasing a parrot, you must be prepared to spend a lot of time training him, since parrots are better off with frequent sessions. Like with any other pet, training parrots is impossible without establishing a strong bond between you and your pet. You cannot succeed in training without gaining your bird’s trust and respect, which is not always an easy game. Your parrot must be one-hundred-per-cent sure that you are not going to hurt him, and the training process must be something for your bird to look forward to.
When working with your bird, do not shout at him, even if he does not seem to be doing well. Do not beat your parrot under any circumstances. This will not help improve cooperation, but will turn your mutual love and respect to ashes. Rough training may result in neurotic behavior, such as feather-picking and other sorts of self-mutilation. Biting is another consequence of improper training. The best way to deal with undesirable performance is to simply ignore it and go over the trick later.
For best interaction in the future, there are two must-dos for your parrot: step-up and step-down. Stepping up means getting onto your wrist, finger or a perch on command; stepping down means getting off your wrist, finger or perch on command. Make sure your parrot feels comfortable about your arm approaching him and stop any time he shows signs of dismay. This may take a few days, so be patient. After you teach your parrot to allow you to touch and stroke him, you can start teaching him to step up. Please, do not forget to award your parrot at every step forward in the training process.
Once you have taught your bird to step up, start teaching him to step down, which is a little more difficult. Upon mastering these two basic tricks, this will be easier for your bird to get used to be held by the chest, legs and body, which will facilitate a veterinary examination.
What is particularly wonderful about parrots is their ability to talk and imitate sounds. However, not all of them talk, not even those known to be the best talkers. Please, do not be too persistent in forcing your parrot to speak. Remember, they do not start talking from little up, and they usually start talking around 1 year old. It is also very important to teach your parrot to accept his cage as a livable and attractive home. Do not keep him locked all the time and use perches and toys to keep him entertained. If you follow these simple requirements, parrot training will be one of the funniest and most exciting occupations in your life and the life of your pet bird!
