How to Train a Parrot

Jenny Drummey: Hi,my name is Jenny Drummey. I am a volunteer for Phoenix Landing and today we are going to talk about training of parrots. In this series of clips, we will talk about terminology of training and how parrots learn. Parrots are unique individual learners and I am hoping that a lot of the tips we have will allow you to understand that. We are going to show you how to successfully start a training session. There is a lot of things you can do before you even bring the bird in the room that can get it set up for success. We are going to show you how to teach a bird to target to an object which can be helpful to get you to show it where you want it to go. We are going to show you how to teach a bird to turn around on a perch, do a little 360. We are also going to show you how to teach your bird to raise both wings like a big old eagle and how to step up on a scale so you can get weight which is very important for bird's health. And finally, we are going to tell you how to end the training session successfully and the things that you should look for when you are done working with your bird.

The materials you will need for training a bird are really varied and they depend on what it is that you want to train. They can be very simple household objects. For example, in our training today, we are going to use a straw for targeting, we will use some poker chips to have to teach Lady Scarlett (ph) how to drop some chips into a bowl. We also have a T-stand perch, the simple training perch you can make one at home ,you could use the back of a chair. It really doesnt matter; you can even train your bird from their cage and use a chopstick or anything as long as the material is safe, and you can desensitize your bird to it safely. The possibilities are really endless A few words about safety when working with your bird. A successful training session is always going to be one in which your bird feel safe and secure. I would say take your phone off the hook for five minutes, have your children go outside and play, put the dog and cat away, dont have boiling water on the stove, don't be expecting some person to come up to your door. Set aside some time thats just you and your bird's time, so you bird can feel safe and not being distracted.

Be sure to work with materials that are safe for your parrot and be sure to be respectful of their body language and watch what they tell you. If they look uncomfortable, and they are leaning back or their feathers are slipped back or they are gripping the perch or they seem nervous, you can take a setback and you can end the session or back off just a little bit. Remember, the whole thing is for your bird to learn to trust you and watching body language is key to that.

I have been talking and working with parrots and people for five years through Phoenix Landing. Phoenix Landing is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping parrots. We serve seven states, multiple regions and we help birds in every way that we can through their adoption, education, helping with conservation efforts, supporting facts and research but what we are really about training and having all parrots live successful lives and keep the homes that they have. We offer classes every month and we have huge education program. We have homed over 1300 birds, found new homes for them. Okay, I think we are ready to begin. Lets get started training your parrot.

Bye-bye!