How to Toilet Train a Parrot

Last Updated: February 22, 2022 Approved

Parrots, especially bigger ones like Macaws and Cockatoos, tend to go to the bathroom quite often. With some work, you can successfully toilet train your parrot. Choose a command and set up a bathroom area. Reinforce good behavior with treats and praise. Never punish or scold your parrot. This will only stress it out.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Establishing Your Command

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Observe your bird's natural behavior. In order to potty train your bird, you need to pay attention to how it behaves right before it goes to the bathroom. You should also take note of how often it uses the bathroom. This way, you will know when to and how often to carry your bird to the bathroom area.^{[1]
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- Most parrots will squat down slightly and flick their tails up when they're ready to go to the bathroom. Watch your bird to see what precise movements it makes when it's getting ready to go.
- Also, keep track of how often your bird defecates. Parrots can defecate as often as every 15 minutes. This way, you'll know roughly how often you'll need to direct your bird to the bathroom area.
2
Choose a command. You want a command to reinforce the behavior. You want to be able to say something when you see your bird squatting that will alert it that it needs to go to the bathroom area. Pick something simple, like "Go potty" to teach your bird where to use the bathroom.^{[2]
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Create a potty spot. You should have an area in your parrot's cage where it can go to the bathroom. Most people use something like a waste basket or lay down paper towels or newspaper in a certain portion of their home. You can also use paper plates. Make sure you pick a space the bird can easily access on its own.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Reinforcing the Behavior

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Move your bird to the potty spot when he needs to go. Watch your bird when it's out of its cage. Remember the natural behaviors you noticed that indicated the bird needed to use the bathroom. If you see the bird doing things that indicates it needs to go, like squatting or flicking its tail, immediately move the bird to the bathroom area.^{[4]
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- At first, you will need to use the "step up" command to get your bird to climb on your arm or finger. Then, take your bird to the potty spot and hold it over the spot until it goes to the bathroom.^{[5]
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2
Say your command when your bird defecates. Watch your bird closely. When it defecates, say your command. This will help your bird make the connection. It will realize it's supposed to go to the bathroom in the bathroom area.^{[6]
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- Some people use commands like "Hurry up" if their bird is taking a while to relieve itself. For example, if your bird has been standing on the potty area for a while, you can say something like "Hurry up!" and reward your bird as soon as it is done going to the bathroom.
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Reward the behavior. Each time the bird goes in the bathroom spot, give it a reward. Parrots respond best to positive reinforcement. Offer a treat and praise when the bird successfully goes to the bathroom in the right spot. Choose a specific treat your parrot only gets for using the bathroom so the parrot understands what it's being rewarded for.^{[7]
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- You can also reward your bird by letting it out of the cage for a few minutes each time it goes to the bathroom in the proper spot. Then, put it back in its cage until it goes to the bathroom in the right spot again.
4
Take your bird to the potty spot as often as necessary. Watch your bird closely both inside and outside of its cage. As soon as your bird begins squatting, take it to the potty spot. Do this for a few weeks until your bird knows where to relieve itself. Always say the command and reward your bird for going in the right spot.^{[8]
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- Be patient. It can be time consuming to be moving the bird to the bathroom area every 10 to 15 minutes, but most birds will eventually learn the behavior.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Do not train a new bird too early. If you just got a parrot, it will need time to adjust to your home. Potty training, or any kind of training, can be overwhelming if done too early. Spend some time letting your bird adjust. Once your bird is calm and friendly with you, you can begin training.^{[9]
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- How long your bird needs to relax depends on the temperament of the bird. Some birds come around right away while others need a lot of time.
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Keep your expectations realistic. You cannot expect a bird to learn right away. It will take time and consistency for your parrot to be toilet trained. Even then, you can expect some occasional accidents. Keep these expectations in mind so you do not get angry or frustrated while training your parrot.^{[10]
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Do not scold or hit your parrot. Scolding or striking your parrot will not result in it learning faster. In fact, this will only stress out your bird. High levels of stress can cause behavioral problems. Even if your bird is not behaving how you want, you should never hit or scold it.^{[11]
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