Devon Tarrant
Checking out the neighborhood
- Joined
- 3/21/19
- Messages
- 2
- Real Name
- Devon
Hey all! We have a lil’ White Bellied Caique named Rickie
He’s nearly a year old, we have had him for about 7 months... anyways, when we got him I jumped on what I felt was a smart method of potty training for both us and the birb.
Basically, with alot of work & patience he goes potty on command. BUT WAIT!!!
After tons of reinforcement of the habit. Rickie does not ‘hold’ his poops until he is commanded but rather, each time I open the cage when he wants to come out, I tell him “go potty”. If he goes, he comes out! If he makes the motion and doesnt have anything to poop, he comes out. I don’t hold him at gunpoint forcing him to strain.
Every 20-30 minutes if we are still out playing or cuddling or whatever i’ll take him back, put him inside and repeat.
This keeps him from ever having accidents which is great.
Now i’ve read a million posts about how birds will hold it in until given the command but this is NOT the case. If he’s in his cage for long periods he still goes whenever he pleases.. so he’s not getting sick by holding it in. He will go anywhere outside his cage as well if I leave him long enough he isnt trained to ONLY go in his cage.
Curious of all your thoughts! I think we have the perfect system that allows him free will to go whenever/wherever, but also he will go on command before coming out so we dont get surprises
He’s nearly a year old, we have had him for about 7 months... anyways, when we got him I jumped on what I felt was a smart method of potty training for both us and the birb.
Basically, with alot of work & patience he goes potty on command. BUT WAIT!!!
After tons of reinforcement of the habit. Rickie does not ‘hold’ his poops until he is commanded but rather, each time I open the cage when he wants to come out, I tell him “go potty”. If he goes, he comes out! If he makes the motion and doesnt have anything to poop, he comes out. I don’t hold him at gunpoint forcing him to strain.
Every 20-30 minutes if we are still out playing or cuddling or whatever i’ll take him back, put him inside and repeat.
This keeps him from ever having accidents which is great.
Now i’ve read a million posts about how birds will hold it in until given the command but this is NOT the case. If he’s in his cage for long periods he still goes whenever he pleases.. so he’s not getting sick by holding it in. He will go anywhere outside his cage as well if I leave him long enough he isnt trained to ONLY go in his cage.
Curious of all your thoughts! I think we have the perfect system that allows him free will to go whenever/wherever, but also he will go on command before coming out so we dont get surprises