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Will consistently saying 'toilet' right before my parrot poops create a bridge for doing his toilet?

dollfish

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I do not reward Astro my African grey, but I do say 'toilet!' every single time right before he poops anywhere. Is it possible to create a command in this way so that he goes poopy every time I say it?

My logic is that the relief after going to the toilet would self reward. Is this rational in any way? :p
 

tka

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It's generally not a good idea to teach a bird to poo on command as it can result in them holdng their poo for longer than they should.

It's rare that Leia poos on me. She's partly trained herself and she'll move off me if she wants the toilet, but it's also because I've got a lot better at anticipating when she's likely to need the toilet. I move her off my shoulder, knee or whatever and place her on a perch so she can poo from there. Make sure that you're offering Astro enough opportunities to poo where you want him to and praise him when he goes to the toilet there.
 

sunnysmom

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I'm not a fan of toilet training for birds. I agree with @tka that they can hold it longer than necessary and birds aren't made to "hold it" like dogs do. That said, my cockatoo is potty trained. Not by me- he's adopted. And he will go into a full blown panic if we're out somewhere and he doesn't know where to do to the bathroom. It actually makes me feel bad.
 

dollfish

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I'm not a fan of toilet training for birds. I agree with @tka that they can hold it longer than necessary and birds aren't made to "hold it" like dogs do. That said, my cockatoo is potty trained. Not by me- he's adopted. And he will go into a full blown panic if we're out somewhere and he doesn't know where to do to the bathroom. It actually makes me feel bad.
Aww that's horrible! I have heard all about holding it, I'm curious as to if I can create a not-so-strong command without conditioning him so strictly. That's why I thought calling out 'toilet' wherever he wants to go would maybe be a more free way of achieving toilet training, also without using strong reinforcers such as treats.
 

sunnysmom

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Aww that's horrible! I have heard all about holding it, I'm curious as to if I can create a not-so-strong command without conditioning him so strictly. That's why I thought calling out 'toilet' wherever he wants to go would maybe be a more free way of achieving toilet training, also without using strong reinforcers such as treats.
I think often birds will naturally go in certain spots. I think I would stay away from commands but rather maybe try watching where he does go to the bathroom and just putting newspaper down and he may just continue to use certain spots without actually being trained to do so.
 

Zara

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I agree with Tka and Michelle.

Also, I have little birds, they know Zara is not toilet. Laptop or boyfriend is toilet ;)

I've got a lot better at anticipating when she's likely to need the toilet. I move her off my shoulder, knee or whatever and place her on a perch so she can poo from there.
This is what you should focus on - reading your birds body language. Once you know what the signal for ¨I´m gonna poop¨ is, you will be able to hold your bird out and let them poop on the floor or over the sink or wherever. My little ones are flighted so fly away to poop, and if I see the signal while they are on the laptop, I try to quickly get them and let them poop on the floor (I have tiles :)
 

tka

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I don't do commands or bridges at all because I don't want to risk even unintentionally training Leia to poo on command. Parrots are smart and I don't think we have that much control over what they're *actually* learning if you use a command-that-isn't-meant-to-be-a-command. Cosmo may just get confused or treat it like a command anyway.

Instead I look for signs that she's going to poo (getting restless, shuffling and/or a squat) and develop my sense of how often she needs the toilet. When I transfer her somewhere else and she goes to the toilet, I say "thank you Leia!" - not the usual praise I give and I don't give a reward.
 

greys4u

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If Valentine is with me and she has to poop, she starts making a racket or is naughty trying to get my attention, like 'Mom I gotta go' I take her back to her cage, she poops and then plays with a toy for a bit. You never give potty commands to a bird, if the bird gets impacted, etc it might warrant a vet visit. Just let her be natural, she may have to go so bad she might fall in the toilet!
 

Khizz

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Also, I have little birds, they know Zara is not toilet. Laptop or boyfriend is toilet ;)
Ohhh my I'm SO teach this to my two at the first opportunity :laughin:Maybe husband's laptop, when he is gaming too much? :rubhands:
 

Zara

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I'm SO teach this to my two at the first opportunity :laughin:
I didn´t teach them anything... that is just where they like to go. I just don´t tell the other half when he is leaving the house with poop on his back or he gets annoyed... :innocent:

Maybe husband's laptop, when he is gaming too much? :rubhands:
:lol: I´m sure that would make his day :rofl:
 

dollfish

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How do you move your birds so quickly? Astro doesn't step up every time I ask him unless I have got a treat. Which I think is very normal? I can by his body language that he's going to go for one but the quickest thing I can usually do is to put my hands underneath him to catch the droppingos lol :roflmao:

Does stepping up eventually become so consistent that you can quickly move your bird or do you always have a treat nearby?
 

Yoshi&Raphi

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How do you move your birds so quickly? Astro doesn't step up every time I ask him unless I have got a treat. Which I think is very normal? I can by his body language that he's going to go for one but the quickest thing I can usually do is to put my hands underneath him to catch the droppingos lol :roflmao:

Does stepping up eventually become so consistent that you can quickly move your bird or do you always have a treat nearby?
I also usually catch the poop with my hands then wash it off. :lol: Sometimes you just don’t have enough time to love them back to their cage!
 

Zara

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How do you move your birds so quickly?
If they don´t step up off the laptop, then I gently push their tail around so they are now facing me and poop over the back which lands on the table rather than dribbling down my screen :)
It´s not fool proof, Syndey must be shy? because he likes to look away from me when he poops, meaning it lands on the screen, even if I push his tail, he just keep spinning round and tricks me. Poop really doesn´t bother us too much, we do share our home with birds after all, and we are blessed our birds don´t destroy wooden furniture. We are happy with poops :)
 

Nobirby

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I do not say something to get the conures to go poo, but when I first get them out of the night cage, I tell them that we are going to the potty spot, so they do not poo on me. Does not always work. :(
 

Laurie

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I am going to dare to add an alternate opinion here, which I will try to substantiate with some facts :)

I don't think having your bird understand a cue to poo is necessarily bad but it can be implemented poorly and cause problems.

First, birds do indeed hold it for hours so it is physically possible and done naturally.

A few examples:
- Hens on eggs (may only come out and poo 1-2 times per 24 hours, it will be HUGE and it will be STINKY)
- Males who are sleeping in a nest hole or nest box will hold it overnight
- All of my juvenile birds that I raise know that they get out of their cage first thing in the morning to fly. They all hold that overnight poo and let it loose when they get out.
- Since my birds are naturally cavity sleepers, I provide them with a box to sleep in year round, they all hold their poo overnight.

It is not that birds can not hold it. It is simply that flight is energy intensive and it makes sense to relieve themselves often so as not to carry the extra weight. As an avid bird watcher and photographer I can tell you that when you see a wild bird perched and he suddenly decides to poo, you better get your last look or and prepare for the in flight photo because that bird is about to fly. If you observe your parrots carefully you will see this same behavior (assuming they are flighted).

It is absolutely true that you can convince your bird to hold it too long, even to the point that they will not go in their cage. This can be from over enthusiastic potty training or from punishing them when they potty.

All that being said, if you do want to potty train the suggested method is to say the cue right as they are pottying where you want them too and then offer praise and attention, if they potty anywhere else then you simply ignore it. Once the association is made it is like a toddler, every so often you ask if they have to go (give the cue). If you cue at the intervals that are close to the interval your bird would normally potty you will likely have an arrangement you both can live with.

The key is to do things on a natural schedule, use very light reinforcement and offer no negative consequences when they naturally potty on their own.

I hope this give you a little more insight into how you can train in a way that does not interfere with the natural rhythm of your bird's system.

My own personal method embraces all of the above. With six birds I have two semi potty trained and I only cue them first thing in the morning to go on their cage paper rather than down the front of my door where they are heading when they get out.

So while I don't see a problem with it per se, I don't use it much myself currently.
 

finchly

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Mine are not potty trained. They poop right on me. My friend trained hers so I asked her how to do it.

She said: time exactly how long the bird goes between poops. At that time exactly, move them to the potty area and say the word. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Another person told me they would not poo on me if they respect me. :D

I think each species kind of acts differently, for example as @tka said about her pionus, my pi gets restless (and in fact I can get him to the other room, and onto his perch, before he goes). So maybe that’s potty trained. One of my parrotlets, the lady said she’d only go on me if she couldn’t find a place to go. Well I guess she STILL HASN’T FOUND IT. Lol holding her over, moving her to a perch cage trash can whatever doesn’t make a bit of difference.

I do a lot of laundry.
 

dollfish

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If they don´t step up off the laptop, then I gently push their tail around so they are now facing me and poop over the back which lands on the table rather than dribbling down my screen :)
It´s not fool proof, Syndey must be shy? because he likes to look away from me when he poops, meaning it lands on the screen, even if I push his tail, he just keep spinning round and tricks me. Poop really doesn´t bother us too much, we do share our home with birds after all, and we are blessed our birds don´t destroy wooden furniture. We are happy with poops :)
True. I mean I don't mind so much, except for when Astro poops and then accidently steps on it waddling backwards and giving himself coccidiosis or something.
 
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