Birds are the most amazing pets you can have in your home. Usually, most bird owners are scared of having their birds embarrass them with their droppings or even spend more time cleaning up their mess. So, this raises questions like, “Can your bird be potty trained?” “How do you train a bird to poop in one place?” Continue reading this post until the end to find answers to your questions.
Yes, birds can be potty trained, meaning they will learn to poop in a specific place rather than having their droppings everywhere in the cage. However, potty training a bird calls for commitment, consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience to get all your instructions right.
Besides, the selection of your bird is also vital when you want to potty train. If you do not want to spend more time potty training your bird, try raising a younger bird than an older one. Usually, younger birds are new and ready to learn quickly, as they have never been given instructions.
Similarly, some birds relieve themselves more often, like parakeets, while others, like parrots, can hold for a while. This property should not limit you from raising the type of bird you want. However, you should prepare enough to give instructions more often, like “go poop” or “use your potty”, until your bird masters them. Be patient enough with your bird, as it may take a while before it masters the command.
How Do You Potty Train a Bird?
Potty training a bird is easy, as they take a short time to master your instructions. However, you can follow these seven steps to potty train your bird:
1. Pay Attention to Your Bird’s Natural Behavior
If you want to potty train your bird, you have to observe its natural behavior, such as the number of times it relieves itself in a day, how it behaves when it relieves itself, and where it likes to release its droppings.
2. Select a Suitable Command
Birds are pets that you can give commands to, and they quickly follow. However, select a short command to avoid complicating the training process. You can use words like “go poop,” “go potty,” “it’s time,” etc. Nevertheless, you should use these commands on your bird when it wants to relieve itself, like when it squats, flicks its tail up, etc.
3. Design a Potty Spot
You can design a potty spot your bird can easily access without straining. Mostly, you can use simple materials to create a potty, like newspapers, waste buckets, paper towels, etc.
4. Put Your Bird in the Potty Spot Once You Notice Its Behavior
You can quickly move your bird to a potty spot you designed when it shows the desire to relieve itself. Be gentle as you move it.
5. Make Your Command as It Defecates
Saying your command will make your bird relate to what it is doing and where it is supposed to be doing it. Always be gentle while saying your command to avoid stressing the bird out.
6. Reward It Once It Masters the Behavior
Just like humans, birds are always rewarded when they do something great. You can offer their favorite treat; the food is usually the trick. This will make the bird be on its best behavior to impress you and get rewards.
7. Repeat the Training Process Until Your Bird Masters It Completely
It is essential to take your bird to the potty spot as often as possible while saying the command until it can do all that by itself. Be consistent and patient while doing this training. Besides, avoid hitting your bird when it fails to follow the instructions.
What Kind of Birds Can Be Potty Trained?
Below is a list of seven pet birds that can be potty trained:
1. Parrots.
2. Parakeets.
3. Cockatiel.
4. Lovebirds.
5. Finches.
6. Domestic Canary.
7. Hyacinth Macaw.
Is It Hard to Potty Train a Bird?
No, it is not hard to potty train a bird. All you need is the correct procedure for potty training your bird, commitment, consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience. This will help your bird quickly master the process within a few days.
How Do I Make Sure My Bird Doesn’t Poop Everywhere?
If you want to ensure your bird doesn’t poop everywhere, consider potty training it for a while by picking a command, selecting a potty spot, and consistently moving it to the potty area when it feels like relieving itself.
Are Bird Diapers a Thing?
Bird diapers are made of high-quality waterproof fabric, soft, skin-friendly and durable materials. Usually, it is safe for birds to use, especially when they are out of their cages. This saves you the embarrassment of having their poop everywhere around you.
Can a Cockatiel Be Potty Trained
Yes, cockatiels can be potty trained. It is the easiest bird to potty train, as it masters instructions very quickly as long as you use the proper potty-training procedure.
Can Doves Be Potty Trained
Yes, doves can also be potty trained like any other bird. However, it may take a while before it masters it, but eventually, it will know when to use its potty.
Can Budgies Be Potty Trained
Budgies are one of the best birds to raise, as they can easily be potty trained to save you the embarrassment of having their poop everywhere around your home. However, you should note that budgies relieve themselves more often compared to parrots. Therefore, this calls for more consistency and patience as you potty train them.
Can You Potty Train a Lovebird
Yes, you can potty train a lovebird. You must equip yourself with the proper training technique and unified command and spend more time with it to master its behavior.
Can Crows Be Potty Trained
Crows can be potty trained, as they are the most intelligent species in the avian category. This means it will take a short time before it masters the process.
Can You Potty Train an African Grey Parrot?
You can potty train an African Grey Parrot without straining. This is because this type of parrot does not relieve itself more often than budgies. Therefore, having the best training policy will make your work easier.