Reverse potty trained? Help O.o

[LivingFiction]

My Cape parrot is very considerate when it comes to her bathroom practices, well, that is to say, she's very considerate of HER space!

Gracie has never gone potty in her cage. Not once.

She has, however happily done her business just about everywhere and on everyone else!

My Greenwing macaw, Feo, was exactly the opposite. He went in his cage and only in his cage.

I am kind of at a loss here. I hoped she'd at least get a sense as she got older not to poop on people when she's sitting on them, but so far she hasn't.

She's about 10 months old, am I expecting too much? Thoughts, suggestions?

[pennyandrocky]

my penny loves to sit on peoples shoulders so whenever he went potty on me i kicked him off didn't take him long to figure out if he pooped on me or anyone else he lost his favorite perch,it's been about a year since he's done it.

[LivingFiction]

That's the current people pooping issue approach, and it's lessened.

But it's becoming an area of contention around the house. Poop in the window sill, on the couch, the chair, the coffee table. My wife is getting pretty bugged, and I don't want Gracie to be a source of conflict or frustration.

Should I scold her if I catch her going somewhere she shouldn't? What is the best way to reward her when she goes where she should? I've heard treats are bad, as it may prompt her to poop more in an attempt to get treats.

[pennyandrocky]

scolding is just attention to them, if you watch them you'll see they tend to shake their tailfeathers before potty when you see this try to place them where you want them to go then when they go pick them up or praise them they'll catch on. penny has a basket with a plastic dish for easy cleaning he goes in.

[livingwaters]

From what I've noticed in my parrots they don't like pooping on their perch.
When I first got my CAG I didn't know much about parrots or training but whenever she seemed like she was going to do it I'd try to get her unto a newspaper so I guess she learned from that.
Nowadays following Michael's advice I just know a little before she has to go (I time it by feeling more than by clock but the principle stays) and put her on her perch, where she stays until she goes.
She soon realized if she wanted to come back and be with me (and she always does) she has to go so she does.

Again, like Michael mentioned in his article, the best reward is praise and getting back to what she was doing before (playing, perching, whichever).
I hardly think scolding will do you any good.

[Shelby]

You should check out Michael's potty training article. It will help you eliminate not only pooping on people, but undesired places as well, such as counters and furniture.

[marie83]

I should think a treat reward would be fine and not make the bird poop more. Have you ever tried to force out something that isn't ready to come out? lol.
I would say there was more danger of your bird holding it in until it can reach a spot it is allowed to poop in which I'm sure if done frequently isn't very good for them at all, just like it wouldn't be for people.

Of course they do have different a different anatomy so what applies for us may not apply for them, what I do know is the urates need to be got rid of frequently (which is part of the reason birds poop so much, the other being type of food consumed)and some species are only designed to hold their poop overnight because their body adapts to be able to do so. Most people need to ''go'' several times during the day but can easily hold their bladder all night.

The latter theory, and it is only a theory cuz I've only heard peoples ideas for and against, Ive never seen any evidence, is what puts me off toilet training although a bird that got desperate would probably just go anyway.... and that said I wouldn't allow a dog or cat to poo where the hell it liked, but on the other hand they aren't designed to poop so often.

Anyhow I'm waaaaay off track now. My point was I think you will be fine to offer food rewards

[Shelby]

I would say there was more danger of your bird holding it in until it can reach a spot it is allowed to poop in which I'm sure if done frequently isn't very good for them at all, just like it wouldn't be for people.

I think part of potty training is learning to recognize when the animal has a need to "go" and use that need for training. It shouldn't be about making the animal hold it, you should be teaching where it's acceptable for them to do their business whenever they need to. If you think about it that way, potty training a bird is not much different from potty training a dog or cat -- except birds can use many more unacceptable places as a toilet than pedestrian animals.

[marie83]

I did make reference to cat and dogs. It may just be the on command part thats the issue with the holding it in, some birds wait to be told it's ok to ''go'' from what I've read (long time ago). Also an issue for clipped birds if the owner isn't paying attention to be taken to their spot. Also said that a desperate animal will probably relieve itself anyway before too long.

As stated in my post, its all theories, I've never seen evidence either way but obviously holding for long periods of time apart from when they are designed to will never be a good thing for any animal but particually one that is designed to poop every 10-30 minutes.