Potty Training

[BridgetTracy]

I'm not sure if this is in the right category. In getting my green cheek conure soon, and he will be free flighted. After I have had him for a while and he is comfortable with me, I want to potty train him. The way I want to have him do it is by flying to his perch whenever he needs to go and then flying back to me. All without me telling him to. Is that possible? And how would i teach that? Thanks!

[Michael]

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1758

[BridgetTracy]

Thanks, Micheal!

[Pajarita]

I do NOT recommend potty training for birds. Their metabolism is too fast for it and it has negative physical consequences for them.

[Michael]

Oh yeah? If they can hold it all night, what's wrong with holding it an extra few minutes?

[BridgetTracy]

I do NOT recommend potty training for birds. Their metabolism is too fast for it and it has negative physical consequences for them.

As I mentioned , the way I would train him would to be where he wouldn't have to hold it. Whenever he wants, he can go. Just in a specific place.

[Wolf]

birds can be funny creatures especially when it comes to pooping. If they are trained to go to a specific place to poop then they will often hold it in if they can't get to this spot. This is something to consider.

[Pajarita]

Oh yeah? If they can hold it all night, what's wrong with holding it an extra few minutes?

A sleeping state is different from a waking state, Michael. I don't know if it is the same with birds but I would assume it is as with people. Humans produce a urine-suppression hormone when asleep so they can 'hold it' all night long but they don't produce it during the 'awake' time. Children can start holding it all night when they are VERY young but, if they hold it during the day, they end up with physical problems (I have a grandson that had this problem). And then there is the case of the bird that ended up with prolapse from been potty trained (there is thread here somewhere about it).

The point is that anything that is so very unnatural needs to be considered very carefully. A little poop never hurt anybody but making the bird hold it might so, personally, I would much rather deal with an extra bit of cleaning that risking their health.

[Cage Cleaner]

http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1758

Yes, it is possible. They pick it up very quickly. I used Michael's thread right there to potty train mine, with some personalization. She actually will automatically go potty before I pick her up from her play stand now.