How to Teach Parrot Tricks – Turning Around
- Image by Derrick Coetzee via Flickr
Parrot tricks are a bit like riding a bike.
Do you remember the days when you learnt to ride a bike? It was a matter of a few skinned knees and elbows, a bump on the head and many tears of frustration. Well training a parrot to do tricks can be a little bit the same. Some days I am not sure who is worse off the bird or the parrot owner who ends up with a few nips. But when our feathered friend knows a few tricks they are much more content because they can occupy themselves when on their own.
That is not to say that as parrot owners, we do not enjoy a laugh or two at their expense. Parrots are such fun and don’t they just love the attention when we are interacting with them and they are the centre of attention!
So how do we start training them?
Back to riding the bike! We learned to ride the bike through repetition and so it is with teaching parrots tricks. It is a matter of doing the trick over and over again, with rewards as they achieve results. Repetition also means doing it several times a day. A few short sessions a day works better than trying to get the parrot to spend half an hour trying to master a new trick.
But, it is not just repetition that is the answer although that is needed for the best results, because parrots also like to be wooed. They will want to hear you telling them how wonderful they are and they will want to hear it in a nice soothing voice, but loud and clear. If you find that either the parrot or you are getting annoyed and edgy then it is best to stop the training.
Any harsh words or yelling at the parrot will have a very negative effect, even to the point that further training will be a disaster. Parrots are very intelligent and very sensitive to atmosphere so if the training is not going well, walk away until a later time when both of you are ready.
Your bargaining power.
Initially the treats are going to be what gets the results but as the parrot learns to do the tricks and he receives your positive verbal attention he will respond to that well. Eventually the treats won’t be needed as an incentive.
Consistency.
The key to a parrot learning several tricks is consistency. By having the mindset to teach the parrot every day for a few minutes the parrot will begin to look forward to the attention and this will make the teaching of tricks so much easier.
Teach your parrot to turn around.
This trick can be done on a perch or on the floor. With some food in your hand hold it to the right of the bird so that he can see it. As he turns around to take the food keep moving it behind him in a circle. When he follows it around give him a treat. Eventually you will be able to get him to turn right around in a full circle.
This is a simple trick and one that can be taught quite easily. Once he has got that trick mastered, move on to the next one. Teaching only one trick at a time is best for the parrot so that he does not get confused.
Signs To Look For With A Sick Parrot
Parrots are incredibly friendly, intuitive birds. Man has always had a fascination with parrots, and many people today keep them as pets. Their amazing ability to talk and repeat phrases is what made us fall in love with them as a species, and they remain as popular as ever amongst animal lovers. But what do you do if you have a sick parrot?
Although they look like strong, powerful, colorful birds, they are actually very vulnerable to illness and infection. A simple illness can deteriorate very quickly into a serious condition if proper medical attention is not received.
If you think you have a sick parrot, if your pet is not as active as he used to be, or seems to be having difficulty moving or breathing, you should get it to a vet as soon as possible. If you can’t see a vet immediately or you need to look after you parrot for the night, here are a few tips to help you care for your bird and keep it comfortable.
- Warmth: Parrots like to be warm. Most of their energy and metabolism is used to keep their body temperature at around 104 degrees. It is essential to keep your parrot warm, to help him regulate his body temperature and conserve energy. Keep the cage away from open windows, turn the heating up, do whatever you can to help your bird stay warm.
- Fluids: When a is sick parrot will quickly and easily become dehydrated. You should make plenty of fluids available to the bird, so it can rehydrate itself. If the parrot is sick, its temperature will increase and more than likely its digestion could be affected. Your parrot may be too weak to drink enough water on its own so you may have to help it by administering fluids. Use a spoon or an eye dropper to help your parrot take water by the mouth.
- Humidity: It is also important to provide a humid environment for your sick parrot, especially if they have an illness that is affecting the respiratory system. Warm and humid conditions will help to ease your parrots breathing and clear the air passage. A humidifier would be great if you have one, if not, just running a lot of hot water can help to do the job. For signs of an illness affecting a birds breathing, listen out for clicking noises while the parrot breathes, discharge from the nostrils, or opening the mouth to breathe.
- Nutrition: It is important to offer food to your parrot as nutrition will help it to build up energy to fight off the infection. The best types of food are carbohydrates and of course, other easy to digest foods such as scrambled egg.
If your parrot will not eat or you see it regurgitating its food, do not try and force it. The bird might have sour crop and you should await medical advice.
If you have a sick parrot it should be isolated from other birds and kept in a warm quiet place to aid its recovery. Follow the advice above to give it the best chance of survival while you wait to see a vet.
