Self trained parrot

[RavensGryf]

All I can say is thank goodness Griffin my Ruppell's Parrot has potty trained himself to only go in certain areas. I noticed this trait about him early on...

Even without any training from me, Griffin has always known not to poop on me or the furniture, as if it's common sense for him somehow lol. He'll hold it as long as he could, then fly away to his or Raven's cage door and poop from there. Tonight he sat on the bed for a while, then all of a sudden flew to Raven's cage door and did a huge and very wet poop (not diarrhea, but lots of urine in it). Whew!

When I have a "bridge" up between his and Raven's cages, I noticed he'd poop while he's on there, on his way back home from Raven's. Then in his cage, although he's not highly particular, there is an area where the majority of the poop is. He has a seagrass hammock which he lounges in a lot, and will never poop on it.

Robin on the other hand, my older Poicephalus, knows what poop means, and will do it on command, he knows it means he can come cuddle if he goes. But if I forget to take him back in about 20 minutes, he has no problem 'going' wherever he is.

Anyone else have a bird who potty trained themselves? Seems I've heard of this before.

 

[Doublete]

I wouldn't call Loki potty trained but usually when I take him out I can say go poop and he will poop fairly quickly, then I have a few minutes before he needs to go again.

I think it's a cleanliness thing. Who knows.

Chiqui doesn't poop on me but certainly doesn't care where she goes. She's also not a shoulder bird. Although I'm beginning to think after a year of being with me and zero biting incidents maybe I should cut the girl some slack.

 

[Weezerj]

Loki is getting there. When I pick him up we say "poop" and he usually goes then. If I forget, I can get bombed.

 

[Mimsy01]

Foo completely potty trained herself. She goes in her cage and if out and about she flies to her play gym and poops off the side of it, which I toss a throw rug to catch. She never goes on us, hasn't since I got her.

I guess I thought all parrots were considerate like that. Now Ellie, she just seems to go where ever without thought. Hopefully we can train her at least a little.

Griffin is super gorgeous! Great picture.

 

[RavensGryf]

Interesting how they're all so different, but we always hope to get a "considerate" parrot lol. Raven my Pionus, I believe knows what "poop" means, since he's very smart and has been trained to know what it means, however, he still goes on us... on purpose.

Thanks Kristine. He also has yellow/orange ankles, but he's sitting down .

 

[Allee]

Fantastic photo of your handsome boy, Julie!

Harry is potty trained, she will fly to a cage door to poop on paper I put down for her. She never poops on her things, her cage is easy to clean, if she poops somewhere she shouldn't she warns me by saying, pee pee poo poo, before she does, when she does that, it's with wicked intent. She didn't train herself but she was easy to train. Poppy was harder to train but she finally got it, she doesn't make many mistakes. She poops on a newspaper on the floor too. Sammy and Sweet Pea could care less where the poop lands.

 

[RavensGryf]

Allee, I think your Harry is one of the very smartest parrots I've ever heard of. Not to mention funny! We sure can't underestimate those Quakers!

 

[plumsmum2005]

When Plum is out of his cage having cuddles on the sofa he will say he wants 'go 'bubbyes' (cage) or fly onto the carpet and poop instead of on me (bless him).
Then he comes over to try and help me clear up by wiping his beak on the carpet close by as I am cleaning up. Definitely a work in progress, but honestly I don't make a big deal of it. It's part and parcel of owning a parrot IMHO.

Reading Psittaciformes post has reminded that Plum will if out on top of his cage playing will hang his tail end over and poop and he does this everytime. The only conclusion I can come to is he likes the "splat" noise. ????

 

[Psittaciformes]

Smart guy!
Kiwiberry didn't really have any specific areas to poop from, but she'd usually pout her butt over the edge if she's on the dresser, desk or wherever it may be.
She did poop on me a few times in the beginning but then she stopped, which I really appreciated lol.
She was self taught as well.

 

[RavensGryf]

When Plum is out of his cage having cuddles on the sofa he will say he wants 'go 'bubbyes' (cage) or fly onto the carpet and poop instead of on me (bless him).
Then he comes over to try and help me clear up by wiping his beak on the carpet close by as I am cleaning up. Definitely a work in progress, but honestly I don't make a big deal of it. It's part and parcel of owning a parrot IMHO.

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Plum made me laugh. Says bubbyes and "helps" you clean haha!

For as many years as I've owned parrots of various types and sizes, I can tell you I've never 'gotten used to' bird poop on me or in the 'wrong' place lol. Of course I deal with it, but I hate it probably more than most bird people . Just one of my idiosyncrasies I guess.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Thanks Julie, I honestly don't worry too much re being pooped on but goodness knows what callers to the house think if I've forgotten about it and have huge poop stains down my back? Have thought from time to time that I ought to buy some camouflage outfits. What do you think? Sexy or what?

 

[RavensGryf]

Here's a solution... BBPC4 Shoulder Cape by Big Bird Products Jungle - BIRD THINGS FOR HUMANS Then again, maybe the poop isn't that bad afterall .

 

[plumsmum2005]

Yes, definitely think you're right with that one LOL

 

[Scott]

Most my birds are happy to go as is, where is!! The primary exception is my Goffin Squeaky, who generally just flies off my shoulder to relieve himself.

Thankfully bird poo is largely odorless, so I don't find it nearly as offensive as a mammal dropping. I have an entire wardrobe of cast off clothing worn around my house as "bird shirts and shorts." Boxes of tissues are strategically placed around for easy cleanup of the "splats" that reach the floor.

 

[RavensGryf]

That's a good idea Scott. Wear certain poop stained clothing around the house

 

[Moose]

I hope I get an easy one to train. So much easier if they get it. Lucky you!

 

[RavensGryf]

I hope I get an easy one to train. So much easier if they get it. Lucky you!

It was more than 'easy'... I didn't have to do ANYTHING! "Self-trained" . That's the best lol. As you can see from the responses, sometimes they come that way, hope you get lucky too!

 

[Anansi]

Jolly came to me perfectly potty trained (thanks, Laura). He would always fly off of me and go to the closest tree stand to do his business.

But now that our bonding has reached a far deeper level, I've noticed that he's far more hesitant to fly away from me if we're just chilling and watching tv. It's still relatively uncommon that he'll have an accident, but occasionally I'll look at him just in time to see the look on his face when he decides he'd rather just drop it right there rather than fly back to the stand!

Unbelievable! And I really mean it! You actually see the look on his face when he makes the decision! Lil' bugger! But for the mist part, he's really good about it.

Maya refuses to fly, and HATES to come off of me, so she'll just hold it for an hour or so. If I forget to take her to a stand, she'll just decorate my shirt with it. No warning. No telltale sign. And certainly no remorse. Sigh...