# Potty Trainging Fun!!



## screamingeagle

Yep, it's been debated back and forth. Can a bird (or specifically a pigeon) be potty trained? Now I've been trying for a few weeks to potty train Spirit, with some success. I scold him when I see him poop anywhere BUT in his cage, and when he's in his cage and poops, I praise him and give him a treat. If you can easily handle your pigeon, it will be MUCH easier for you! I can't touch Spirit, so I can't pet and love him as a reward. Sometimes when I'm in the room, he'll fly to his cage and poop, just to get a treat. (Hey, he's got the general idea, LOL!) I found lots of info online about potty-training birds. Here's what I found:

"I have been keeping pet birds for nearly 30 years, and I have potty trained several birds with the praise, and scold method that can be stressful to the bird. 
However, I wanted to potty train "Buddy" a peach faced lovebird I bought in September, and I accidentally stumbled onto another extremely easy method of potty training birds that is a walk in the park with almost immediate results! Best of all, this method is virtually stress free for the owner, and the pet bird! I find it incredible this technique was not discovered long before this. 
Step 1: Wait until the bird is acclimated to his new surroundings, and at ease with you the owner. 
Step 2: set up a perch or T stand over a magazine, newspaper, or plastic garbage bag to catch the droppings. 
When you first bring the bird out of the cage for a play session, sit him on this perch and give the command "go potty", or any command you like. If the bird climbs down from the perch or T stand, pick him up and return him to the perch, and give the command again. After the bird relieves himself, praise him, and pick him up for some play time. 
Notice the time, and return the bird to the perch in 10 minutes with the command. When the bird relieves himself again praise him again. Keep the 10 minute intervals up with positive re-enforcement, and in time the bird will be conditioned to relieve himself on this perch and not on you. 
An easy way to tell when the bird is conditioned is to notice the time intervals from when you perch him to when he relieves himself. By the end of the second day's play session, Buddy was relieving himself within 5-10 seconds after I set him on this perch. Obviously he didn't want this perch time to cut into his play time. 
After the bird is conditioned to relieve himself on the perch and not on you, start stretching the time out to 15-20 minutes between potty visits. Don't push this interval much beyond 20 minutes. It is hard on them to hold it much longer than that. 
At the end of the of the play session for the day, tear off the top sheet or two, and discard this with the droppings, no fuss no mess. 
After the bird is conditioned, there is no need to perch him. Just hold him over the area and give him the command. After he relieves himself praise him, and start having him relieve himself in different areas like over a waste basket, over a scrap piece of paper, etc. because sometimes you may be away from the designated area. and conditioning him to go in different areas. It will be easier on both of you, because you may be on the phone and unable to return to the area every time. Just condition him to "poop on command". 
After the bird is conditioned, observe the bird's behavior closely. The bird will start acting antsy when he needs to relieve himself, and he will send you a signal of some kind. It's your responsibility to detect this signal, and provide the bird a place to relieve himself. Over time, the bird will link this activity to let you know he needs to go. 
Buddy's signal is that he turns in circles when he needs to relieve himself. Scampy (my lutino cockatiel) lowers and raises his tail feathers as a signal when he needs to relieve himself. 
Now there will be accidents from time to time, so don't scold the bird. Provide him an opportunity to relieve himself, and you will love your feathered friend more than you already do! 
In the last 9 days, Buddy has only had one accident. This is far better than the multiple bombs I used to have in one hour of play time before I potty trained him! "

Obviously, some of us can't use THAT methood since our birds aren't that tame, but maybe it will inspire you not to give up, and to keep trying dfferent ways. After all, if cats, dogs, pigs, horses, rats and rabbits can all be potty-trained, why not birds??


So I thought, maybe some other people on here could try to potty train their pigeons, and see what happens?? Whose bird will be the first to be potty-trained??

Let me know what you think!

Suzanne


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## maryco

I think that is very interesting.. Thanks!

Mary


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## mike_m453

Im not sure about pigeons but parrots sure can be potty trained.Maybe its possible im not sure but if it is I bet it would be through rewarding youre pigeon whenever it goes where you intend it to.


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## wovenwoman

Sigh, I thought I was done with the Potty Training stage. Guess I better bring the chair back up from the basement.


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## screamingeagle

Lol, I imagine kids would be the worest to potty train! At least pigeon poop isn't too messy!

I kinda have to get them potty-trained. My husband complains everyday that they are ruining the furniture, which they aren't, but he doesn't believe me that it washes right off.

I have a feeling though, that it will be a few months before they are completely potty-trained!

Suzanne


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## Lunababoona

Voice command potty training is very bad for your bird, this in theory would work if your home all the time. However when you teach a bird to poo on command it will hold it in until you give the verbal command. This results in birds holding it in when your not home or until you give the command causing extreme health dangers and deathly constipation. The same basics of this training work however cut out the voice commands. Choose a spot for your birds potty. The trash can with a perch attached, or a perch with newspaper underneath and set them on it. Wait until they poop, give them a treat but do not give a voice command. If they fly away, replace them on the perch and wait for them to poop then give a treat. They will learn to understand this is a designated potty place by repitition and positive reinforcement. So if your bird is with you at home they will fly to the spot to poop by themselves when they need to relive themselves. First time they do so give them a special treat and lots of love. Repeat process until it is solidified. Never ever voice command potty train your bird that is always going to lead to intestinal problems. If training is going bad, use a newspaper perch and let the poop pile up. If the bird poops anywhere other then the perch move the poop to the perch and show your bird and place them on the perch till they poop then give positive reinforcement by treats or congrats. Repitition is everything. Repeat repeat repeat repeat. Day by day by day by day until they got it.


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## cwebster

Have you considered pigeon diapers?


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