potty training

SunMommy

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Has anyone managed to potty train a conure? I would love to be able to potty train mine (when it arrives). Any tips?
 
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Tammy

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May 4, 2011
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Pennsylvania
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Orange Wing Amazon
I had my Amazon mostly potty trained. I just praised him & gave him treats every time he went where I wanted him to on his favorite household perches. Pretty soon he was holding it all night when he slept on the fan above my bed (Thank Goodness!) And then when I brought him downstairs on my hand he would go as soon as I put him on the chair back over the paper. Then I'd jump up and down & clap for him, give him a big kiss & his favorite treat.
 
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SunMommy

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I had my Amazon mostly potty trained. I just praised him & gave him treats every time he went where I wanted him to on his favorite household perches. Pretty soon he was holding it all night when he slept on the fan above my bed (Thank Goodness!) And then when I brought him downstairs on my hand he would go as soon as I put him on the chair back over the paper. Then I'd jump up and down & clap for him, give him a big kiss & his favorite treat.

I am definitely going to try my hardest to potty train my sun baby. I heard that it can take about 8 months. I figure I've managed to potty train two children, so I should be able to do this. Do you work? I do and I'm wondering if being gone a good portion of the day might be a problem for potty training. I was thinking I might train it to go in the cage and that way when I am not home, it wont be holding in the poop all day.
 

lexx510

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Mar 13, 2011
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We potty trained our GCC to go on a paper towel. As mentioned above, all it takes is reinforcement (and consistency).

Chose a spot, and take your bird there when you suspect that he or she is ready to go potty. Right before your bird goes, use a verbal command (i.e. "Go Potty"), and reinforce immediately after she goes (e.g, verbal praise, treat, etc). Do this consistently, and your bird should pick it up in no time. Once she gets the hang of it, just remember to take her every half hour or so. Learn your bird's body language, so you can predict when she needs to go.
 

lexx510

New member
Mar 13, 2011
812
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Bay Area, CA
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Pineapple Green Cheek Conure
I had my Amazon mostly potty trained. I just praised him & gave him treats every time he went where I wanted him to on his favorite household perches. Pretty soon he was holding it all night when he slept on the fan above my bed (Thank Goodness!) And then when I brought him downstairs on my hand he would go as soon as I put him on the chair back over the paper. Then I'd jump up and down & clap for him, give him a big kiss & his favorite treat.

I am definitely going to try my hardest to potty train my sun baby. I heard that it can take about 8 months. I figure I've managed to potty train two children, so I should be able to do this. Do you work? I do and I'm wondering if being gone a good portion of the day might be a problem for potty training. I was thinking I might train it to go in the cage and that way when I am not home, it wont be holding in the poop all day.

Our girl picked it up in a matter of weeks. As long as you are consistent, it shouldn't take so long. This is not to say that she will go each and every time. Of course, sometimes she has the runs, gets scared and poops, or we forget to take her.
 
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SunMommy

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I had my Amazon mostly potty trained. I just praised him & gave him treats every time he went where I wanted him to on his favorite household perches. Pretty soon he was holding it all night when he slept on the fan above my bed (Thank Goodness!) And then when I brought him downstairs on my hand he would go as soon as I put him on the chair back over the paper. Then I'd jump up and down & clap for him, give him a big kiss & his favorite treat.

I am definitely going to try my hardest to potty train my sun baby. I heard that it can take about 8 months. I figure I've managed to potty train two children, so I should be able to do this. Do you work? I do and I'm wondering if being gone a good portion of the day might be a problem for potty training. I was thinking I might train it to go in the cage and that way when I am not home, it wont be holding in the poop all day.

Our girl picked it up in a matter of weeks. As long as you are consistent, it shouldn't take so long. This is not to say that she will go each and every time. Of course, sometimes she has the runs, gets scared and poops, or we forget to take her.

What does your bird do when you are not home? Does it go in the cage?
 

lene1949

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Sep 26, 2011
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Max: Alexandrine -
Skye: Yellow Sided conure -
Luka: Green Cheek Conure -
RIP Shrek: Quaker
I'm not potty training Max (alexandrine), but he never poops on me.. If he's been on me for more than an hour, I'll put him on his cage or his T-stand and he'll poop... He's been like that since I got him at 4 weeks...

I have never wanted to potty train my birds.. I think it can be dangerous (them holding it), and it's so easy to scrape off...

With Max only being 2.5 months old, I'll have to keep an eye on him, and put him somewhere, so he can poop, but I have honestly never had a bird, who wasn't more than happy just to poop on me... lol
 

Amber

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Jun 1, 2011
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What does your bird do when you are not home? Does it go in the cage?

When not home your bird should be locked in the cage where it is safe, of course (unless you are one of the lucky few who can turn a room into a cage, lol! ) :) . I assume most people teach their birds that pooping in the cage is ok, or use the same 'ok to poop on' material (say if paper towel) to line the cage or whatever.

Alex taught himself, pretty much. Because every time he pooped on me or something, I'd be putting him down and running for the baby wipes! I started praising him when I saw him going in the cage, or giving him a nut or similar, and in under a month he had it figured out. No poops anywhere but the cage or the playstand!

Worth noting I do have to carry him back to them every half hour or so, because if he gets absorbed by something (say, pulling the sequins off my bedspread) he tends to forget. We've only had one accident since I moved here last month. ;)

it is worthwhile teaching for sure.
 

antoinette

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Jul 6, 2009
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Mishka was approaching 3 months; I decided he was old enough to go onto the potty. Being stronger and more stable now, was the perfect time. A big bonus was he understood the meaning of the word “poopie”. Whenever he poopied I said Mishka poppies.
I placed the potty next to the newspaper, held him over the newspaper, then touching the
“potty”, saying the word “potty”.
After many times of relieving himself on the newspaper, he eventually walked over to the potty and began playing with it. While he continued playing with the potty, I touched the potty, now and again, repeating “poopie in potty” After two days, when nature called again; I picked him up, and gently placed him onto the potty. I was curious not knowing what he would say. I remained tight lipped. He sat there quietly, for a few seconds, and began squatting. Soon after making his little bomb, he proudly said “poopie in potty”
 

lene1949

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Sep 26, 2011
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Brisbane, Australia
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Cory: Short billed Corella -
Echo: Galah -
Max: Alexandrine -
Skye: Yellow Sided conure -
Luka: Green Cheek Conure -
RIP Shrek: Quaker
I agree with birds in the cage, when you're not at home... I read about a lot of birds having the run of the house, while the owners are out... Recipe for disaster.
 
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SunMommy

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What does your bird do when you are not home? Does it go in the cage?

When not home your bird should be locked in the cage where it is safe, of course (unless you are one of the lucky few who can turn a room into a cage, lol! ) :) . I assume most people teach their birds that pooping in the cage is ok, or use the same 'ok to poop on' material (say if paper towel) to line the cage or whatever.

Alex taught himself, pretty much. Because every time he pooped on me or something, I'd be putting him down and running for the baby wipes! I started praising him when I saw him going in the cage, or giving him a nut or similar, and in under a month he had it figured out. No poops anywhere but the cage or the playstand!

Worth noting I do have to carry him back to them every half hour or so, because if he gets absorbed by something (say, pulling the sequins off my bedspread) he tends to forget. We've only had one accident since I moved here last month. ;)

it is worthwhile teaching for sure.


I was just worried that teaching him to go in a certain place, if it wasn't in the cage, would cause him to hold his poop all day. I'm very new to this and the books i have read so far do not have very much information about potty training in them. Does anyone have any good reading material on this?
 

antoinette

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Jul 6, 2009
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Before I potty trained Mishka I used to say to him, whilst in his cage did Mishka poopie, and wait a while. I kept repeating it, now and again, eventually he responded and poopied in the cage, then said good boy.
Then went ahead with the potty training as mentioned in my above post.
When talking Mishka out the cage each time, I say did Mishka poopie? if there is luck in the cage, he then gets taken out and placed on the potty, then makes a poopie.
He has never had a problem doing his business in or out the cage.
I reckon people persist with the potty training in the incorrect way, then the bird refuses to poopie in the cage.
 
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SunMommy

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I don't plan on leaving my bird out of his cage when I am not home. Too many dangers. Sorry for the confusing question. I was wondering if birds will go in their cage if they need to when mommy and daddy are not home? It sounds like they will, so that's good. I just hope to train him not to poop all over when he's out. A potty perch or in the cage would be nice. If he never trains, at least I'll be able to say I tried.
 

antoinette

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Jul 6, 2009
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I don't plan on leaving my bird out of his cage when I am not home. Too many dangers. Sorry for the confusing question. I was wondering if birds will go in their cage if they need to when mommy and daddy are not home? It sounds like they will, so that's good. I just hope to train him not to poop all over when he's out. A potty perch or in the cage would be nice. If he never trains, at least I'll be able to say I tried.

You are a good guardian, :D by not leaving the bird out the cage when not home, I will never ever leave Mishka out on his own either.

Potty training is so easy....
I trained my sister's bird Zazo, in two days
They even shared the same potty LoL

When taking your bird out the cage, place him on a potty, say poopie, wait a few seconds, then take him off. Every 8 to 10 minutes repeat it.
Just keep on and on, each day, when he is out the cage. Eventually he may get it correct.


potty.jpg
 

lene1949

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Sep 26, 2011
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Brisbane, Australia
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Cory: Short billed Corella -
Echo: Galah -
Max: Alexandrine -
Skye: Yellow Sided conure -
Luka: Green Cheek Conure -
RIP Shrek: Quaker
Antionette... are you using a baby potty???
 
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SunMommy

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Thanks for all the great advice! It sounds like it has been pretty easy for most people. I'm hoping for the same.
 

lene1949

New member
Sep 26, 2011
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Brisbane, Australia
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Cory: Short billed Corella -
Echo: Galah -
Max: Alexandrine -
Skye: Yellow Sided conure -
Luka: Green Cheek Conure -
RIP Shrek: Quaker
lol... it's just too cute...
 

antoinette

Supporting Member
Jul 6, 2009
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Sunny South Africa !!!
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"Mishka"
Male
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lol... it's just too cute...


Invited a male friend for dinner last week, Mishka took to him immediately. Mishka sat on his lap, they were whistling to each other it was so cute. When Mishka sat on the potty, the guy just laughed and laughed, said he had never seen a bird sit on a potty...... that was cute ;)
 

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