Senegal refusing to poop in cage?

Mayden · Jul 31, 2011

Hey all, the titles pretty self explanatory.

Merlin pretty much outright refuses to poop in his cage. He kinda squeels and runs around wanting to be let out, so we do when he calms down, he flies to us, goes on my desk then poos...

Then he gets put away again as we're trying to encourage him to poop in the cage rather than out, but it just doesn't seem to be working.

Any suggestions as to why he'll refuse to poop in the cage, or any tips on how to get him to use his cage? We don't mind the occasional poop outside... but holding it in till he's out, that's whats worrying me!

parrottoys · Jul 31, 2011

The best you can do is to find a way to make using the cage rewarding to Merlin. Take him to a perch or leave him on your hand it until he is ready to poop. You may have to stand there a while. Birds tend to go roughly every twenty minutes or so. Not a hard and fast rule. When you see he is getting into position, get ready to praise him and give him a reward, which could be a morsel of food or a toy or whatever Merlin finds rewarding. Use a word as you see him getting into position. I use 'drop' for Mattie and 'go to bathroom' for Chiahna. When Merlin actually poops praise him with a 'good birdie' or 'good boy' or something you already use to acknowledge a wanted behavior, make a celebration as well as handing him the treat. Parrots love drama. As he gets the idea, and he will get it pretty quickly, he can be moved to the cage with the door open and the 'word' used. He doesn't have to be on a perch, he can be on your hand. Once again when he performs hoot and holler and give him his treat immediately. The timing of giving the treat is very important. Don't delay, the behavior and immediately the reward. Eventually you will put him on his perch in the cage and do the same thing. He will get the idea. He will see there is a reward in it for him to poop in there. Eventually he will not need to be rewarded each time. You can offer praise and celebration, but even that will fade in time.

Small approximations or steps will produce the desired result. He will associate the action of pooping with a reward and praise. Hey, who doesn't like that idea?

There is another important part of this equation. Do you know why or how this not wanting to poop in his cage began? We could do a behavioral analysis and figure it out in order to change that unwanted behavior into a wanted behavior. Or you could just start with the training. You must be consistent... if you aren't it won't work, and you must do this over time... not in a day or two. Ask him to poop every twenty minutes or so when he is out with you. He's not stupid, he will get it. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Mayden · Jul 31, 2011

parrottoys said:
The best you can do is to find a way to make using the cage rewarding to Merlin. Take him to a perch or leave him on your hand it until he is ready to poop. You may have to stand there a while. Birds tend to go roughly every twenty minutes or so. Not a hard and fast rule. When you see he is getting into position, get ready to praise him and give him a reward, which could be a morsel of food or a toy or whatever Merlin finds rewarding. Use a word as you see him getting into position. I use 'drop' for Mattie and 'go to bathroom' for Chiahna. When Merlin actually poops praise him with a 'good birdie' or 'good boy' or something you already use to acknowledge a wanted behavior, make a celebration as well as handing him the treat. Parrots love drama. As he gets the idea, and he will get it pretty quickly, he can be moved to the cage with the door open and the 'word' used. He doesn't have to be on a perch, he can be on your hand. Once again when he performs hoot and holler and give him his treat immediately. The timing of giving the treat is very important. Don't delay, the behavior and immediately the reward. Eventually you will put him on his perch in the cage and do the same thing. He will get the idea. He will see there is a reward in it for him to poop in there. Eventually he will not need to be rewarded each time. You can offer praise and celebration, but even that will fade in time.

Small approximations or steps will produce the desired result. He will associate the action of pooping with a reward and praise. Hey, who doesn't like that idea?

There is another important part of this equation. Do you know why or how this not wanting to poop in his cage began? We could do a behavioral analysis and figure it out in order to change that unwanted behavior into a wanted behavior. Or you could just start with the training. You must be consistent... if you aren't it won't work, and you must do this over time... not in a day or two. Ask him to poop every twenty minutes or so when he is out with you. He's not stupid, he will get it. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Hey thanks for that, I have no idea why he's so reluctant to poop in his cage, he has done it before but it's quite rare...

One of the problems we have is that if his cage is open, then he will NOT stay on my hand or a perch, he has to be close to my body, (or whoevers). He's a really clingy bird and so it'd be difficult, without pretty much being in the cage myself to hold him in his cage. He doesn't eat treats either,he just responds to lots of praise and cuddles etc.

I will however try every 20 mins or so (especially after food) to 'go poop!' whilst holding him in the cage. I guess we'll see how this goes.

Pretty much no droppings in his cage... a terribly clean but dirty bird!

suebee · Jul 31, 2011

ask before you let him out!

start with for now as i don't know if merlin knows what the word poop is, so when he poops on the desk, say poop! he will associate that word with poopin lol but only say it as soon as he has done it an you are there

then next time when his askin to come out, say poop!

take it from there an good luck lol

Abzeez · Jul 31, 2011

Maybe put a mini litterbox, without the litter, in his cage. Teach him to poo in that. Start it on your desk and then work on getting it in the cage. Everyone would be so jealous!

mtdoramike · Jul 31, 2011

Well he sounds like a picky poop to me. hahahahahahaha

Senegal refusing to poop in cage?

Mayden

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parrottoys

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Mayden

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suebee

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Abzeez

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mtdoramike

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