# Potty training?



## skuiper (Mar 6, 2014)

Has anybody had any luck 'potty training' their bird? If so what method did you use?


----------



## Eyezik (Aug 12, 2014)

I've never actually attempted any serious potty training with Mo because I'm afraid he will feel as if he can only poop in a certain spot which will cause him to hold it until he's there and eventually get sick. (I know that probably sounds ridiculous...) Usually what you would do is take your bird out of it's cage to interact for about 10 minutes and then (if it hasn't pooped already) place it back in or on it's cage until you see it poop then pick it back up to interact for another 10-15 minutes or so. If you practice doing that a few times a day I'm sure your bird will poop a little bit less outside of his cage than usual, but there's no way to totally potty train a bird like a dog or cat. Remember, birds poop more often when they are excited or nervous. I did read somewhere before that a bird will usually not poop on it's "human". So far I have found that to be true which is nice. Thank God that bird poop doesn't stink like dog poop!


----------



## slugabed (Jul 27, 2014)

I've not, but just to add: The bird is not totally dumb. It will indeed try not to poop on you. Still if you let it perch on you for too long it eventually has to go.


----------



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I would not suggest it for this reason:



> Potty training is not healthy for birds. Having a bird to hold its droppings for long periods of time can have serious results. Over time the cloaca can be become distended with fecal matter which can lead to overstretching of the organ.


This is just my opinion, but I think the possible dangers are too much of a risk.


----------



## skuiper (Mar 6, 2014)

Good to know! Thanks all! For now I will just start putting him back on his cage often when I play with him


----------



## Peetenomax (Nov 23, 2013)

Although I don't try to put Dexter back in his cage, I do move him every 15 minutes or so in case he needs to poop. I've notice that he pefers not to do his business on me & given the opportunity he'll go elsewhere. Benny my new 6 month old tiel appears to do this.
Now Peete, my parrotlet, will go whenever & wherever he chooses. He's such a hippy.


----------



## ScarredEclipse (Apr 1, 2014)

I've never potty trained my birds. I've _always_ had the luck that just as I put them on my shoulder.. they poop. They can't help it. I think that for a while, when I was bonding with Skittles, he did it to be a guy and try to gross me out. Now they're pretty good about it.


----------



## Jaguar (Jul 11, 2014)

My boy potty trained himself. I put him back in his cage every 15-20 mins and he goes - I don't reward him with millet or praise, but I do take him back out afterwards, which is sort of his "reward". If I didn't have carpet (and wasn't renting) I wouldn't worry so much about it. In 2 months I've only been pooped on once, and that was when I first brought him home.


----------

