# potty training



## llama86 (Nov 14, 2008)

I know I've been going crazy with posting questions, but this is the last one for awhile I promise. I'm curious about potty training my 'tiel. I know people seem to have mixed feelings about it. The word association kind of scares me. I worry about the 'tiel not even going in his own cage because I'm not saying the word. I've heard that looking for signs that he's going to poop and then placing him over a trash bin or piece of paper and praising him for going on the desired spot works as well. It seems that if I said good bird everytime he went on paper, then he would think "good bird" means poop and that's bad too! Any tips on how to get my 'tiel to go on paper would be great. He already has black and white newspaper lining the bottom of his cage and there's no shortage of paper all over my apartment. So I don't need to worry about him not being able to get to it. The other part of my question is: what are the signs of him needing to poo? I've heard fidgeting is one, but he does that all the time so looking for that would be fruitless.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

All my tiels do a little squat and wriggle when they poop, and that is often worked into by a little back up. So when i notice them starting to reverse i put them somewhere that's not me or hold them over a tissue. I don't use any words, i just watch for the signs.  I wouldn't call any of my birds toilet trained, but my system works for me.


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## llama86 (Nov 14, 2008)

I've been trying to look for that and other things, but when he poops he doesn't seem to do anything different. Any other ideas for what to look for?


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## kimmikefids (Aug 2, 2008)

sorry mine do the same as Bea....it personally isn't a huge bother to me...i mean i complain a bit when i get poo on me but at the end of the day i'd rather bird poo than any other poo!! maybe just try really observing him...from what i've read potty training isn't the easiest thing to do with tiels...the larger parrots yes but then again i may be wrong....i don't think i know anyone's whose tiels are toilet trained? (correct me if im wrong) i personally think its easier just to wipe up the poo!!


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## jorgenson1717 (Oct 17, 2008)

When I have Cocoa out I keep tissues handy to clean up any messes. I have the Poop Off cleaner but really don't use it seeing the poop is easy to clean up. I never hold my bird when I get ready to leave the house for work or anywhere else I need to go. You just never know what they'll leave behind and you won't notice until someone points it out, or only to discover when you get home what was on your clothes all day.


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