Training A Parrot

Parrots make wonderful pets. You will find that they are incredibly smart and fun to train. Keep in mind that any animal of high intelligence can easily get bored, so spend time with your bird and supply plenty of toys. It takes time and patience, but with the proper training, your parrot will provide you with many years of friendship.

You can train your parrot when you follow a few steps. Whenever “school is in,” it is always best to remove him from his cage and train in a small quiet space. Your bird is more likely to remain attentive and retain information when it is in a new environment. The next thing you will want to do is eliminate all distractions. If he becomes distracted during training, he will not learn as well. This means that you need to turn off the radio, television, and even the phone. Also, they are like children and have short attention spans, so make your training sessions quick and fun.

Try to plan your parrot’s training time around his schedule, not yours. After mealtime is often a good time for training because he will be content and will pay attention. He will also appreciate plenty of praise. Even if you find that you were not very successful, do not let your parrot see your stress levels rise. This makes it an unpleasant experience for him, and you will have a harder time getting your parrot interested in learning in the future.

When you are ready to teach your parrot a new trick, he will respond well to treats and praise--all animals respond better to praise than punishment. Try to avoid punishing him, even if he is acting naughty. Ignoring this behavior is your best bet as birds do not understand punishment or negative reinforcement. In fact, if you respond to bad behavior, your pet may actually see this as positive attention. Keep in mind that while your parrot will love food treats as rewards, try to reinforce the positive and encourage good behavior with lots of praise and play time. Otherwise, he may only perform the tricks when some kind of food reward is available.

Repetition is the key to successfully training your parrot. Performing these basic steps repeatedly until your pet “gets” the trick is the best way to train. This works well for basic commands as well as advanced tricks. If you have just gotten your bird, start out with the simple trick of teaching your parrot to sit on your finger on command. Find a word for each trick and use it every time you train. Most of all, never force your parrot to train. If you find he is tired or uninterested, then stop and try another time.

As your parrot learns more commands and tricks, you can begin moving your training sessions closer to the bird’s cage. As he gets better at his new skill, he will feel more comfortable performing in his cage amidst the hustle and bustle of your household. Birds learn quickly in most cases and sometimes just by listening when not in training. 

Training a parrot takes time and patience. You must love your bird and have time and dedication to make this partnership worthwhile. With patient training and love, you end up with a fantastic and well-behaved pet that will be with you for a long time to come.

Get a Pet through an Animal Rescue Group

Animal rescue groups and organizations offer a wonderful place to get your next family pet. These groups are all different, but they do have some common goals. Many of them rely on volunteers, support from the local community, and donations to care for these pets while they are between homes. The people involved work hard to locate permanent, loving homes for a wide variety of animals including unwanted or misplaced cats, dogs, and birds. You will also find a wide range of ages from kittens and puppies to older birds available for adoption. Don't be surprised to learn that some groups offer exotic pets such as reptiles, pot bellied pigs, and even guinea pigs.

As you begin looking at pets available through rescue groups, keep in mind that some of these animals have had very hard lives. You may find a dog that was abused by its owner. You may find a female cat that has just given birth. Their owners have relinquished many of the animals offered by rescue groups because they are moving or can no longer care for them. In addition, some of these groups take animals that are in kill shelters or strays living on the streets.

Rescue groups do a good job of screening animals before adopting them out to new homes. They also screen potential pet owners. You will be asked to sign a contract saying that you agree to care for the animal long term. You will also be asked several questions about your home, your children, and other pets you may have, the size of your yard, and even your thoughts on a cat without claws. This is not to be nosy—it is simply to help match an owner with the right pet. If the animal suffers from a medical condition, such as diabetes, the new owners know this up front before adopting. Having the health history of an animal at the time of adoption helps the group to find it a permanent home.

You gain tremendous personal satisfaction by adopting a pet through an animal rescue organization. You have done something to help and your new pet will show its appreciation. If you are interested in adopting through one of the many rescue organization, it is easy to find one. Several might be right in your area, and a vet or a search on the Internet can often give you the contact information. Most of the time, these pets are fostered in private homes until they are adopted. This gives the animal time to be socialized with other pets, children, and time to get used to living in a home. Sometimes, animal rescue groups will bring their animals to pet stores or other locations for interested people to see and meet on certain weekends.

When you decide on a pet from a rescue program, be prepared for the interview and application process. The organization wants to know these pets will be well taken care of for the long term. Adoption fees vary by each organization, but you can expect to pay $50-$200 for a rescued animal. These groups do not make a profit. The fee covers the cost of the animal while it was in the care of the organization. This usually covers medical care for the injured, vaccinations, routine medical exams, spaying, and neutering.

Getting your next pet through an animal rescue organization is a responsible and satisfying way to get your next family member. You might even decide to volunteer with one of these groups.