Parrots Tricks Keep Your Pet Parrot Happy

Teaching a parrot tricks can be frustrating, a huge laugh and most certainly a battle of wits. When teaching a parrot to do anything you are dealing with a very savvy bird and one who has the intelligence to lead you a merry dance! Don't for one minute think that you have it all over the parrot in the teaching arena. There will be days when you wonder whether you are teaching the parrot tricks or whether the parrot is teaching you things (like patience that you never had!).

Not only do you have to cope with all of the above, but they do it with such arrogance! The look that they give you sometimes would shrivel the most confident of parrot owners. And what about that squawk if they are not happy! They will soon let you know when they are not happy with what you are doing at your end of the deal!

So how to do you get over this battle of wills?

It comes down to the 3 R's: repetition, repetition and repetition.

But, it is not just repetition that is the answer although that is needed for the best results, because parrots also like to be wooed. They will want to hear you telling them how wonderful they are and they will want to hear it in a nice soothing voice, but loud and clear. If you find that either the parrot or you are getting annoyed and edgy then it is best to stop the training.

Start getting stroppy with the parrot, and you have lost the game.

How about starting to get your parrot to turn around as one of the first tricks you will do?

1. Have the parrot either on the floor or on his perch.

2. With food in your hand move it to the side of his body about 10 inches away, just so that he can see it.

3. As he turns around to take the food slowly move it further round the back of him so that he has to turn to get the food.

4. When he follows it around give him a treat.

5. The next step when he is happy to turn half way around, is to get him to turn a full circle.

Remember that parrots love treats and for treats you can often coerce them to do things that they would not do if there was not a treat waiting for them at the end. It is best to teach the parrot tricks several times a day in short bursts rather than try to spend half an hour at a time once a day. This helps in that the parrot does not get cranky.

Teaching only one trick at a time is best because the parrot will get confused if he is being taught several tricks over a short period. Lots of gentle praise will also be great when teaching a parrot tricks because they love to feel they are pleasing their owners.

Have lots of fun with your pet parrot as you teach him new parrot tricks but at Pet Parrot Secrets you will also learn how to take great care of him so he is around for many years to come. You will also be able to sign up to my FREE '10 Secrets to Caring for a Pet Parrot' mini-course while you are there.