Many pet parrots are able to learn tricks, but before a parrot owner starts teaching these tricks, the parrot should first be tame. The bird should be comfortable with his owner holding him and hand feeding him. A special space, with no distractions, should be set aside for teaching a parrot tricks. During the training, simple commands should be used, and the bird should be praised when he performs a task correctly. Punishment should never be used when teaching a parrot tricks.
Parrots are tropical birds that are also popular pets. These birds are generally colorful and very intelligent. Some types of parrots are easier to teach than others. African gray parrots, for instance, are known for their “talking” ability.
A parrot should be tame before an owner attempts to teach it new tricks. It should not bite and it should feel comfortable being held. Also, since positive reinforcement is a part of teaching a parrot tricks, the bird should feel comfortable taking food from its owner's hand.
It is important to remember that teaching a parrot tricks takes patience. Parrots will not simply learn a new trick during the first training session, or even the second or third training sessions. It couple take weeks or months for a parrot to master a new trick.
When teaching a parrot tricks, it is usually best to do so in a designated area. This special area should be used for every teaching session. Ideally, it should be an area with no distractions. Other pets and people should be banned from the area. This will help ensure that the owner has the full attention of his parrot.
Before training a parrot, an owner should play with him first. This should be done while the two are in the special training area. Participating in an enjoyable activity just prior to training can help a parrot associate pleasant activities and feelings with learning new parrot tricks.
Simple commands are usually best when trying to teach a parrot tricks. Long sentences or a series of commands will often just confuse the bird, making it less likely to learn. In addition, only one parrot trick should be taught at a time. When the bird masters one trick, its owner can then move on to teaching a new trick.
Parrots should always be praised when they do something right. Treats or affection are often good types of praise for a bird that is learning new parrot tricks. Parrots should also never be punished because they didn't perform a trick correctly. This will often only lead to confusion and resentment, and it is often counterproductive.