Description

Smart parrots are talking and playing,watchand learn how to train a parrot, and teaching your parrot totalk.

Especially for people new to parrot ownership, talking isusuallythe first skill they think of teaching and of which theypresumetheir bird will be able to master.
The truth of the matter is, every parrot is different, andyoushould never acquire a bird — even of a breed known for talking—with the assumption that it will talk.

Watch your mouth. Some parrots will require little or notrainingto learn to talk, and may in fact pick up words andphrases you’dprefer they not repeat.
Excited utterances — such as things you might shout at the TVduringa sporting event — are often more readily picked up by aparrot, andthey’re listening more often than you may think. So becareful whatyou say around them.

Start young and stay calm. Parrots talk to other members oftheirflock, and it is easier to establish yourself as part of yourbird'sflock early in its life. Therefore, you are more likely tohavesuccess when starting with a baby bird.
Use a clear, calm, happy voice to repeat a simple word or phraseasyou start the training process. Think about how you would trytoteach a human child to say "Mommy."
Early in the process, reward any sound, then anyapproximatelyaccurate sound, and eventually a recognizable soundwith animmediate treat.

Repetition is the key element of training a parrot totalk.Simply put, the more times you say a word or phrase aroundaparrot, the more likely it is to pick it up and repeat it.
Train as often as you like. Parrots will not tire of conversingwithanother member of their flock, although you may.
Some experts recommend recording yourself saying a phraseandplaying it back on a loop for the bird. Of course, by usingthismethod you lose the personal interaction between the twoofyou.

Any parrot training plan, in essence, needs to be asindividualas the bird you’ve welcomed into your home. Every parrothas aunique personality, and will require a particular mix oftechnique,patience, friendship, and bribery to be trainedeffectively. Thatsaid, there are some common tips that can help youprepare fortraining and — in most cases — teach some basic andusefulskills.

While parrots are often quite friendly and caring, they arenotin general known for being overly patient. Delays andmistakesduring training sessions may not go over well, sopreparationbeforehand is important.
Gather up the supplies you will need for they type of trainingyouwill be conducting. These might include items like ahand-heldperch, a towel, a clicker (if “clicker training”), achopstick ordrumstick (if “target training”), a leash/harness (iftakingtraining outdoors), bitter apple spray (to make common areasofparrot nibbling like draperies unappealing), and, ofcourse,treats.
Choose a treat that your parrot especially enjoys, and also thatyoucan easily feed to your bird. Thin apple wedges, for example,canmake a good hand treat for a parrot.

Rewarding your bird with a treat from your hand is essentialtopractically every type of parrot training out there. It alsohelpsestablish a bond between you and a new and/or youngparrot.
Start the process with the parrot inside its cage. Slowlyapproachand present the treat. Stay calm and offer onlyencouragingapproval when the bird eventually takes the treat.
Apple slices, again, make a good treat option if you’reworriedabout having your fingers nibbled upon. You can also weargloves,if you so choose, though your bird may find those evenmoreappealing to peck at.