Umbrella Cockatoo
You just brought home a new parrot--it doesn’t matter which breed--and he wants to bite every time you stick your hand in his cage. With a little bit of time and patience, you can train your parrot not to bite you and to step up nicely onto your hand.
Instructions
1. Sit next to your parrot’s cage for at least two 1/2-hour sessions every day. Do not interact with the parrot. You can sit there an read or quietly play a game. Do this for at least 2 weeks. Do not attempt to feed him or clean his cage within 2 hours before or after you do this.
2. Start talking to your parrot. After 2 weeks have gone by and the parrot is used to seeing you near his cage every day, start talking to the parrot. Get close to his cage and look at him while you are talking to him. Make this step a part of Step 1. You might sit and read for a bit, or even read out loud to him at this point. For at least 10 minutes of your 1/2-hour sessions, have direct verbal interaction with the parrot.
3. Let the parrot become comfortable with your presence and the sound of your voice. Never raise your voice around the parrot. After the parrot voluntarily comes to the front of his cage, you can try giving treats through the cage bars. If he attempts to bite you, revert back to Step 2. It could conceivably take over a year to complete this part.
4. Learn to safely take your parrot out of his cage. You don’t want to have your parrot confined to his cage after the first 2 to 4 weeks. Make sure you have a good parrot stand nearby. Make sure there are no kids or other pets in the room when you take your parrot out. Make sure all exterior doors and windows are shut and do not have a chance of being opened (this is better to do this in a room you can close off).
5. Hold on to the dowel and open the cage door. Put the dowel in front of the parrot and tell him to “step up.” You may have to gently nudge the parrot just below his chest area, but eventually he will step up. Carry him over to his playstand and let him get on the playstand. Sit quietly nearby and talk to your parrot. Use the dowel to get him back into his cage.
6. Pull your sleeve down over your hand and hold your hand in front of the parrot, just as you would the dowel, and tell him to step up. If he bites you, it is going to hurt, but the cloth may minimize some of the damage. If you get bit, do not rip your hand away from him, but push your hand gently into his mouth. This movement moves him backwards and sets him off balance a bit, and the parrot will generally let go of you. Do not show emotion when you get bit. Parrots love attention, even negative attention. Hard as it might be, do not show any emotion and do not say a word to him. Just put him back into his cage, tell him “no biting,” and simply turn your back and walk out of the room. Parrots hate to be ignored.
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