How to Train a Parrot to Turn Around

Teaching tricks to your parrot is a good way to bond with your bird. The extra attention and stimulation given to parrots makes them happier and can improve their behavior as well. Training your parrot to turn around is an easy trick for you to train and for them to learn. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• T-stand
• Parrot snack

1. Make sure your parrot is ready to be trained for the turn-around trick. Parrots must first be tame and well socialized before attempting to train them. They must also already be able to respond to "come" and "perch" when getting on and off of their perch before you train your parrot to do the turn-around trick.
2. Choose a training spot for your bird. It needs to be in an area that is quiet with minimal distractions.
3. Familiarize your parrot with the training spot. Bring him into the room, show him the T-stand that he will be sitting on, feed him some treats and give him scratches. Provide any kind of positive stimulation so that he learns this room is a good place to be. Do this several times before you attempt to teach him the trick.
4. Warm up. Feed him a treat then use the "come" command and have your parrot step onto your arm. Then give him the perch command to go back to his perch. Give him a snack and verbally praise him with "good."
5. Hold the treat in your right hand, eye-level to the parrot. When the bird sees the treat and begins to reach for it tell him "turn around" to train him and move your hand around to the back of your bird so that he has to turn his body to get it. When he turns half way around give him a treat and tell him "good."
6. Finish the turn by once again showing him the treat and moving it to the front of him when he begins to reach for it. Have him go front to back and back to front a few times, then prompt him to make the entire "turn around" motion before you give him a treat and verbally praise him.

Tips & Warnings

• To find a snack that is really motivating try offering him a seed dish and see which ones he goes for first. Pull these seeds out of his seed bowel and save them for your training sessions.
• Young birds learn more quickly, but you can train a parrot of any age to turn around on command. It just may take a bit longer for an older bird, but you can teach and old bird new tricks.
• If your parrot has behavior problems or is not tame do not try to train him. Socializing your parrot and taking care of behavior problems should come first.