TheTameParrot.com – Let's Try To Solve Your Parrot Problems

True story:

Dateline: Tel Aviv:

Tele Aviv District Court issues a restraining order forbidding the owner of a pet parrot that won’t stop swearing from harming the bird in any way, upon petition from a local animal group. It had been recommended that the bird be sentenced to death, or that the tongue be severed, prompting the group to intervene with court action.

Dateline: South Africa:

A stolen African Grey parrot was recovered after police were able to identify the bird from it’s extremely vulgar language. It was identified when the owner supplied a list of words that the bird knew to the police. Officers were shocked by the parrot’s vocabulary and pleaded with its owner to take it back.

PROBLEM???

My friend Jerry has an interesting story as well:

“Boy, am I sure glad I’m not the only person with this problem! I had this sweet African Grey that had a swearing problem! The final straw was when we had some elderly ladies visiting us. Suddenly, out of the back room comes a string of language that would make a sailor blush! The shocked look on our visitors face prompted me to start taking action to stop it.

But how? I can’t kill the bird. Oh, I thought about it one day, after he raided my candy dish on my computer desk! Or the day he bit into several cans of soda because he loved to hear the whooshing sound of the soda spraying all over my kitchen! I just couldn’t do it.

Severing the tongue is barbaric! But something had to be done…and I knew it was going to take some time, lots of persistence, and tough love to accomplish it.”

UN-TEACHING YOUR BIRD

IGNORE the bird. Do not give any verbal or eye contact. The reason the bird is swearing is because it is trying to get your attention. If using a swear word does it, that is what you will hear!

When your bird says a word that is acceptable, praise him and give out a treat. Give lots of attention and emphasis on the good word. If the bird uses unacceptable words or noises, put the bird into “time out” by placing him in his case without toys or food. This should be a separate cage that is dedicated as a “time out” cage, so that the bird will know he’s being punished. Give the bird 15 minutes in “time out” and let the bird out. Interact with the bird and try to get him to talk other words through this interaction. This is generally how constant reinforcement works in training.

Never physically discipline the bird, as this will only upset the bird and you will lose your bond with it. It only creates more problems.

Find the source of these words…..they are learning these words from you, friends or family members. Put a stop to it!

Teach the bird other words by turning on the TV, using other alternative sources, or just by doing basic teaching lessons from repetitive learning and reinforcement. The bird will learn that if he talks appropriately, he will get your attention. Swearing will only land him in “time-out”.

Let the bird keep one swear word though…..if he’s stolen you may need a way for the police to identify it.

Please share any experiences you might have had with such birds. I’d love to read your feedback and comment! Thanks!