Teaching tricks to your pet bird can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for both you and your feathered buddy. Not only will it strengthen your bond, but it can also provide your bird with mental and physical stimulation. Here are some fun tricks you can teach your pet bird.
1. Target training
What you need:
- A stick.
- Treats.
How to do it:
- Hold the stick in front of your bird and wait for him to touch it with his beak. As soon as he touches it, say ‘touch’, and immediately reward him with a treat.
- Repeat this process several times until he is reliably touching the stick.
Advanced version:
- Once he is reliably touching the target on cue, move it to different locations and heights.
What to remember:
- Be patient and consistent with your training. Don’t rush, and always end the training session on a positive note.
2. Wave
What you need:
- Treats.
How to do it:
- Hold a treat in front of your bird and wait for him to lift his foot. As soon as he lifts his foot, say ‘wave’, and give him a treat.
- Repeat this process several times until he is reliably lifting his foot on cue.
Advanced version:
- Once he is reliably lifting his foot on cue, start to gradually move your hand away from the treat so that he waves without the presence of a treat.
What to remember:
- Make sure to only give him the treat after he has successfully completed the trick. Don’t give him the treat if he lifts his foot without the ‘wave’ cue.
3. Spin
What you need
- Treats.
How to do it
- Hold a treat in front of your bird and slowly move it in a circle. As he follows the treat, say ‘spin’ and reward him with the treat.
- Repeat this process several times until he is reliably spinning in a circle on cue.
Advanced version
- Once your bird is reliably spinning in a circle, try to get him to spin in the opposite direction.
What to remember
- Don’t spin the treat too quickly since this may confuse him.
- Your bird will learn the trick in the direction you originally showed him. To teach the opposite direction, teach the trick from the beginning.
- Retrieve
What you need
A small toy or object that your bird can easily pick up and carry.
Treats.
How to do it
Hold the toy or object in front of your bird and say, ‘take it’. When he takes the object in his beak, say ‘bring it’ and reward him with a treat.
Repeat this process several times until he is reliably picking up and carrying the object on cue.
Advanced version
Once he is reliably picking up and carrying the object on cue, try placing it in different locations, then ask your bird to retrieve it and bring it to you on cue.
What to remember
Make sure that the toy or object is safe for your bird to pick up and carry. Avoid objects that are too heavy or have sharp edges.
If your bird isn’t comfortable lying down, rather try another activity with him.
5. Play possum
What you need
A comfortable surface for your bird to lie down on, such as a towel or soft blanket.
Treats.
How to do it
Place your bird on a comfortable surface and say, ‘play possum’. Gently hold him down and wait for a few seconds before giving him a treat.
Repeat this process several times until he is comfortable lying down and ‘playing possum’.
Advanced version
Once he is able to lie very still, try asking him to ‘play possum’ from different positions (such as standing up or perching). You can also add a verbal cue, such as ‘sleep’ or ‘rest’.
What to remember
Make sure that he is comfortable, relaxed and not stressed when doing this trick. Don’t hold him down forcefully, and always end the training session on a positive note.
6. Matching colours
What you need
Several sets of coloured objects, such as balls or blocks.
Treats.
How to do it
Start by showing your bird two objects of the same colour, then tell him the name of the colour and ask him to ‘touch’. When he touches the object, reward him with a treat.
Repeat this process with two objects of the same colour.
Once he is reliably touching the coloured object, add in more objects of different colours and ask him to touch a specific colour.
Repeat this process several times until he is reliably touching the correct colour on cue.
Advanced version
Once he is reliably touching the correct colour, you can try to teach him to sort the objects by colour. Show him a group of objects and ask him to sort them by colour into different piles.
What to remember
This trick requires patience and consistency. Start with two colours and gradually add in more colours as your bird becomes more confident. Teach every colour individually until he is familiar with it. Make sure the objects are safe and easy for your bird to handle.
