A Bird Owner’s Expectations

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Blue and Gold Macaw

Lately I’ve found that a lot of bird owners have high expectations of their birds that are unfounded.

If you just have a bird and you don’t work with it in the least, and then expect it to come to you graciously “just because”… you’re going to be disappointed no matter what.

If you aren’t offering your bird something it wants in exchange for what you want it to do, then don’t expect your bird to do it.

Blue throated macaw

A lot of bird owners have a really hard time wrapping their head around the concept of a training diet, food management or withholding food at all from their bird. They think it’s mean to NOT have food accessible to their bird 24 hours every day. What those people don’t realize, is they can use other methods of reinforcement too (praise, petting, toys, etc) but food tends to be the most reliable (which is why it’s used in professional avenues such as theme parks, traveling bird shows, etc).

And they are right about one thing; withholding food isn’t a good thing. You should only be feeding your bird what it can consume so that you are always GIVING food to your bird and never taking away.

Congo African Grey Parrot

You should never starve your bird, but you can ask it to step up in the morning and offer it breakfast in exchange for a job well done. This allows you to work your bird when it is naturally ready for a meal. You can also socialize it with other people by asking it to step up on family members for treats or right before its next meal. Working for a few minutes with your bird right before you give it its meal for the day is a great way (and time) to train your bird.

But if you feed your bird all day long and then try to make it work for even more food when it’s already full – you’re asking for failure. Don’t set your bird up for failure.

Camelot Macaw, Blue Throated Macaw

Either attempt the concept of offering food rewards (and not to a bird that’s already stuffed full) or get rid of your expectations. Birds have no reason to want to impress you without an incentive just like people won’t work for absolutely nothing. Even WE work for our food and it feels good to accomplish something when we do, so give your bird the opportunity to do the same.

To learn how to properly use food management, pick up a copy of any of the parrot training courses as they all go through how to set you and your bird up for success with a safe and healthy training diet.