Most cockatoos have a very bad habit of pooping everywhere. If you are reading this article, then I believe your cockatoo does the same. Anyways, you can train your cockatoo to poop in a specific spot. Let’s discuss how it can be done.
Cockatoos can be trained not to poop everywhere but on a specific spot. First observe how your cockatoo behaves before it is about to poop, then set up a spot in a corner of his cage to poop. Now, whenever your cockatoo behaves as if it is about to poop, command him to move to that spot. When he is done pooping in that spot, reward him with a treat.
Sounds difficult? to be honest, it is not simple. It takes some time, effort, and patience but it is worth it. Once trained, cockatoos stop messing up your furniture and clothes with their poop. Now let’s discuss all the steps of potty training cockatoos in detail.
Steps to potty train a cockatoo
Follow the below steps as explained, and within a few days, your cockatoo will stop pooping on your chosen spot.
1. Observe your cockatoo’s behavior before it poops
The very first thing you need to do is understand the signs your cockatoo shows before it poops. Generally, when cockatoos are about to poop, they slightly lower their back, pull back their head a bit, move a few steps backward, and slightly move their tail to and fro. Their feathers near their vent slightly puff, and they excrete poop.
They don’t show any specific facial expressions or make any sounds. The only signs they show are these movements. Besides these, your cockatoo might show any other signs, you need to find them as well.
For example, one of my Sulphur-crested cockatoos had a habit of pooping right after he used to come out of his cage in the morning. After detailed observation, I noticed that he also poops after 3-4 hours of having food.
Similarly, one of my Major Mitchell’s cockatoo female was incubating eggs, she used to stay most of the time in her nestbox, but as soon as she used to come out, she’d poop like she hadn’t in two days. This observation helped me schedule their training.
2. Create a poop spot
Create a spot for your cockatoo to poop whenever he needs to. This spot should be somewhere always accessible to him. For example if he spends most of the day inside the cage, it should be inside the cage and if he spends most of the day outside the cage it should be outside the cage. However if he spends some time outside and sometime inside the cage, create two poop spots.
Now to create the spot, you can use paper towels, tissues, and newspapers. There are cheap and easily removable. I recommend using newpapers and making the poop spot near your dustbin and in the front corner of their cage. This eases replacing the used newspapers.
3. Establish a command for your cockatoo
By this step, you know the signs when he wants to poop and you have also setup a poop spot. But he won’t be pooping in the poop spot for now; your spot means nothing to him. Now you need to encourage him to poop only on poop spot.
In the beginning, you will have to spend some time with him, especially when it is his time to poop. Whenever he is about to poop slowly move him to the poop spot and say a phrase like “lets move to the poop spot”. Once he is done, reward him with a treat, anything he likes. Keep repeating this activity for a few days.
Now this phrase “lets move to the poop spot” will become a command for him and he will start recognizing what he needs to do when he is given this command. Once he gets used to of pooping in the spot, within a few days he will start feeling more comfortable in pooping at poop spot rather than anywhere else. Once he starts doing it, he will no longer need a command.
What if he doesn’t respond to your command?
Some cockatoos can take a little longer to start recognizing your command and pooping in the poop spot; this is absolutely normal. There is no need to worry or forcing your cockatoo. Let him take his time and keep repeating this activity.
No matter what, do not scold him or punish him. Such acts affect their mental health and the bond between you and them. Instead encourage them even more to move and appreciate them whenever they respond positively.
Final Thoughts
Potty training a cockatoo is slightly challenging and time consuming but it is totally doable. Afterall, cockatoos are one of the smartest bird on the planet. They can learn a lot of things and hence they can also learn to poop in your chosen spot.
