How to Train Parrots to Make Less Noise
Accept parrot behavior., Reward good behavior., Clicker train your parrot., Avoid punishment with yelling or making loud noises., Teach your parrot to speak softly., Be consistent., Use strobe light training.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Accept parrot behavior.
Screaming is a natural behavior, and you simply can't completely stop it.
Parrots are exceptionally vocal, especially during waking hours and before bed.
If you cannot handle a loud pet, consider a different home for your parrot.
Allowing your parrot to scream during the morning and evening may be helpful in training it not to scream throughout the day.Parrots are also curious and bright creatures.
Training your parrot will give it mental stimulus and interesting things to learn.
The mental task might decrease squawking on its own. -
Step 2: Reward good behavior.
Any time your parrot stops screaming when you've left the room, or mimics your soft, muted tones, give your parrot a delicious treat, praise, or click if you are clicker training (keep reading for the last method).Try a variety of treats with your parrot until you learn what it likes.
Then use the treats that it responds the best to, but reserve these "special treats" for training purposes.
Eventually, your parrot will associate that treat with its good behavior.Birds tend to prefer colorful treats with a lot of flavor.
Some bird experts recommend treats like Nutri-Berries or yogurt-covered nugget treats designed for parrots, like Kaytee Yogurt Dips.Break treats into small portions.
This allows your parrot to eat quickly and remain focused on the training, without getting too distracted by the reward.Reward your bird immediately after it obeys you.
It's important for the reward to be seen by your bird as a quick and immediate response.
Otherwise, your parrot may not make that association.Give your parrot verbal praise every time you give it a food reward for its good behavior., Parrots are very trainable, respond well to clicker training, and will appreciate the mental stimulus.
Mental activity will help decreasing squawking significantly.
Clicker training a parrot not to squawk is parallel to clicker training a dog not to bark.
Get a clicker and small, ingestible parrot treats.
First associate the clicker and treat with one another.
In front of your pet, click the clicker and “immediately” give the treat afterwards.
Do this until your parrot starts watching expectantly for a treat after the clicker--this is a sign that they have successfully associated the two together.Use the clicker as you would a treat.
The clicker replaces the need of providing a treat, which can be expensive over time, messy, and difficult if your bird is a picky eater.
Mark each correct behavior with a click.
If needed, follow up a click with lots of praise and treats to fortify the “clicker and treat” association. , This is what people naturally use when correcting behavior problems in pets, but it sends the message to your parrot that acting out will be rewarded, and it won't help you train your parrot.
If you scream at your parrot, it may become frightened and make more noise, or it might believe that you're joining in, something wild flocks naturally do.Ignore your parrot when it screams.
It will take some patience, but ignoring attention-seeking behavior is the best way to train your parrot out of its excessive screaming.
Even a facial expression can give your parrot the reward it was looking for.
It's best to leave the room and completely ignore your parrot when it screams for attention.
Be prepared for louder screaming.
Just like a toddler throwing a tantrum screams louder when it doesn't receive a reaction, your parrot will scream even louder.
But be patient and be consistent, and eventually it will stop.
Return to the room once your parrot has been silent for at least 10 seconds.
When you return, give your parrot the attention it is craving.
Over time this will cement in its mind that desirable behavior is rewarded and undesirable behavior is ignored. , You won't be able to make your parrot stop talking altogether, but you may be able to train your bird to whisper or speak softly instead of screaming.
Practice, patience, and consistency are key when trying to train your bird to stop screaming.Continue to ignore undesirable behavior.Speak softly to your parrot.
Use hushed tones, or "communicate" with it through whistles., Consistency is the key to any animal behavioral training.
Doing things one way some of the time and another way other times will only confuse your parrot.
Praise and reward it every time it behaves well, and ignore it every time it acts out., Note that strobe lights may be very unpleasant for birds.
This should be treated as more of a last resort, rather than as a standard training method.
Set up a strobe light near the cage, controlled by a remote control switch.
Any time the bird screams, you can trigger the flashing strobe light without being the room (entering the room would be seen as a positive in the bird's eyes).
Your parrot will find the strobe light unpleasant, and will quickly learn that acting out results in undesirable flashing lights. -
Step 3: Clicker train your parrot.
-
Step 4: Avoid punishment with yelling or making loud noises.
-
Step 5: Teach your parrot to speak softly.
-
Step 6: Be consistent.
-
Step 7: Use strobe light training.
Detailed Guide
Screaming is a natural behavior, and you simply can't completely stop it.
Parrots are exceptionally vocal, especially during waking hours and before bed.
If you cannot handle a loud pet, consider a different home for your parrot.
Allowing your parrot to scream during the morning and evening may be helpful in training it not to scream throughout the day.Parrots are also curious and bright creatures.
Training your parrot will give it mental stimulus and interesting things to learn.
The mental task might decrease squawking on its own.
Any time your parrot stops screaming when you've left the room, or mimics your soft, muted tones, give your parrot a delicious treat, praise, or click if you are clicker training (keep reading for the last method).Try a variety of treats with your parrot until you learn what it likes.
Then use the treats that it responds the best to, but reserve these "special treats" for training purposes.
Eventually, your parrot will associate that treat with its good behavior.Birds tend to prefer colorful treats with a lot of flavor.
Some bird experts recommend treats like Nutri-Berries or yogurt-covered nugget treats designed for parrots, like Kaytee Yogurt Dips.Break treats into small portions.
This allows your parrot to eat quickly and remain focused on the training, without getting too distracted by the reward.Reward your bird immediately after it obeys you.
It's important for the reward to be seen by your bird as a quick and immediate response.
Otherwise, your parrot may not make that association.Give your parrot verbal praise every time you give it a food reward for its good behavior., Parrots are very trainable, respond well to clicker training, and will appreciate the mental stimulus.
Mental activity will help decreasing squawking significantly.
Clicker training a parrot not to squawk is parallel to clicker training a dog not to bark.
Get a clicker and small, ingestible parrot treats.
First associate the clicker and treat with one another.
In front of your pet, click the clicker and “immediately” give the treat afterwards.
Do this until your parrot starts watching expectantly for a treat after the clicker--this is a sign that they have successfully associated the two together.Use the clicker as you would a treat.
The clicker replaces the need of providing a treat, which can be expensive over time, messy, and difficult if your bird is a picky eater.
Mark each correct behavior with a click.
If needed, follow up a click with lots of praise and treats to fortify the “clicker and treat” association. , This is what people naturally use when correcting behavior problems in pets, but it sends the message to your parrot that acting out will be rewarded, and it won't help you train your parrot.
If you scream at your parrot, it may become frightened and make more noise, or it might believe that you're joining in, something wild flocks naturally do.Ignore your parrot when it screams.
It will take some patience, but ignoring attention-seeking behavior is the best way to train your parrot out of its excessive screaming.
Even a facial expression can give your parrot the reward it was looking for.
It's best to leave the room and completely ignore your parrot when it screams for attention.
Be prepared for louder screaming.
Just like a toddler throwing a tantrum screams louder when it doesn't receive a reaction, your parrot will scream even louder.
But be patient and be consistent, and eventually it will stop.
Return to the room once your parrot has been silent for at least 10 seconds.
When you return, give your parrot the attention it is craving.
Over time this will cement in its mind that desirable behavior is rewarded and undesirable behavior is ignored. , You won't be able to make your parrot stop talking altogether, but you may be able to train your bird to whisper or speak softly instead of screaming.
Practice, patience, and consistency are key when trying to train your bird to stop screaming.Continue to ignore undesirable behavior.Speak softly to your parrot.
Use hushed tones, or "communicate" with it through whistles., Consistency is the key to any animal behavioral training.
Doing things one way some of the time and another way other times will only confuse your parrot.
Praise and reward it every time it behaves well, and ignore it every time it acts out., Note that strobe lights may be very unpleasant for birds.
This should be treated as more of a last resort, rather than as a standard training method.
Set up a strobe light near the cage, controlled by a remote control switch.
Any time the bird screams, you can trigger the flashing strobe light without being the room (entering the room would be seen as a positive in the bird's eyes).
Your parrot will find the strobe light unpleasant, and will quickly learn that acting out results in undesirable flashing lights.
About the Author
Edward White
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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