It is one of the keys to raising a healthy, sociable, and well-balanced parrot - a parrot that won't end up developing behavioral problems. If you use the right approach, the training is very simple, because parrots are extremely intelligent birds. They have an aptitude for learning new things, and they actually enjoy the learning process, because they find it very stimulating. It prevents boredom, which is one of the major causes of behavioral problems in parrots.
Parrot Training Secret #1
Keep parrot training sessions very short (i.e. no longer than 10 minutes). Any longer than this, and your pet will become tired, and he will not enjoy the training session.
Parrot Training Secret #2
Choose a location for the training session that is quiet, well-lit, and where there aren't any distractions.
Parrot Training Secret #3
Make sure you are in the correct frame of mind for the training session. You need to be feeling very relaxed, and very patient.
Parrot Training Secret #4
The very first "trick" you should teach your parrot is the step up onto your finger, or arm. This is important, because it is the fundamental skill that is required if you want to enjoy handling your bird. To teach a parrot to do this, you simply place your finger in front of him, and, using a very calm and low voice, ask him to step up. If a bit of encouragement is required, you can always offer the bird a small piece of food, but only give it to him after he has stepped up.
Parrot Training Secret #5
Teach your parrot to talk by picking a simple word (e.g. hello), and repeating it over and over to your parrot. When your bird attempts to copy what you have said, give him a bit of food to reinforce the behavior. Do not try to increase your bird's vocabulary by more than one word at a time, because it will just confuse him, and slow down the progress. Also, please remember that although most parrot species have the ability to talk, not all of them will become "talking parrots", so don't lose your patience if your parrot remains silent!
In conclusion, if you take your time, and you are patient, parrot training isn't difficult at all. You will need to invest a fair bit of time into the activity, but you will find the whole experience to be very rewarding. You will also be surprised at just how quickly your parrot will learn new things. One the major benefits of training parrots, is that the human-parrot interaction that is involved will pay dividends, in terms of making your pet a very healthy, well-balanced, and sociable bird.
John Barlow is a parrot enthusiast. For more great information about parrot training and all things parrot-related, visit http://ParrotCareAdvice.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Barlow