I've been out Witted

[Bertbert]

So, we all think we are training the bird, but in some cases, they are training us.

 

I had Gizmo trained to only poop when he is sitting on perches. Then he started going on the floor one day. I thought maybe he was mad or just purposly disobeying. So I began picking him up when I would see he was about to poop and take him to a perch.

 

No, he didn't ever actually have to go, he has began using this against me to get me to pick him up!!

 

Now, how do I reinforce pooping only on a perch or when asked? lol, I really don't want him doing this on the floor, but I don't want to encourage this behaviour by picking him up.

 

I'm always right by him so if he wanted me to pick him up he used to just walk over to me, now he figured out the lazy bird way!

 

I began picking him up, letting him poop when he's on the perch, then putting him back down on the floor again right away, but then within seconds he's doing it again...{Emotions-000200C6} <- pretty sure if he could do that he would! haha

[Luvparrots]

Gizmo is very clever, but isn't that one of the reason you chose a grey for your family? Now you have to outsmart him, or at least give it a try. Does Gizmo fly? Since he already knows what the perch is for, how about when you see him doing his potty dance, you walk to the perch with a treat and if he comes to the perch and does his thing he gets a treat and if he doesn't just walk away? Or when he does his potty dance stand by him and distract him by talking to him to get him to come up to you so you can pick him up to get him back to the old system. Good luck on winning the war!!