Changing Bad Habits for Amazon Parrots

Amazons parrots can be quite loud; they also have a tendency to nip. Both behaviors can be frustrating if you were hoping for a pleasant pet. You'll have to take steps to curb your bird's bad behaviors. To initiate the process of long-term behavioral changes, try treating your bird like you might an unruly toddler: Earn her trust and use positive reinforcement to create the behavioral changes you wish to see.

  1. General Behavioral Change

    • Use positive reinforcement to create general behavioral chance in your bird. When your parrot does something good, praise her or offer a treat. When she does something bad, don't verbally or physically react. Instead, leave the room or turn your back on your bird. As your Amazon learns that the bad habit doesn't get a rise but other, good habits get attention, she will change her behavior.

    Changing Biting Behavior

    • No doubt biting and nipping is frustrating. The first step to changing this behavior is learning to read your bird's moods. If your parrot is acting upset, don't try to play with her. Doing so is liable to cause her to act aggressively and bite. When you do handle your bird, do so in a nonthreatening manner. If your parrot does bite, avoid yelling or threatening her, since parrots do not respond to punishment.

    Instinctive Behaviors

    • While you may perceive certain behaviors as bad habits, they may be instinctual to Amazons. If you're frustrated that your bird calls loudly in the morning or the evening -- especially if you're out of her sight -- there's not much you can do. So-called morning and evening squawking are instinctual behaviors when parrots cannot see flock members. Parrots also chew naturally. If your bird chews your curtains while flying around the home, she's not being bad. She's doing what comes naturally.

    Avoid Punishment

    • Since parrots don't understand punishment, behaviors like yelling, hitting the bird or bird cage, and squirting the bird in the face with water won't help. Let your bird know you won't tolerate bad behavior with other means: Give your bird a stern look; tell her "no" in a firm voice; leave the room; or place the bird back in her cage. Even if you want to yell, avoid it. If a parrot receives negative attention for acting out, she may continue the unwanted behavior.