How often do you wish you had someone who would come running whenever they heard your voice? Well, now you can. Cockatoos are intelligent birds that love attention and affection. They also enjoy being taught new things. If you want to teach them something, you should start by teaching them to recognize your voice. Once they learn how to recognize your voice, it will be easier for them to respond when you call out their name. In the previous article, we discussed how to train a cockatoo not to bite. In this article, we will discuss how to train a cockatoo to come to you whenever it hears its name called.
How to train a cockatoo to come to you? Training tips
1. Learn to recognize your voice:
The first step in training your cockatoo to run to you is to make sure that you have taught it to recognize your voice. You can do this by calling out its name as soon as you see it or if you hear it chirping. As soon as you call out its name, it should immediately come running to you. If it doesn’t, then you need to try again later. It may take several days before your cockatoo learns to recognize your voice.
2. Teach It to associate your voice with food:
When you first begin training your cockatoo, you should only feed it treats after it has learned to recognize your voice. This means that you should wait until it comes running to you every time you call out its name. After it learns to recognize your voice, you can give him treats whenever you call out his name without having to wait for him to come running.
3. Give It lots of praise:
Whenever you call out your cockatoo’s name, you should always say “Good boy!” or “Yes, good boy!” This will help him associate your voice with praise.
4. Make sure that your cockatoo knows what to expect:
Before you begin training your cockatoo to come running to you, you should make sure that he understands what you expect from him. For example, you might tell him “When I call your name, you should come running to me.” Or you could say “I am going to call your name. Do you know what happens next?”
5. Be consistent:
Cockatoo owners sometimes get frustrated when their cockatoo does not come running when they call out his name. This is because they don’t understand why their bird isn’t coming to them. To avoid getting discouraged, you should keep up your efforts. Try to call out your cockatoo’s name at least once a day. Also, make sure that you never call out his name more than three times in one session. Your cockatoo needs to learn that there is no reward for ignoring you.
6. Reward for coming running:
It’s the best tip to train your cockatoo to come to you. When your cockatoo comes running to you after hearing your voice, you should reward him with a treat. Then you should repeat the process over and over again until he comes running to your calls all the time.
7. Repeat the process until it responds consistently:
When your cockatoo learns how to recognize your voice and associates your voice with food, you should continue repeating these steps until he comes running to greet you whenever you call out his full name. It will help your cockatoo to understand your signal.
8. Keep practising:
Even though your cockatoo may already be able to respond to your voice, it will still take some practice to teach him to come running to you. So, even if your cockatoo seems to have mastered the skill, you should continue to practice so that he continues to improve.
9. Practice when it is hungry:
When you are teaching your cockatoo to respond to your voice and to come running to you when you call out his name during feeding sessions, you should also practice when he is hungry. You should try calling out his name while giving him a few pieces of food. This will help him associate his hunger with your voice.
10. Use positive reinforcement:
If your cockatoo doesn’t come running to you right away, you shouldn’t become upset or angry. Instead, you should simply encourage him by saying “Come on, let’s go!” or “Let’s do this.” These phrases will remind your cockatoo that he should come running to you.
Avoid some things during training
- 1. Don’t force them to come: As mentioned above, your cockatoo needs to understand that there is no reward if he ignores you. Therefore, you should never force him to come running to greet you. He should feel free to ignore you as long as he wants.
- 2. Avoid yelling: Yelling can scare your cockatoo. That’s why it’s important to use gentle voices when you’re trying to teach your cockatoo to run to you.
- 3. Never hit: Hitting your cockatoo won’t help him to learn anything. In fact, hitting him can cause serious injuries.
- 4. Don’t punish: Punishing your cockatoo for not responding to your voice will only discourage him from learning anything.
- 5. Don’t use harsh language: Don’t use any type of harsh language. It will only confuse your cockatoo.
- 6. Don’t shout: Shouting can scare your cockatoo. That’s why it’s important to use soft voices when you’re trying to teach your cockatoos to come running to you.
What if my cockatoo isn’t coming to me?
Your cockatoo might not want to come to you. There could be many reasons behind it. Some common causes include:
- Your cockatoo is sick.
- Your cockatoo is afraid of something.
- Your cockatoo has been mistreated in the past.
- Your cockatoos didn’t get enough sleep.
- Your cockatoo is stressed out.
If your cockatoo isn’t responding to your voice, then you should first make sure that your cockatoo isn’t sick. Then, check if your cockatoo is scared of something. Finally, ask yourself whether your cockatoo was mistreated in the past or if it got too little sleep.
If none of these issues applies, then you should probably just wait until your cockatoo comes back to you.
How much time does it take to train my cockatoo?
Training takes about two months. However, it depends on the age of your cockatoo. For example, a young cockatoo will need less time to master the skill than an older one.
Can I train my cockatoo to come running to me at night?
It is not so good to train your cockatoo at night. At night time they take rest and sleep. So, you have to train your cockatoo in the daytime. That will help you to get good results earlier.
My cockatoo seems to be ignoring me. Why?
It may seem strange, but sometimes, cockatoos don’t want to come to you even though you’ve trained them to do so. The reason behind it is unknown. It could be because of their age, health condition, or other factors. You can try to find the answer by asking your vet.
Can I treat my cockatoo during training?
Yes, you can treat your cockatoo while it’s being trained. But, you should always keep in mind that treating your cockatoo can affect its performance. Treating your cockatoo with medication such as antibiotics can also increase the risk of infections. So, before giving your cockatoo any medicine, you should consult your vet first.
Final thought
Cockatoos are very smart animals. They are very intelligent and they understand what we say. If you give them proper attention and care, they will definitely respond to you. In this article, we discussed how to train a cockatoo to come running to you. We hope you got some new knowledge and it will help you to train your own cockatoo to come to you.
