Teaching an Amazon parrot to NOT say something

[MoodyChicken]

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Yeah, I think she's just expressing herself, but I was just curious if there was any way I could change her self expression habits to something that won't drive my dad insane. Well good news for him is that I'll be gone for a few days and Goober doesn't say a word when I'm gone.

 

[Spike]

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I was completely exhausted when I replied last night, so I apologize if I wasn't more clear or coherent.

It takes time and patience, but almost any behavior / language can be corrected or made more tolerable and 99% of the correction occurs from not rewarding the behavior.

It's a matter of figuring out what the bird considers "rewarding."

I have 2 rescued Macaws..one who literally screams to the point that it hurts your ears if he hears me on the phone.. It's slowly but surely getting better because I refuse to go into their room and shush them or interact.. I may simply go and close their door... But that is all the "attention" he'll get from me. It really does work.

Same goes for other habits (biting), and words or phrases they've "picked up" along the way.. If they get a reaction from you that they find appealing, however simple or typical it may seem to us as humans..they'll continue to do it. They know what they want and they're simply figuring out how to get it. IE Sometimes a good nip is the only way a bird seems to be able to get you to leave him/her alone.. Know what I mean? (It's all hypothetical)

Anyway..sorry for being long winded. Just trying to help ya' out.