How To Teach Parrot Training Tricks: Discover The Shake Hands Trick [Part 2]
Now that you and your parrot have perfected the UP command, it’s time to move on to the next basic trick. Let’s use the UP command to help your parrot learn how to shake hands. Many parrots can learn this trick in only one or two session while others may require a few more training sessions.
Because the trick is built upon the already-familiar UP command, it is one of the easiest tricks to teach your parrot and can be a building-block for many more tricks. To inspire you in taking some real action with what you’ll learn, please watch this video PROOF from YouTube on how this “non parrot trainer” can easily teach this trick (among many others) to their birds.
Step-by-Step Trick Training: The Skake Hands Trick
So, here’s a breakdown of some of the parrot trick training steps you must follow to work on the shake hands parrot trick.
First of all, you’ll want to determine which foot your parrot uses as his primary foot. People are either left-handed or right-handed and parrots prefer to stand on one foot more than the other, becoming less confident if required to stand only on their non-primary foot. Notice when your parrot steps UP which foot is raised first. This is the primary foot and will be the foot which is used for shaking hands.
While people always extend the right hand, not all parrots are willing to offer their right foot for shaking. You can encourage your parrot to use the right foot if you prefer, but it is much, much easier to allow the bird to shake hands with the foot which it prefers to use.
Step One: Choose the Command
You may prefer to use “shake” or “give me four” (parrots only have four toes instead of five fingers). What word or words you select is not as important as being consistent with the use of the command you select. You can’t expect your parrot to respond if you have taught it to shake hands when you say “shake” but the next time you say “give me your foot” or something similar. Consistency is the absolute key.
Step Two: Speak the Command
Simply say the command you have decided to consistently use when you want your parrot to shake hands. Speak clearly and assertively but also kindly.
Step Three: Get the Parrot to Lift One Foot
Because your parrot knows to step up when you present your finger or arm, you will use this to get the bird to lift one foot. Because you do not want it to actually step up, you should offer room for only one foot. If you normally offer your finger, then place your finger so that only the primary foot will have room on your finger.
Step Four: Grasp the Raised Foot
As your parrot lifts its primary foot to step onto your finger, gently grasp the foot and move it up and down very gently once.
Step Five: Reward
As soon as the parrot has allowed you to shake its foot, immediately offer the reward you have found to work best for training. You’ll find information in Appendix A about choosing a reward and learning your parrot’s favorite treat. If you offer a treat, combine it with lots of praise and loving words. If your parrot loves to be tickled, give him some tickles in his favorite spot. The idea is to let him know that he has done exactly what he was asked to do when he was asked to do it.
What if the parrot didn’t lift its foot to shake hands? In that case, if it has even made any effort toward doing what you requested, then it gets a reward and you repeat the steps. If you have taught your parrot well to step UP on command, then if you have difficulty getting him to lift one foot, you can touch its foot and it almost certainly will lift the foot so you can grasp it and then reward.
If you parrot performs only part of the behavior the first time, it gets a reward. However, the next time it must do a little bit more toward completing the behavior before receiving any reward. Do not offer a reward for going backward instead of forward in the process! Otherwise, the bird will simply “play you” to get treats!
Step Six: Repeat
During a training session, you should repeat this process four or five times. Do not ask your parrot to repeat the trick too many times or it will become bored with the idea and choose not to respond, defeating your whole purpose. Instead, wait a while — maybe an hour or two — and repeat the training. You can do this several times per day but always keep the training interesting and fun for your parrot.
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About the Author: Nora Caterino, known as the Mississippi Bird Lady, or just Bird Lady for short, has trained, raised, and lived with birds for over 30 years. You can subscribe to access news, articles, videos, forums, and receive unlimited one-on-one advice and coaching for one full year. For one-on-one coaching and advice, simply join the Elite Parrots Club at
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