how do you potty train them?

its easy (i potty trained rusty to do big poops in the morning on a handy towel that i hold out for him - then he poops, gets a kiss and he is happy as - then does lille poops throughout the day but doesn't like pooping on ppl).

you just say poop every single time he poops, mornings is when they like pooping - so pick him up - say poop and wait, then he poops, say poop again, give him a treat - he will like that and associate the word poop with pooping.

voila. potty trained bird.

rusty hops on my finger, tenses up in the morning and does a great big poop on the handy towel that i chuck away.

birds are actually clean animals, so will only dirty their surroundings if they have to.... give him an alternative - my crows had a lille sand box that they pooped in.

how long does it take?

took rusty about 5 or 6 days....

normally should take a magpie 7 - 12 days?

its totally possible... how big is this magpie? does it have all its plumage?

It is still a fluffy on its body, its getting proper feathers on its head and wings, but not completely

thats cool... u should get it...

im sure you'll like it.....

they are incredibly intelligent.

I want it. Just have to convince the flatties

it could live outdoors in an aviary when its older and has its adult feathers.... just a thought...

I may need a lid for all my tanks tho......

you can teach him to be nice to the fish.... he'll prob poop in the tank more than any thing.. or bathe in there....

that's what rusty used to do.. but now he feeds the fish if he likes...

I've seen wild magpies catching tadpoles, I can see that guppies would look tasty too

yeah very tasty, lol.. u could train him not to do things that are "wrong".

they can learn commands...

look up training crows / magpies on google... should find some good things there.... that or domesticating magpies / crows.....

can a magpie be taught to talk?

yes. they caw in the wild cause its all they know... but they have an advanced vocal chord...

I had an RC dogfight with one a few months ago, camera on the nose facing backward...

8) :lol:

whoa! that's real cool! i gave you a 5star rating, lol...

how do you teach them?

u talk to them.. a lot... and then they will talk back when they get the hang of it... they can mimic a lot of sounds... and i mean a LOT.

they usually live for about 3 -4 years in captivity as far as i know.... so not a long time commitment, like me with rusty - 30+ year commitment....

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AtCqJdp_IKo

this is a cool video of one...

We used to have a wild one near us that rang like a phone. A damned nuisance when you were hanging the washing and heard a phone ring! :roll: :lol:

can they actually talk 2 you? or just repeat sounds. do they associate the words with their meanings or just spout off crap they have learnt randomly

Best to be raised on a Farm where its close to nature and as close to the wild as possible. (only fair for the bird)

Where it can scare away all the native birds and make a nuisance of itself? I grew up in the country on a property bordered by native bush. The neighbor had his elderly parents living with him and the old man had a couple of tame magpies. They were very aggressive and chase and attack the native birds, so much so that as soon as his father died the neighbor trapped and killed them!

You might as well have a pet catfish and keep it in a stream so it can eat all the native fish...

Where do you get a baby magpie? Steal it from the nest??

Farm, as in farm land, paddock type thing. :-?

Not native bush farm.

Eha, dont worry. :roll:

Farm, as in farm land, paddock type thing. :-?

Not native bush farm.

Eha, dont worry. :roll:

Farmland and paddocks usually have heaps of native birds and other native life, assuming they're not chased off by magpies. My father in law sees FAR more bird life since he's wiped out all the magpies in the area. They're not considered pests without reason.

uh huh. I said dont worry, in other words, forget it.