While some pets can be insanely curious, others can be scared of the smallest things. And when they come up against the unknown, it’s up to us to find a way to help them. Louie the Macaw and his human are showing viewers on TikTok how a little trust goes a long way.

A few days ago, @noplucksgiven shared Louis’ tense reaction to the piggy bank. At first, he wasn’t interested in playing any games with it. As the post caption tells us, “Louie was gifted a piggy bank from one of his followers… He was initially terrified of it, so we worked through the fear with target training.”

Don’t hesitate to press play to see this birdie overcome his fear. Trust me, this video will probably be the sweetest thing you’ll see today.

What a brave bird! In the clip, Louie is apprehensive about getting closer to the toy pig, but his human parent helps fix that. She started by tapping the piggy bank with sticks and then the toy coins with her fingers to help Louie understand what to do. When he did the correct action like touching or picking up a toy coin, she rewarded Louie with treats and positive praise. As the video text noted, “In one training session, he not only got over his fear but also learned how to use it properly!”

Viewers were especially proud of his courage and admired the relationship he has with his human. Commenter @xoxo_thais declared, “The fact that you worked through this fear in one training session is amazing! It really goes to show how much he trusts you and the bond that you guys share.”

Related: Cockatoo Finally Warms Up to Tiny Parrot Sibling in Moment of Pure Magic

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Seeing Louie enjoy his piggy bank was treat for many. “I love how he wants to be scared, but his curiosity gets the better of him after you start putting the coins in!” relayed @spacekatedet. And @terriaki joked, “Good job, Louie! It’s never too early to start saving for retirement!”

What Is Target Training for Birds?

Louis’s human basically gives us a guide on how to do this with your parrot. As The Aviator Harness website explains, target training is a method of “helping parrots learn how to touch certain objects” with their beaks or feet when asked. The human uses tools to help the parrot follow directions and gives positive reinforcement with affirming words and treats.

As Louis’s human mentions in the post, “This single training session shows how useful target training can be, and that it should be one of the first ‘tricks’ you ever teach a bird.” It definitely worked for this Macaw, and by the end, he was a piggy bank pro. Have fun, Louie!

This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.