New baby knows how to step up, but won't

[Arecibo's Mum]

Hi there,

New parent here! We brought our 6-month old baby grey girl home on Thursday, and she has been settling in. The breeder says she knows how to step up, and she has done it a couple of times for me but only when she really needed to -- one time she was on the floor and didn't have anything else to climb up on, one time she was on the bed in the same predicament. She's a bit timid, but has progressed from growling to taking food from our fingers. Currently when she's in or on her cage, I'm praising her for allowing me to move my hand closer to her in "step up"position without her backing away. Is this ok? Should I be more insistent on getting her to step up? She didn't seem to be all that cooperative with the breeder, who more often than not would end up picking her up and pinning her toes so she wouldn't flap away off her hand. Any advice on the best way forward from here would be much appreciated. I've seen the note to take them to a neutral room, but tough to do that if they won't step up on you to get off their cage.

[Jayd]

Do what your doing, remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, there are so many useful posts on the forum, check out the nursery...The forum is slow on the weekend. Thanks Jayd and Spock

[danmcq]

Patience, love and understanding your new baby greys uneasiness as you are doing is the best method to build trust with your new grey. Your doing a GreYt job is getting this new relationship off the ground.

[judygram]

As the two before me have stated it will take time for your little one to settle into his new home and feel comfortable so allow him to set the pace of what he wants to do, do not rush him for more than he is willing to give and you will be rewarded, think in terms of small steps but I bet in a few weeks or months things will be a lot different than they are right now.

[Arecibo's Mum]

Thanks all for your encouragement! Today she let me touch her beak and her foot, while she was "examining" my other fingers with her beak. Lol She's showing more curiosity, and she's playing lots with a bell toy that originally was imagined to be a bird-eating villain. We've also found her weakness... Grapes! She's gaga for them. Even had her stepping toward me for one. Trying to associate delicious treats with a "C'mere!" command. Not stepping up, but still fun.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Stepup and stepdown, takes time and patience, but very important! For me... I consider it one of the most important steps for a bird to learn. All my birds hated learning it, would beg, bribe me, anything they could think of. I would have none of it! They had to learn, and they did. A decade later, they all stepup, without me even prompting them. Sometimes I feel guilty, when they want to stepup the moment I walk in the door, and I have to tell them... " give me five minutes!" Nancy

[Greywings]

That "come here" command can turn into a nagging Grey, I have two that make the demand "Come here!" and they mean it. So funny when they turn the tables.

[katana600]

She is still really just getting acclimated to a big change, it is really encouraging she is letting you get close, accepting your touch and eating from your hands. Finding her "currency", cutting those grapes into smaller pieces to make more opportunities will help have lots of small investments into her "trust fund". Before long she will be the one initiating the request for a step up to get closer to you. It was so exciting for us during those first days, I wanted to show our little guy how great life was going to be together. That last week of waiting for him to come home and the first week home may have been the longest weeks in my life, but it was worth it to see him change from guarded to affectionate as soon as he felt comfortable. You are off to a great start.

[Stefanie]

That "come here" command can turn into a nagging Grey, I have two that make the demand "Come here!" and they mean it. So funny when they turn the tables.

HAHAHAHA!

 

Charlie brought this one with him, too! It's usually a last resort after all of the other whistles, bubbling, meows, barking, beeps, boops and blips haven't enticed me back to the room!

[Spinner]

Hi there' date='

... Should I be more insistent on getting her to step up? She didn't seem to be all that cooperative with the breeder, who more often than not would end up picking her up and pinning her toes so she wouldn't flap away off her hand. ....[/quote']

 

Don't insist on behaviour from our greys. There is no reason I should have for her to step up that trumps her need to step up, or not to step up.

 

As for your breeder's behaviour of pinning her toes - go smack your breeder! All he/she has done is provide a negative reinforcer for stepping up, thank you.

[Luvparrots]

.............. As for your breeder's behaviour of pinning her toes - go smack your breeder! All he/she has done is provide a negative reinforcer for stepping up, thank you.

 

Hi Dave, love to hear from you. I almost choked on my coffee when I read your post. You should stop by more often and (hint) show us pictures of your babies.