Step up!

[Raiderbabe]

Hey everyone! I need some advice. Malibu knows step up pretty well but what do I do when he doesn't want to do anything. For example: I bought him a shower perch. He loves being in there with me and he sits very nice. When the shower was over I don't think Malibu wanted to leave. I kept telling him to step up, step up and he would not budge. He just stood there and wouldn't move. What is your advice on how to get him to step up. I was upstairs and didn't have a treat with me so I didn't run downstairs to get one. I just kept saying it until eventually he actually almost slipped on his perch because it was wet and he latched onto me. What do you do if they just don't want to step up? Please help.

[BaxtersMom]

That's a great question and I'd like to know the answer to. Baxter knows how to step up very good but if he doesn't want to he just won't do it unless I get a chair and get "taller" than him. He is usually on the top of his cage when I want him to step up because that's where he spends most of his time. He doesn't fall for the treat either:blink: .

[danmcq]

They do have their own mind and if they do not wish to step up, they won't. It could be that he knew he was on slippery ground and was afraid to let go.

 

You could try coming in from the back and make him step back, which I do sometimes with Dayo when he does not wish to step up.

 

The other option is to either just pick them up with your hands (If you know he won't bite hard) or towel him.

 

You may want to look at putting some vet wrap or similar material on that shower perch so he will feel he has a good grip and is not focused on just hanging on too the perch. :-)

[judygram]

danmcq wrote:

You may want to look at putting some vet wrap or similar material on that shower perch so he will feel he has a good grip and is not focused on just hanging on too the perch. :-)

 

Very good idea Dan, those shower perches may be a little slippery and that vet wrap will do the trick.

[Raiderbabe]

THanks everyone! Now last night he stepped up on my boyfriends hand! What a little bugger with a mind of his own. I am quickly learning Malibu does what Malibu wants to do not what Mommy wants him to do!

[n2fisher]

I used to have that problem with gandalf .. he'd go to my brother-in-law all the time, but I had a hard time getting him out of his cage, or off the top of his cage. Now that my brother-in-law no longer lives here and he's bonded to me even more, he'll come to me almost all the time.

 

One thing that seemed to work for me, when he not in the "mood" to step up, is to move your hand up and in towards him .. touching his breast and pushing him off balance. He'll naturally step up then (unless he bites you). In his cage he would simply run sideways when I did that, but when he's on a perch without much room to move, he has no choice but to step up.

 

Good luck!

[Tigerlily]

When Tigerlily has her rare moments of not wanting to step up I dont give her the choice.

 

I put my hand touching her belly and gentley move it back/up so she has to either step up or be pushed off her perch.

The other option is to pick her up by her feet. I HATE doing this as does Tigerlily and she has to really annoy me before I use that method.

 

Again, both methods depend on weather your grey is going to thank you for it by give you a nice big biteB)