Question about teaching to step up

[Gaevren]

I see a lot of advice (not just here, but lots of places) that say if you're having trouble getting your bird to step-up, to take it to a small quiet room, like a bathroom, someplace away from the cage.

 

So my question is: If you have a bird who doesn't want to step-up, how do you get him out of the cage and into another room? Especially without traumatizing or scaring him? Nothing I read seems to address this issue- it's like they all think the bird will magically appear in the bathroom or somethign!

[Suzzique]

A good way to get them to step up to start with is to come in from behind. So that he has to back up onto your hand. Even once they know how doesn't mean that they will want to!

[danmcq]

Gaevren wrote:

So my question is: If you have a bird who doesn't want to step-up, how do you get him out of the cage and into another room?

 

That depends on the bird. If it was previously tame and would step-up, the bathroom option may not be needed. That would require more trust building with time and patience. Offer treats in the cage to distract the beak and gently try to get him to step up. You can also come in from the back as Suzzieque mentioned.

 

If it's a wild or breeder that you are trying to tame, thats a whole different story. Thats when many times a wing clip is necessary so they can only glide gently to the floor. Then you try try to have them step up on perches, moving your hand closer and closer to them each time you have them step up. after a few days they will basically be stepping up right next to your hand, then you can simply offer you hand instead of the perch to step up on. This could take several days to accomplish with a wild or breeder bird.

 

The obvious answer to getting a bird to another room like the Bathroom would be to towel them and carry them in there or once they have glided down to the floor "Herd" them running along on the floor into the bathroom, close the door and sit and interact with them. :-)

 

I personally never used the bathroom to train my wild conure. I clipped him, used the perch, substituted by hand over time and he got to where he would step up on command. he is now flighted again and has no desire to step, he just says, thanks but I'll just fly. ;-)

[Janfromboone]

Suzzique- glad to hear someone else has found this works. Coming from behind when Tobie is stubborn works for me too, but I've never heard anyone else mention it.

[TinyTimneh]

Personally, I would be hesitant to come in from behind with any of my birds, wouldn't want to trigger a fright/startle reflex.. figure this is how predators jump them in the wild. If your bird doesn't want to step-up don't push it at this point. There's no need to try and wrangle him into the bathroom... as for it being quiet and dark... also seems like instinctively pretty spooky for a grey. Just open the cage and let him out to climb around and come out if he wants to (Later on you will want to avoid doing this in order to maintain social dominance), offer him a treat once he's out and if he takes it, praise him (i actually like to use a clicker to click the moment he touches my hand to get a treat) and stop it there. don't reach for him. back up, continuing talking to him without making direct eye contact (stay lower than him and blink a lot, it signals to him that you are calm in his prescence and are just another bird like him becuz terrified birds will not blink... just stare at the scary thing) calmly approach again with another treat and offer it to him. praise and repeat. then, when you're done, lure him back into his cage with treats. Continue this until he is no longer hesitant to approach your hands or you. then, you can try pressing your fingers into his belly for him to step up praising if he does (I find it helpful to calmly say his name nad the command, then offer your hand), and repeat daily, for the rest of his life. good luck!

[Janfromboone]

Guess it works for Tobie because he has no fear of my hands and is just being stubborn and pushing my hand away, not biting