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Post by Holly on Apr 22, 2016 6:09:00 GMT -5
Norman and I are having some 'step up' issues. He is becoming very social and loves his cuddles, kisses, stratchies, standing on my head and shoulders and just plain being together, but a big no to stepping up.
He lets me pick him up pretty well, there is a tiny bit of resistance by hanging on with his feet to whatever he happens to be on but then he holds onto my hand and he is comfortable and chirping away nicely.
BUT everything I have read says I should teach him to step up while he is still young which will help with his teenage years. Does anyone have any advice or tips on what they did to teach their Quaker? Or how they got the process started? I have read heaps of 'step by step' instructions and watched a dozen YouTube clips but Norman either just plain doesn't understand what I want or he doesn't want to do it? I don't know?!
Thanks everyone!
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Post by Angela on Apr 22, 2016 7:36:19 GMT -5
Can't help you there! When we first got Skye we just asked him to step up for a day or 2 then he was actually doing it! Was so easy! Where as Loki is a completely different story. He won't go anywhere near my hands! He is happy as larry to stand on my shoulder. If he is on the floor and wants to get up he walks over to me and then crawls up my skirt or pants till he gets on my shoulder but absolutely will not go near my hands! If I put my hands near him he gives me little nips (does not hurt at all), but I think if I pushed it, his nips would get harder... So no idea, sorry! Best of luck. You sound like you're doing great with Norman  |
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Post by easttex on Apr 22, 2016 12:13:07 GMT -5
Whenever I'm looking for a good approach to a training issue, I see if Barbara Heidenreich has anything out on it. I really like her approach to animal behavior, which is basically give them reasons to want to do what you ask, and don't force them. She has a blog post on the step up, and while it isn't a compete step by step procedural, she gives great info on creating the right mindset. Perhaps it will help you to get things started, and then you use whatever step by step you prefer. goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2013/01/help-my-parrot-wont-step-up.html |
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Post by cnyguy on Apr 22, 2016 21:15:58 GMT -5
In the beginning, Ralph would readily step up onto a spare wooden perch, but not directly onto my hand or arm. It didn't take him long to graduate from stepping onto the perch to hopping straight onto my hand. That's an approach you might try.
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Post by julianna on Apr 25, 2016 17:34:45 GMT -5
After a little while... they will want your attention so much... that you don't even need the command to "step up". They will learn that it is a good thing... and will come to you as soon as you put your finger out. Be sure to reward him with a little treat.. such as sitting on your shoulder... or a little pumpkin seed.
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Post by biteybird on Apr 26, 2016 2:32:14 GMT -5
We were lucky because the breeder we got Bonnie from had already taught all the babies to step up. All we did was make sure our forefinger was horizontal in front of her body near where the legs join on, press lightly against the tummy and say "step up" (although I more often say "come on", now). Usually she is happy to comply - but not always!
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Post by tomandhuevos on Jul 14, 2016 20:14:58 GMT -5
How big is the door of his cage?
My fella was hand shy and not stepping up first got him. He would need to be physically caught to be taken out of his cage. Even after that he didn't really step onto fingers and just nestled into the palm of my hand like a nest.
He seemed nervous coming out of the cage. When he was out he was fine. Just not stepping up or anything. What I figured it to be was the door of the cage was pretty small and that seemed to make him anxious when it was time to come out and play.
While browsing I found a new cage that had a very large door (pretty much the size of the entire side of the cage AND a cage roof that opened up. I decided to give that a try. Maybe he would be happier coming out of the top of the cage and not the small door.
It's been like night and day ever since. I haven't actually ever used the roof of the cage to get him out. The big door seems to have made him more confident. Right away he would crawl onto my hand by himself instead of the need for me to grab him and shortly after he switched to stepping up on my finger.
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Post by julianna on Jul 22, 2016 13:34:34 GMT -5
Sometimes if they won't step up with your finger in front of him... bring your finger behind his legs and he might go backwards. I do this to Oscar every time he refuses to step up. Usually it is because he knows I am bringing him somewhere he does not want to go... but if I go backwards... he always steps up.
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Post by duckysmom on Jul 23, 2016 16:18:13 GMT -5
How is the step up going? I trained my macaw. She was pretty easy. My cockatiel just took some extra time and one-on-one, no distraction training away from his cage. Ducky, my QP, came from the breeder already knowing it. I found with my cockatiel,laddering worked well. Once you get him on you, go to another room where he can't see his cage. Then get him on your finger, lower your hand, press the pointer finger of the other hand against him where his legs connect to his body and say the words. When he steps up onto that finger, praise, repeat with the now free hand. Over and over. Give a break, maybe a treat, some affection and sweet talk. Then do it again. He took about a week of daily training sessions - he was a bit stubborn but smart. He decided it was actually fun to hang out with me so in his own time, he gave in.
But we would all love to hear how it's going.
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Post by Holly on Jul 24, 2016 4:36:23 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for your advice. I have great news... Normy is finally starting to step up!! Yay! He is even saying the words 'come on' which I say instead of 'step up'. He is still a little stubborn and likes to step up when he feels like it, but I now know that he knows what 'come on' means and he usually does it after a little minute or so of deciding whether he will listen to me or not haha
He turned 6 months old today and is already so much more confident and adventurous than when I first brought him home. He is now all over me and we have such a great trusting relationship. He is also eating so much better (he was a VERY stubborn seed eater when I first got him) he now LOVES his veggies, especially sugar snap peas and broccoli but will eat a huge range... basically whatever veggies we have in the house that he is allowed to have. He still isn't keen on pellets and when I say not keen I mean not eating them very often or at all, but I feel like we are making such great progress with his diet that now he is eating a huge variety of veggies and fruit along with some seed, we can keep trying with the pellets but it isn't the most important thing.
He is also talking and saying new words almost everyday, some I can't quite understand but he has certainly mastered I love you, hello, come on, what ya doing?, night night, woohoo, Normy (so cute when he says his name) and dinner time.
He really is so lovely and I love watching him learn new things!
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Post by jeannes on Jul 24, 2016 6:11:41 GMT -5
I taught Starry to love step up with a clicker and treats! She used to bite when you presented your finger. Now she hops on like nobody's business!
At first I held her favorite treat right over my finger so she would hop on, eventually I weaned that out and just treated when she was already on. And now I do it after every 2-3 step up
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Post by duckysmom on Jul 24, 2016 7:08:28 GMT -5
Thanks for the update! So glad Normy is starting to listen. If I may suggest it, work with him on that training- not just when taking him out. He really needs to do it every time you ask. There may come a time that for his safety that you need to get him quickly and move him to another place. If he were to choose that moment to ignore you, it could be bad. I am currently working on recall training with Ducky. So far, I've only gotten him to look at me when I call to him to "come here" but that's more than a week ago when he wouldn't even do that. He would only look at me when HE wanted something. Sounds like you have a smart little guy there, though,and maybe I'm just a worry wart.
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Post by julianna on Jul 24, 2016 14:22:37 GMT -5
That is a good point duckysmom.... for his safety. Another thing I have taught Oscar... (or shall I say he taught me) is the danger call. When he screams danger... I will always come for him. I will repeat that scream of his... when I think there is danger around and he definitely pays attention to that. He is eager to jump up on my finger and shoulder to get him away from whatever danger I called.
I love this... cause he is like a watch dog now. Any time a car pulls in the driveway or someone is in our yard... Oscar calls danger. Of course I obey and go and see what it is. When I tell him "all gone" then he calms down.
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Post by beccilouise on Jul 31, 2016 5:48:29 GMT -5
Hello! I came to this a little late and am glad Normy seems to be doing so well. The fact he lets you 'grab' him is great, but step up is definitely a better way of getting him to come to you. Working away from his cage is definitely a good idea, and I've found clickers and treats work wonders with Maya. A good way of teaching step up is to start with a low perch as birds will instinctively want to be higher, and offer your finger as a higher perch option, laddering him all the way up to shoulder height, clicking and treating each time and using the 'step up' command. You already have a very trusting relationship, so I'm confident it won't take long to get him there |
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Post by Holly on Aug 9, 2016 4:16:52 GMT -5
Its finally clicked! Normy is finally able to 'step up'! Yay!! We got there!!
Now whenever I say 'come on' he repeats it back to me and climbs aboard! Of course there is the occasional look of distain, but he always follows through and I can finally say we have mastered 'stepping up'!!!
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