Backward step up

[BruceV]

Simba doesn't like to step up forward. He will (most of the time) only step off the back of a perch on to my arm. Once he's there, he will step off forward onto a perch/play stand. And I can get him to go forward arm to arm. But getting him out of the cage or off the play stand can be a challenge at times. Not unbearable, but I'd like to fix it if I can. Any ideas? And it's not a rebelious thing, it's like he's afraid to go forward.

 

[LiL_Caity413]

 

[MikeyTN]

I don't think Simba is being rebellious, that's probably just the way he learned to step up. Willie does the same thing. His previous owner who raised him as a baby told me that's how he steps up since he was a baby. She loved him dearly so I know he wasn't abused what so ever. Plus I was there to witness, you can clearly tell IF a bird was abused. So that's the way Willie steps up for me for the past 10 years. But after getting on the arm he would step up from the front. If that's the way he wants to be, I would let him be. I don't have any issue with Willie doing that.

 

[Birdman666]

If it's not broken don't fix it.

Step up, step down, who cares, as long as he's gentle and doing it when he is supposed to?

Some birds are just more comfortable stepping down and not up...

Why force the issue, if it works?

 

[nyspy]

A common practice by some people to force a bird to step up is to get them from behind. That's probably why your birdy is doing that. It's all he knows. It's not a bad thing, but it can be conditioned out of him. When you want him to step forward onto your other arm, just rotate the arm he's on towards your other arm. Don't twist your arm, just a slow minor rotation.

 

[Echo]

My Grey will step up both ways, forward or backward. I don't care either way as long as she steps up.

 

[nyspy]

At the end of the day it doesn't matter as long as Birdy doesn't look stressed doing it by the way.

 

[BruceV]

The problem is getting him out of the cage. I can't get behind the perches. I put a perch on the door, but he hated it and wouldn't go near it. We'll work it out, though.

 

[getwozzy]

My galah will step up either way if I ask her to; if she's on the boing it's easier for her to go backwards.

 

[MikeyTN]

The problem is getting him out of the cage. I can't get behind the perches. I put a perch on the door, but he hated it and wouldn't go near it. We'll work it out, though.

The perch you put on the door, is it the same height as his regular perches? If so, that's the problem there. IF you put a concrete perch as the highest perch on the side of the cage more towards the front, you can get behind the perch so he can step up that way. That's how I deal with Willie to get him to step backwards.

 

[BruceV]

The problem is getting him out of the cage. I can't get behind the perches. I put a perch on the door, but he hated it and wouldn't go near it. We'll work it out, though.

The perch you put on the door, is it the same height as his regular perches? If so, that's the problem there. IF you put a concrete perch as the highest perch on the side of the cage more towards the front, you can get behind the perch so he can step up that way. That's how I deal with Willie to get him to step backwards.

I tried a couple different heights, each lower than the other perches. He defends his cement perch, so getting him off that one is near impossible. He has a wooden perch and a rope perch that run from the back to the front, which is how he gets to the door. Hard to get behind those. I'll get it figured out somehow. It's only been a week and a half. Baby steps I guess. I certainly do appreciate all the input!

 

[Birdman666]

The problem is getting him out of the cage. I can't get behind the perches. I put a perch on the door, but he hated it and wouldn't go near it. We'll work it out, though.

So let him perch on the door, and put your body between him and the top of the cage.

 

[BruceV]

The problem is getting him out of the cage. I can't get behind the perches. I put a perch on the door, but he hated it and wouldn't go near it. We'll work it out, though.

So let him perch on the door, and put your body between him and the top of the cage.

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh because when I read this I envisioned myself planking on the top of the cage lol.
I do appreciate the suggestion. Because that is what he likes to do...head for the top of the cage.

 

[Birdman666]

Have you thought of placing a stepladder next to the cage to make yourself taller to step him up off of it?

What I used to do is open the door, wait for him to come out and perch on it, then step between the door and the cage. His options are now hand, floor, or trying to launch over you...

 

[nyspy]

lol.. I've had my bird try to launch once. It was interesting to say the least. He flew right into my chest, grabbed me by the chain around my neck, tore into my skin with his claws, grabbed my chin with his beak and then slid to the ground while complaining! Funniest thing I've ever seen. He never did it again.

 

[BruceV]

I have had to use the stepladder to rescue him from the top of the cage. He gets up there and doesn't know what to do. If I put my arm at the top of the cage he avoids it. So I get the ladder and he immediately steps up.

 

[nyspy]

haha.. a bird that's afraid of heights.. I love it.

 

[Birdman666]

haha.. a bird that's afraid of heights.. I love it.

Don't laugh too loud! My RFM used to be free flighted. One day she flew to the top of a 3 story building and was too chicken to fly down. She just sat there staring at me with her foot up in the air, squawking at me to come get her....