Breakthrough!

[Bandit]

Step up is accomplished!

While he's in his cage he's still very wary so we're taking it slowly while he's in there. But if he's out of his cage, he'll step up without a care in the world.

YAY! Oh this makes me so happy!

Also, I was at the fridge just before, and he flew over to me (his wings are clipped so he "flew" as well as he could" and landed on my side. This is the first time he's made an effort to come to me from a distance, and the first time he's come to me without me offering him anything.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

That's awesome! It's amazing when you really start bonding with a animal as amazing as a bird

 

[Bandit]

It really is. I already love him so much and it's SUCH a good feeling when I can see he's starting to trust me more and more. I have to keep telling myself that it's only been a week, and that Rome wasn't built in a day haha. The progress we've made is amazing and i'm so happy.

 

[Bandit]

Breakthrough #2.. He'll now step up in his cage!

I started getting him to step up on a different stick and clicking/rewarding when he did it, then I exchanged the stick for my fingers. First he put one foot on so I clicked & reward. Then after a few hours (of me coming back and forth between cleaning again) i've got him stepping up on my fingers!

Sometimes he needs a reminder of what i'm asking by me offering the stick to step up on first, then my fingers, but he's getting it! At the moment he needs me to SAY "step up" when my hand enters the cage otherwise he's just like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!"

I'm so excited right now. Lord I love this bird!

 

[Turk]

What wonderful progress and a great start!

 

[Bandit]

Thanks Turk! It's so rewarding when he'll do something that he's been avoiding like the plague for days haha.

Here's a picture! Chowing down on his veggies.

 

[Grinder]

That first time they come to you on their own terms is a wonderful feeling.

 

[Shayne]

The first time they let you stroke them is even better. Have fun!

 

[Bandit]

Thanks guys!
I can't tell you what an exhilarating feeling it was when he finally stepped up on my fingers inside his cage. We've been working so hard and I was so ridiculously excited and I think he picked up on that.

I've been trying to get him to do it on his own terms inside his cage because his cage is his personal space. I want him to feel safe in there and know he can go there whenever he wants for security, so having him step up in there was a huge thing for me.