Pushy or not???

[dulphinz]

Hi,

Our pal Coco has been with us for 2 months or so now and every time I want him to come out of his cage (I feel guilty that he's in there for so many hours), I have to put my hand behind him for him to step up. As soon as i get home I do open the door to his cage. If he doesn't step up after a few seconds I leave him alone otherwise he comes out and seems to be content sitting around in the living room with us getting his cuddles and scratches. They spoke to him in English where we got him at 6 months but we speak French at home to him and our children. I'm guessing he understands what I'm asking of him at this point. Am I being too pushy? Should I let him be and just wait forbid to come out??? I really want him to be a happy bird (which he seems to be). He's eating well, playing a little more with his toys and his feathers are perfect. Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated. He's showing interest in talking by whistling and chuckling and saying his name once.

Thanks for your experienced input.

 

[weco]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the language difference, he's still young & will get everything figured out by association.....you do realize that he will need to know English for his driver's license though.....

 

[coltfire]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the language difference, he's still young & will get everything figured out by association.....you do realize that he will need to know English for his driver's license though.....

roflmao yeah i would not be to worried its still only early and he will come around bit by bit as he gets older, just keep up with what you are doing.

 

[nicki]

I'm really new at Ekkies and here is my experience. Tell him to step up, and if he does not, push toward his tummy/feet til he does. I understand my Eko doesn't understand what I mean a lot of the time, but he gets it after he steps up and I tell him what a good boy he is + treats! It's all about speaking his language

It seems he is very comfortable with your family, maybe you need to speak his language

 

[dulphinz]

Haha Weco! We'll figure out the driver's license in a few years I just want to make sure that it's ok for me to put my hand behind him to help him step up and not have him perceive this as forcing him. Thanks for all you input. It is appreciated!

 

[lpolliard]

The gen-X parronting technique I was taught through my rescue organization is not to force the parrot/child into doing anything. If he wants to step-up, he will. If not, he won't and move on. I am not a fan of this or with coddling my human children, now all grown into fine young adults. Most times Chico will step up when asked. Sometimes he is stubborn about it. If it is not imperative I will let him be else I will force the issue by nudging him under the chest. Sometimes I have to do as you do and schooch him from behind. He seems not to take offense to me insisting.

Maybe it depends on the relationship you have with your companion, parront/parrot or friendship/parrot. I can see myself having a less close relationship with a rescue with aggressive issues and using the technique taught at the rescue.

 

[sodakat]

Haha Weco! We'll figure out the driver's license in a few years I just want to make sure that it's ok for me to put my hand behind him to help him step up and not have him perceive this as forcing him. Thanks for all you input. It is appreciated!

Well, if you put your hand behind him to help him step up, you are forcing him.

Does he know the French word? Does he know the English word? Actually they usually pick up on body language pretty quickly right along with whatever phrase you use to ask for a step up.

I never reach behind. If I *must* have a step up I move my hand into their breast. If the bird bites then it doesn't come out! No blood on my part thank you.

Some birds need to think about things, especially some male Eclectus. I do hold my hand in front of them for a decent length of time and say the phrase more than once with these fellows.

But my youngsters know what it means and they are just over 3 months now. I trained them for the rope perch also and now have attached a folded rope perch to a long dowel so I can reach them way up high in the aviary. If I extend the perch up to Jersey and say "step up" from below her where I am standing, she will lift her foot. I might have to touch her with the rope but she always steps on it. It has become automatic for her.

Of course they can fly off if they really don't want to step up and there is not much that can be done about that, other than recall training.

 

[Chikoo]

Just give him some time. They can be really "slow" sometimes. My female lifts her foot if I put my hand anywhere near her abdomen or feet. She knows the body language so well. I rarely even say "step up". My male is a bit slower. Sometimes he is ready to step right up, and other times he just sits there and looks at me like what are you doing?

 

[MonicaMc]

Should use treats to teach a bird to step up. Touching them in any way to get them to step up is forcing them. A bird who knows how to step up and eagerly anticipates stepping up will lift their foot to you ready for a step up.

 

[dulphinz]

Sodakat- I understand...no more hand behind him! I got him from a pet shop so I'm not sure if he was taught to step up. He doesn't step up whether I say it in English or French. Should I leave him in there and just wait in this case? I try a few times and if he doesn't step up I just leave him alone.

As to treats, he doesn't eat anything from my hands. He's been with us for two months now...is it normal for it to take this long? Once he's out he seems to really enjoy the scratches and cuddles... Thoughts??? Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[MonicaMc]

What's his diet? If it's not pellets, what's the first thing he eats out of his dish? Have you ever tried training him when he's hungriest? A bird who is full of food would be less likely to work for food/treats than one who's a bit of the hungry side. This doesn't mean starving, just managing food differently.

 

[dulphinz]

MonicaMC- In the morning I give him a fresh bowl of fruits (which he doesn't touch...I'm not sure why tho!), he gets 10 Harrison's pellets, fruit on a skewer and fresh water. Then when I get home from work I get his volkman mix ready to which I add fresh rice and veggies (peppers, corn, peas, carrots, turnip, etc...). He chows down on this mix! I do give him a nutri-berry every now and then. I've tried hand feeding him pine nuts or cashews or almonds and he puts his beak to it and turns around. If it's in his bowl or foraging toys then he'll eat them!

Do you think I should try the step up in the morning before the food is given to him? I really want to go at his pace, but this morning, I tried to get him to step up to come out with me and he didn't so I left him in his cage with the door open. After a few minutes he started making quiet little noises...I thought maybe he changed his mind and wanted to come out but no...he kept making the noises...

If only I could read his mind! haha

 

[Peeker]

Does he get the Volkmans seeds every day? I know that when mine get seed they will pack themselves full and not eat well at their next feeding. Maybe that is why he doesn't eat his fruit in the morning? Does he eat fruit if it's offered at other times?

 

[sodakat]

It could be he has not been taught so in that case you may as well use French!

IMO step up should be taught with praise instead of a food reward. I think it gets too confusing for an untrained bird otherwise.

If you are getting a bird to trust you, approaching them with a treat and saying that word so they know what to expect is a nice friendly gesture. But holding the treat across the hand you want them to step onto in order to get them to move towards the treat has too many variables, IMO.

So instead I hold my obviously empty hand with all four fingers extended and tight together, vertically in front of the bird so he steps onto the index finger. My thumb is tucked into the palm. Using this method, the backs of my fingers do touch the bird's legs when I ask for a step up as they are learning.

I've observed that they automatically lift a foot when the back of the fingers touch their legs and then I just move my hand underneath.

 

[dulphinz]

Peeker- he does get the volkman bean,fruit, and veggie mix every day (1/8 cup). To which I add fruit, veggies and rice or pasta. I'll have to try to not give him that. Thanks!

Sodakat- thanks for the advice I will try. It's weird 'cause he'll step up if he's on his perch or the counter or anywhere else, but not from inside his cage. So I'm not sure if he really understands the whole step up concept. I'll try using all four fingers as right now I only put out one.

Thank you all for helping,
!

 

[MonicaMc]

Done correctly, using treats to teach a behavior works exceptionally well... it's just a matter of finding said treat that the bird is willing to take from your hand as well as not asking too much too soon.

If you present your left hand as the 'step up' and your right hand with a treat, and hold your right hand on the side closest to you, and your bird refuses to step on your hand to take said treat from your right hand, that's asking too much! However, if you present your treat hand on the other side of your left hand, furthest from you and slowly get the bird used to the idea of coming to your right hand for a treat, which slowly gets closer and closer to your left hand (while it remains in a stable position), that's the way it should be done. And, of course, if a bird balks at any step closer to that left hand, then you go back a step and repeat until the bird is comfortable enough to go on.


If a bird is full, they are less likely to take food from you than if they were hungry. This doesn't mean you must starve them in order to train them, you simply learn how to manage their food intake so that they wont be full during training times.

There's a lot of great information out there...

Bird Whisperer of Las Vegas: Taming & Training Rescue Birds
Natural Encounters, Inc.
Natural Encounters, Inc.
Good Bird Inc Parrot Training Talk
Lara Joseph | An avid avian training, behavior, and enrichment enthusiast.
Learning Parrots | Empowering the learners in our households
Living With Parrots Cage Free

 

[dulphinz]

Thanks for all the info and links Monica! Will be checking those out.

 

[dulphinz]

I'm so excited (I don't need much)! Coco finally stepped up from inside his cage yesterday and again this morning! Thank you all for al your advice and help....I'm sure I'll b back for more