step up training day 1 (picture)

[ahowe07]

He did NOT want to step up at all. This was shortly after we all woke up, maybe 30 minutes +.

Hubby eventually unattached the swing he was in and put it on the floor, thentire he had no problem stepping up.

 

[4dugnlee]

OUCH!!! Sorry this happened. I hope it gets better! All my fids are cranky in the morning...maybe Henry is too???

 

[Dopey]

Wow - sorry you got bit.

 

[Birdman666]

Yep, isn't that the way. Once they are on the floor they have no problem stepping up...

I would try wrapping a thick towel around your arm when stepping him up these first few times. It'll save on things like this. He can bite the towel all he wants, and it won't hurt...

Don't make me disconnect your swing again bird...

This will heal, and he will learn, and things will get better soon.

This is the hard part right here. The initial bonding, feeling each other out, setting boundaries.

 

[Dopey]

Yep, isn't that the way. Once they are on the floor they have no problem stepping up...

I would try wrapping a thick towel around your arm when stepping him up these first few times. It'll save on things like this. He can bite the towel all he wants, and it won't hurt...

I don't know what it is about me but if I wrap a towel around my arm it unwraps itself. Could you use a clean oven mitt? Just wondering.

 

[Birdman666]

Yep, isn't that the way. Once they are on the floor they have no problem stepping up...

I would try wrapping a thick towel around your arm when stepping him up these first few times. It'll save on things like this. He can bite the towel all he wants, and it won't hurt...

I don't know what it is about me but if I wrap a towel around my arm it unwraps itself. Could you use a clean oven mitt? Just wondering.

You can try. My birds always recoiled in horror at an oven mit coming at them... I held the end of the towel in the palm of my hand to keep it from unraveling.

 

[Dopey]

Yep, isn't that the way. Once they are on the floor they have no problem stepping up...

I would try wrapping a thick towel around your arm when stepping him up these first few times. It'll save on things like this. He can bite the towel all he wants, and it won't hurt...

I don't know what it is about me but if I wrap a towel around my arm it unwraps itself. Could you use a clean oven mitt? Just wondering.

You can try. My birds always recoiled in horror at an oven mit coming at them... I held the end of the towel in the palm of my hand to keep it from unraveling.

Duh - birdman...you are so smart.

 

[Emilymaggie]

Yep, isn't that the way. Once they are on the floor they have no problem stepping up...

I would try wrapping a thick towel around your arm when stepping him up these first few times. It'll save on things like this. He can bite the towel all he wants, and it won't hurt...

I don't know what it is about me but if I wrap a towel around my arm it unwraps itself. Could you use a clean oven mitt? Just wondering.

So glad it wasn't just me! I tried sticking my arm down a pair of jeans once to be safer hahah. But I can't use a towel, my velociraptor knows where the towel ends and the skin begins

 

[Birdman666]

I have two fingers that know where his beak begins, and where I can hold onto it, to prevent him from biting me when he goes for the towel...

We can play that game. If you're watching your feet when I try to step you up, then I got your beak when you reach down... BEFORE YOU BITE ME.

If you're watching my fingers with your beak when I go to step you up, then you can't protect your feet, and I got your feet... so you're gonna step up.

And the fingers around your beak are there to distract you from the fact that you are now perched on my arm... GOOD BOY! SEE... NOBODY'S GONNA HURT YOU.

Either way, you just stepped up, and I did not get latched onto... and I now control your beak. And I will continue to do so if you attempt to bite me.

Now those fingers are lower, and they have a treat in them, so they are no longer a threat...

If you don't attempt to bite me, you get treats, and head scratchies, and get to play games...

Your choice bird. Either way, we're gonna do this. :54:

Once he does it a few times, you don't have to play these games anymore.

In fact, you walk into a room and a foot comes up. Or he's dangling by a beak, or a foot, and waiving another foot around...

Then you have the opposite problem. "Don't set me down!"

 

[Birdman666]

So glad it wasn't just me! I tried sticking my arm down a pair of jeans once to be safer hahah. But I can't use a towel, my velociraptor knows where the towel ends and the skin begins

The larger issue is that every time you do this you telegraph your fear to the macaw.

And macaws react to fear by... INTIMIDATING. And keeping you at arms length.

And it becomes a self perpetuating thing...

The way I do it may be old school, but it essentially comes down to, GOTCHA! And you're not gonna bite me, cuz I'm not gonna let you...

We can butt heads over this if you want, but you WILL find I'm right.

Or, if you'd rather just get pampered, and played with, we can do that too!

It's getting them over the hump those first few times that counts...

Once they do it, they will.

 

[Minimaker]

I wish I had a video of how you go about grabbing the beak before getting bit because Sailor is so quick I don't know how I could get a hold of her beak without her getting a hold of me first. I couple of days ago I was pouring food through the cage bars into her bowl with a metal scoop and she ran over and bit the metal scoop and broke the end of it off! That soooo could be my fingers if I moved a little too slow around her and she managed to get a hold of me

I ordered a training video that's hopefully coming in today, and I'm ordering the whole set later today after Hubbs goes to the bank. Have you watched any training videos ahowe07? Or if you didn't how did you learn to train your blue and gold?

 

[Birdman666]

I wish I had a video of how you go about grabbing the beak before getting bit because Sailor is so quick I don't know how I could get a hold of her beak without her getting a hold of me first. I couple of days ago I was pouring food through the cage bars into her bowl with a metal scoop and she ran over and bit the metal scoop and broke the end of it off! That soooo could be my fingers if I moved a little too slow around her and she managed to get a hold of me

I've just been doing it longer. It's second nature. I can usually tell what they're gonna do before they do it.

I wish I lived closer. I wish I could help you with this one. It's sooooo much easier to show you than describe it.

But, if you're holding your hand up in the air and he's going for the hand in the air, the other arm comes around behind and under the legs...

If he turns to defend his legs, that's when that hand comes in and gets the beak at the top near the nares... NOW you have control of his beak. You can step him up with the other arm, and he can't do anything about it.

The bird has to choose one arm or the other. The instant he choses one, he gets the other. No hesitation. No drama. When he tries to defend that, he gets both. Now you have him, and he knows you are perfectly capable of controlling him. You let go when he's calmer, and demonstrate that you're not gonna hurt him.

If he doesn't turn, keep him distracted with the one hand while you pick him up with the other. Anticipate that he might go for your arm, and be prepared to immediately get the beak when he does.

He can grab a beak full of towel. So what? Now I got your beak, bird! Now what are you going to do?! (The step up arm is the towel arm. Not your dominant hand. Your dominant hand is the one you use on the beak.)

Another important point is to make a closed bent fist, that doesn't give him anything to latch onto when he tries. The fingers stay in the closed bent fist, until you get the upper hand, and have an opportunity to "win the argument." (Use your thumb to get the beak, and press it against the side of your still closed fist. Don't open the fist until you've got him.) Until that happens you just calmly swipe the beak away to prevent him from latching on. And you swipe it away as many times as necessary, until you end up with your closed fist on top of his beak, and can then use those two fingers to get him under control. NOW KNOCK IT OFF! THAT'S ENOUGH!!! NO BITING!!!

If he's lunging, then there's nothing on the top of your head to latch onto. Push back with the top of your head (not your face) or the closed bent fist. (Gentle push. Not punch.) He can't latch onto anything, therefore, no biting. Sometimes, just blowing on them, or wobbling your arm is enough.

And as most of you are aware, my technique if he's on your arm, and he's still going after you if he's not taking the hint when you do the arm wobble, is to simply drop him to the floor. Where he remains until he steps up nice, and behaves himself. However long that takes. I can do this all day if necessary...

If he finds this part a bit traumatic, then good. Don't start none, won't be none...

End on a positive note, with a good bird, and a treat.

 

[Emilymaggie]

So glad it wasn't just me! I tried sticking my arm down a pair of jeans once to be safer hahah. But I can't use a towel, my velociraptor knows where the towel ends and the skin begins

The larger issue is that every time you do this you telegraph your fear to the macaw.

And macaws react to fear by... INTIMIDATING. And keeping you at arms length.

And it becomes a self perpetuating thing...

The way I do it may be old school, but it essentially comes down to, GOTCHA! And you're not gonna bite me, cuz I'm not gonna let you...

We can butt heads over this if you want, but you WILL find I'm right.

Or, if you'd rather just get pampered, and played with, we can do that too!

It's getting them over the hump those first few times that counts...

Once they do it, they will.

My velociraptor is a grey, not my macaw. My macaw is a perfect little angel about stepping up. And very well behaved thanks to some of your bonding advice! My grey will step up most of the time, I only use something to protect my arm if I have to "remind" him that he's not allowed on the floor in the kitchen and he insists he needs to eat my baseboards.

 

[Emilymaggie]

I wish I had a video of how you go about grabbing the beak before getting bit because Sailor is so quick I don't know how I could get a hold of her beak without her getting a hold of me first. I couple of days ago I was pouring food through the cage bars into her bowl with a metal scoop and she ran over and bit the metal scoop and broke the end of it off! That soooo could be my fingers if I moved a little too slow around her and she managed to get a hold of me

I've just been doing it longer. It's second nature. I can usually tell what they're gonna do before they do it.

I wish I lived closer. I wish I could help you with this one. It's sooooo much easier to show you than describe it.

But, if you're holding your hand up in the air and he's going for the hand in the air, the other arm comes around behind and under the legs...

If he turns to defend his beak, that's when that hand comes in and gets the beak at the top near the nares... NOW you have control of his beak. You can step him up with the other arm, and he can't do anything about it.

If he doesn't turn, keep him distracted with the one hand while you pick him up with the other. Anticipate that he might go for your arm, and be prepared to immediately get the beak when he does.

Another important point is to make a closed bent fist, that doesn't give him anything to latch onto when he tries.

If he's lunging, there's nothing to latch onto on the top of your head... worst he could do is pull hair.

Last thing, sorry, didn't mean to pipe up so much in this post I just find this information very useful- what if he pecks instead of just biting? The closed fist thing doesn't work with my grey. Sometimes the quick jabbing motion he makes is more painful than some of his warning bites. He just stabs at you with his beak open and it's a super quick, painful motion. Not a real bite, just an awful peck.

 

[Birdman666]

CAGS do it because they're stubborn. And if it works, they keep doing it, and become more stubborn.

That's less a fear thing. That's more an attitude thing.

Mine tries that stuff too... fortunately he doesn't latch on. I push his beak away, he pushes my finger away...

It's actually kinda funny when HE tells ME to "knock it off!" and calls ME a "Stinker!"

 

[Birdman666]

I wish I had a video of how you go about grabbing the beak before getting bit because Sailor is so quick I don't know how I could get a hold of her beak without her getting a hold of me first. I couple of days ago I was pouring food through the cage bars into her bowl with a metal scoop and she ran over and bit the metal scoop and broke the end of it off! That soooo could be my fingers if I moved a little too slow around her and she managed to get a hold of me

I've just been doing it longer. It's second nature. I can usually tell what they're gonna do before they do it.

I wish I lived closer. I wish I could help you with this one. It's sooooo much easier to show you than describe it.

But, if you're holding your hand up in the air and he's going for the hand in the air, the other arm comes around behind and under the legs...

If he turns to defend his beak, that's when that hand comes in and gets the beak at the top near the nares... NOW you have control of his beak. You can step him up with the other arm, and he can't do anything about it.

If he doesn't turn, keep him distracted with the one hand while you pick him up with the other. Anticipate that he might go for your arm, and be prepared to immediately get the beak when he does.

Another important point is to make a closed bent fist, that doesn't give him anything to latch onto when he tries.

If he's lunging, there's nothing to latch onto on the top of your head... worst he could do is pull hair.

Last thing, sorry, didn't mean to pipe up so much in this post I just find this information very useful- what if he pecks instead of just biting? The closed fist thing doesn't work with my grey. Sometimes the quick jabbing motion he makes is more painful than some of his warning bites. He just stabs at you with his beak open and it's a super quick, painful motion. Not a real bite, just an awful peck.

I distract him with something else... then I turn that into a game. Then I can usually pick him up, because we're on to something else now. Thank god for short attention spans.

And when all else fails, I have my fall back - "the enforcer" - "Mr. Towel."

Honest to god, all I ever have to do when they are really being out of control, is either get out the towel and throw it on the floor next to them, or unfold it and hold it up.

The stuff stops. Immediately.

I don't really have to use it on them anymore. They just have to know that I have the will to use it, if necessary.

Most kids only have to get spanked once, before the phrase "Do I have to spank you?" becomes effective.

"Do I have to get my towel?" works the same way... and is just as effective.

And it doesn't hurt them.

And they don't hurt you.

It can also be used as play, to distract them.

Next time he pecks at you, throw the towel over him, and play peek-e-boo...

My CAG likes popping out at you... and he's no longer focused on chewing up your baseboards. (For the moment anyway.)