Teaching and old birds newish tricks

[freedwithwings204]

Hi everyone,
Now I don't own an Amazon, but my neighbor does,(Yellow Nape) and as of recently I have been working with him to teach him to step up. (He's 30 and has been stepping up to a cooking cooling rack). So far it has been working, ( I had to bond with him first, and it took me 5 months). Now here is the thing, at one point he did know how to do it. (He lived with young boys for the first 21 years, but he wasn't treated all to well, so he is afraid of some things.) But when asked to step up onto my arm, he gets pretty nippy (and I've been bit by plenty of Cockatoos) does anyone have any advice as to how I can teach him that stepping up is fun? He will eventually do it for me in time, but I need to teach him to step up for other people. It's been a slow process, but because he's as bonded as he is to me it's been going far better than I ever expected thus far. And Amazons were one of the hardest species for me to work with.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[SpringCottageParrot]

I get the impression that they know far more than they are willing to admit to.

 

[paulhanlon]

I ask my 14 week blue front to step up if he doesn't want to he will let me know with a bite he also gets over excited and I end up getting bitten I'm not concerned about this behaviour as i tend to take the negative and put it to one side then I bring in the positive aspect of things to show him that if he steps up he gets treats and gets to have fun with me and the rest of the family i understand what you mean when you say a zon isn't easy to work with due to them been very stuborn and they can be extremely moody at times aswell I find this to be a good thing in amazons as I like to be challenged and that's exactly what amazons are challenging I think your best option would be to show the bird that if it steps up it will get to be involved with the fun you could play with the kids around him/her to show what he/she is missing out on and eventually you will get some results and maybe a zon that is willing to step up on your hand and not just objects.

 

[henpecked]

Hey , i work with lots of rehome zons. I'd offer this advice. If your working off his cage or playgym etc., When ever he steps up, very quickly return him, praise him and give a treat. Don't take him away from his safe spot. Don't try pushing him too far ,too quick. Don't let him associate stepping up with, I'm going to take you away, i'm going to try and pet you, etc. have it mean nothing other than stepping up and then back down to where he was. Him stepping up and trusting you to do something fun will come later.

 

[freedwithwings204]

Thanks Henpecked! That was what I was thinking was going to work best, which just made it easier. When I usually work with him on the stepping up, it's on the back of an old chair and it works great. I just now have to find a treat that he likes. He's is quite a picky eater for an Amazon, any ideas on how to work with that too?

 

[sarafigal]

My BFA Queequeg has now been with us for a week. Her world is larger: while her cage is the same, I've added a Java tree that is right next to it, so he can climb from the top of the cage to the tree. And tonight she refused to go into her cage for bedtime, so she is sleeping on top of her cage instead. I hope she doesn't wake up too early tomorrow! Today she got really cranky with me: threatened me a couple of times during the day when I rang one of her bells or tried to change her water when she was in the cage. No problems with treats, though. but it will be a long time before she tolerates actual contact, I suspect.

I believe she spent her first 20 years with another BFA ( and she is now 30+). She loves watching the budgie pair on the other side of her window. Would this be a good time or a disastrous time to bring in a little Green Cheek Conure?