Stick Training

So I've been starting stick training with Iris, since...let's be real, she's an Amazon and she's bound to have a bad day eventually. She steps up from her cage like a perfect lady, but I know I'm in her honeymoon period still...so I'm trying to be prepared. All my other birds go to a stick pretty easy, but Iris is totally having none of it. I did a little target training with a chopstick and she did pretty well with that and even played with the stick afterwards.

I'm also using the same dowel that was in her travel cage, and she rode on it for several hours, so it's not the dowel itself that's the issue clearly.

I can get her to nibble the dowel and even rub her face with it (she won't let me pet her yet) but she refuses to step up on it, even when tempted with her favorite nuts (she loves cashews and almonds...I break them into tiny pieces for training).

Is this just normal Amazon stubbornness? Any ideas what sort of time I'm looking at to get her on board with this? I'm happy to keep at it, I just don't want to piss her off.

I'm also going to start doing some "station" training soon on the new playstand, but I have a feeling it'll be a few days before I can get her on it. She's pretty timid. I'm used to little conures who think they are St Bernards and afraid of nothing...so this is new territory for me.

Perhaps she's "bargaining" with you and wants a WHOLE cashew if you want her to get on that stick

In what way are you encouraging her to step on the stick? Are you holding the treat just outside her reach so if she wants it, she must get on the stick to get it? Or are you trying to target her to the stick, then reward her? When we got Kiwi, we had never heard of target training, so we just did the old "if you want this slightly out of your reach treat, you best step on this stick" method. At first he'd get on the stick, grab the treat and step right off, but after a while, once he'd get on, we would gently move the stick away from the other surface (his cage or stand) so he had to eat his treat on the stick. It eventually progressed to him inherently knowing the stick was another means of a ride Worked well too, he'll come to a stick just as easily as to a hand.

Just one more tip, I try to use the stick almost every day with Kiwi at some point, just to keep it well in his normal routine. I want him to view it as another means of getting a ride, not as a punishment or "negative" or else I fear he may not get on it when he's in a foul mood and I really don't want him on my hand.

I've tried both the target method and the "reach for it" method. So far I've gotten her to put a single foot on it. I think I'm heading in the right direction, but she is super stubborn. She'll practically lay on the stick to get at that treat and if she can't reach, she'll just give up.

At least she's getting better at controlling her "flying" tantrums. When she really doesn't want to do something, she'll fly away (and that's okay, it's better than biting right?) and instead of flailing across the whole house, now she just goes across the room, then turns right back around and comes back and hops up on my hand.

She's a stinker.

This may sound like a silly question, but are you using the "step up" command when trying to get her on the stick? If not, she may not understand whats being asked. Kiwi sees the stick and hops right up, but my moms DYH sees the stick and will bite it and/or ignore it until you ell her to "come here" (her step up command) and only THEN does she get the picture you want her to get on the stick. Some birds do require a command every time, others just learn.

Otherwise, she probably is being stubborn and it's going to take an extra special treat to entice her (the determination of a zon after a morsel the *really really* want is astounding). Just keep at it, and eventually, she will tire of being a pain in the butt

Yep, using "step up" and she's not having it. She's actually quite well adjusted, I think she just didn't have as much people time, so she forgot some of her manners, you know?

Sounds like I'm heading in the right direction, just need to keep working on it. Luckily though, she only gets feisty at my husband but I think its because she freaks him out a little. I think they'll both get over that in time and if not, the hubby understands that Amazons are weird. Luckily, she doesn't display at my daughter at all and just like my GCC, sort of wants to be by her...I don't let her since my daughter is only 3. But they do enjoy 'talking' to each other.

Phlox said:

YLuckily, she doesn't display at my daughter at all and just like my GCC, sort of wants to be by her...I don't let her since my daughter is only 3. But they do enjoy 'talking' to each other.

Click to expand...

Lucy fell in love with me the day my parents brought me home, and according to my mom, it was next to impossible to get her off my crib when it was time for her to go up. She defended me and my crib/bed as though it was her chick and nest...

That's ADORABLE! Both Phlox and Iris want to be by my daughter. They must love kids!

I don't know how long you've had Phlox/if you trust him, but with Iris being so new (and zons being capable of bad bites) it is probably safer to keep her and your daughter separated for now. Parrots do seem to recognize and respond to children though! My parents had Lucy (and the other 2) for around 15 years before I was born, so they knew their temperaments well enough to allow them near me.

They are both pretty new...my daughter handles my dove; he's 18 and of course, can't hurt anyone, with his soft beak. She'll hold a towel and Phlox will ride on that, but she's still so young and nippy, that's as close as they get until they both grow up more. Same for Iris. She's only been with us a week now, so she's in the honeymoon phase. I've been very careful to make sure I trained the kid to give the bird her space; and no fingers in the cage! She's been raised with pets though, so she knows the drill.

I also got a fabulous rat cage for her eventual pet rat she begs for all the time. We're waiting for that too, but first she'll have to learn cage care

Kiwi, WOW I love the pic. What's wrong with Kiwi? You've been taming amazons since the crib, lol.

Phlox, I've had Buddy for about 6 months now and he's having more turkey moments where he doesn't want to do things. Keep pressing on and keep doing what you are doing.