Open the cage door for parrot or get him out by step up?

HusseinBerjaoui · Jun 26, 2013

So I've been wondering, how can I train my parrot to step up, if he's a biter and he's in cage? I have to let him exist the cage by himself then.
And then I've read that it's not that good to let him go outside the cage by himself, because he has to know that he needs your permission by stepping on your finger/hand.
What do you think?

JerseyWendy · Jun 26, 2013

Stepping up was the first thing I taught ALL my parrots. They know the command so well that when I tell them to "step up", they will automatically lift a foot.

I did not teach them that while they were in the cage. I have 2 Java trees and a table top perch away from the cages. All training sessions were done on the table top perch, as it is by far the easiest to work with them there.

I also never open the cage doors and let them just come and do as they please. I would have no molding left in the bird room if I'd let them do what they want.

suebee · Jun 26, 2013

i have a single bird that will remove my hand should it go into the cage when she is in! though my man can get her to step up where ever, i open door, she has a perch on the door, an she will step up from that

christinereed · Jun 26, 2013

I started out by letting the bird get to know me and trust me. She didn't want to come out the cage much at first. Sometimes, I had to bring her out to give her her medicine. I wanted her to come when I needed her, so I taught her "step up". But, at other times, if she didn't feel like getting out, I just left the door open (when I was in the room) and let her decide. She started coming out more. We had a mobile tray that she could perch on. A few months ago, we purchased a playstand that is about as big as her cage. She would go to the playstand, or come to us while we're on the couch. Now, that she can fly well, she is being more adventurous and stays out of the cage quite a bit. So, I would say it takes time. Em is an Amazon, and we've had her for almost two years. I don't know if it is diffferent with smaller birds.

HusseinBerjaoui · Jun 26, 2013

So probably I should train the bird not to bite and that's after going out through the opened door.. and then step up after he takes me as a friend, what do you think?

JerseyWendy · Jun 26, 2013

HusseinBerjaoui said:
So probably I should train the bird not to bite and that's after going out through the opened door.. and then step up after he takes me as a friend, what do you think?

As long as he's only trying to bite you, you can't really teach him the "step up" command, UNLESS you use a perch instead of your arm/hand.

MissyMe83 · Jun 26, 2013

As others have mentioned my birds know the step up command, but neither of them will do this 100% of the time while in their cages, so most often I just open their doors and let them come on out when they want to.

FreddyCheeks · Jun 26, 2013

Fred is so eager to get out that as soon as the door is barely open he squeezes out and climbs to the top of the cage.

torrap · Jun 26, 2013

OMG, more I read all the posts here more I realize how LUCKY I am with my bird. I have her only for few weeks, but no problems stepping up, down or sideways from anywhere to anything.....oh boy, lucky, lucky me!
I don't even have to say "step up", I just reach my hand and she is there.

I did have a little difficulty picking her up from the top of her cage, so I invented a game. I say to her "let's go fly" and take her about 6-10 feet away from her cage, then I raise her high in the air and tell her "fly Marley". She promptly goes back on top of her cage. But next time I want to pick her up from there, she is more willing to go....hahaha....she knows she is going to have fun.......
I think that's the trick here. Try to get into the birds frame of mind or try to imagine you have a difficult 3 year old child instead of your bird. That's actually might help.

HusseinBerjaoui · Jun 26, 2013

I wish it could be easy, that's a primordial step !

JerseyWendy said:
HusseinBerjaoui said:

So probably I should train the bird not to bite and that's after going out through the opened door.. and then step up after he takes me as a friend, what do you think?

Click to expand...

As long as he's only trying to bite you, you can't really teach him the "step up" command, UNLESS you use a perch instead of your arm/hand.

This is exactly what I need to do. I have a thick pine wood stick that can be used, thank you, really !

torrap · Jun 26, 2013

HusseinBerjaoui said:
I wish it could be easy, that's a primordial step !

HusseinBerjaoui said:

This is exactly what I need to do. I have a thick pine wood stick that can be used, thank you, really !

Click to expand...

I have seen some videos of people training their birds to step up with the stick, where they gradually move their hand closer and closer to the bird along the stick lenght. When your hand is almost near the bird and you can pick the bird up with the stick, that's the time to try just your hand.
Wish you luck!

getwozzy · Jun 26, 2013

I think it all depends on the bird. With Jackie, if I were to stick my hand in his cage and ask him to step up I would most likely get my hand bit off lol the only time he allows fingers near him is for head scritches, other than that he hates hands, sticks, gloves, the works. So stick training was not an option for me. It's been a long process (almost 4 months now) to get him to step up onto my arm without getting bit. Occasionally I still wear an ace bandage under my sleeve if he's being moody, and there are still times when I ask him to step up he clearly states his agitation and I just have to walk away....
My point is that it may not be an easy and quick process- it all depends on the bird. It may end up being a trial and error process for the both of you to figure out what works and what doesn't.

SandyBee · Jun 26, 2013

My amazon wouldn't step up from the cage or anywhere in the beginning either.
He hates sticks, gloves and I thought he hated hands.
He wouldn't step up for the people at the rescue either or from the people that surrendered him. So to the best of my knowledge it had been over 3 years that he stepped up for anybody.
Here we are 9 months later, I can get him to step up from anywhere anytime.
I started with him coming to me, even then it still took 3 months for him to step up even once in awhile.
Build the trust and bond, once your bird trusts you he will do what you ask of him and even be happy to do so!!!

HusseinBerjaoui · Jun 26, 2013

I've put a stick through the cage bar and a treat above it. At first he was chewing the stick, but then it he started standing on it to be able to reach the treat. With a higher treat I've lifted the stick with him standing on it, (first time he got a bit scared but no more of that right now)
And now, he's standing on the stick without chewing it, aiming only for the treat. But he wont stand up on the stick if there was no treat

SandyBee · Jun 26, 2013

HusseinBerjaoui said:
I've put a stick through the cage bar and a treat above it. At first he was chewing the stick, but then it he started standing on it to be able to reach the treat. With a higher treat I've lifted the stick with him standing on it, (first time he got a bit scared but no more of that right now)
And now, he's standing on the stick without chewing it, aiming only for the treat. But he wont stand up on the stick if there was no treat

That's ok, keep using the treat for a while, then once he is really good at that make him wait longer for the treat. Keep working with this and in time he won't need the treat at all (but if it was me I probably would give it anyways LOL) Training takes time and patience.

Wings · Jun 26, 2013

For me, it doesn't matter, because i open the cage door, to let her step up...

So i chose "it doesn't matter" because i do both

Wdlodge · Jun 26, 2013

HusseinBerjaoui said:
So probably I should train the bird not to bite and that's after going out through the opened door.. and then step up after he takes me as a friend, what do you think?

I wouldn't force the bird to do anything it is not comfortable with doing. Build your trust first, and go from there. Offer little bits of its favorite treat as they progress. This way it's a win/win situation. Go slow. You can also click and treat as well.

My bird steps up to get out of the cage, this wasn't always the case so it was something we had to work on. If she didn't make a move towards me, I knew she wasn't ready. I just kept talking to her and offering her treats, but she had to make a move towards me to get her treat. Now the reward is getting out of her cage, so she steps up willingly.

Nocturnal · Jun 26, 2013

If I allow my U2 to come out of the cage on his own then he will decide he doesn't have to step up EVER. So if he wants something that is not in his cage, he must step up to get it. It's funny what a difference it makes, but what I mean is he won't even step up to change hands or anything because then he thinks step up only happens to put him back in the cage so he won't do it. We have to put the boss on this one <3

HusseinBerjaoui · Jun 27, 2013

And that's exactly what I'll do. I'll keep training him on step up on perch and getting him out this way.. Thank you everybody!

Open the cage door for parrot or get him out by step up?

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Opening the cage door

Step up

It doesn't really matter

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