RUN when trying to get them to step up?

Hi:
we have two green cheeks. A pineapple and a yellow side. They were hand raised by a breeder and e got them last December. They are healthy and like to be cuddled/ well fed.
PROBLEM is they will move away from our hand when we try to get them to step up when they are at the top and outside their cage. If they are on a table or on the floor they will step up??

HELP, please?:25:

Bob

they feel safe on their cage and don't want to step up. The floor is an uncomfortable place for a bird so they want to get higher.

Very normal behaviour really, birds are highly opinionated and if they don't want to do something they won't do it, no point in forcing it on them

I'm a bit of a meany when it comes to step up. That's the one command that Salty doesn't get a choice on, even if it means blood will be spilled (mine). I figure that one day I may need him to step up in an emergency, and I don't want to be chasing him around. He can blow off any other request, just not that one. We keep his cover bunched up on the top of his cage and he is not fond of going up there. The key to step up is always offer your hand or fingers the same way, every time. Same command every time. And treats never hurt either, especially when you know they will not want to step up .

I'm with @wrench13 on this one - it's a command you might need in an emergency so the bird needs to know it's not optional.

I use 'Up!' to mean there's no say in the matter, and 'are you coming?' or 'come with me?' if it's up to her. If she ignores 'Up!' then I pick her up by making a circle around her legs with my thumb and forefinger which never fails to get her to step up, and if she ignores 'are you coming?' I just take my hand away.

If your birds are target trained (ie you train them to associate the sound of a clicker with getting a treat, then use the clicker to train them to touch a target such as the end of a pencil to get a treat, then you can use the target to steer them to do things such as stepping up or going back in their cage) then that's a good way to practice stepping up from the cage top.

Alternately if not just go straight for the treat: wave a pine nut or whatever their favourite treat is so they can see it, then position it so that they have to step onto your hand to take the treat from you. Use the 'Up!' command just as they step onto your hand, then gradually obscure the treat so the command rather than seeing the treat motivates them to step up.

Thanks for the answers guys! We have been getting them to slowly climb onto a handheld perch and then they will step up from there. I think one of the big things in training birds which I am sure we all can agree is the use of patience. I think we may be trying to rush our birds. They are only 6 months old.

Another question. Is it okay to feed them SKINNY POPCORN? We have this as a snack sometimes when watching TV/ we never bother with junk food.

Thanks in advance

Bob

No! Is it good? Do I want some?