Boo and step-up

[catfish]

So we are 7 weeks together now and have made progress. She still wants nothing to do with step-up. The only treat that she will work for is a whole peanut and I don't want to give here many of those. I try those for step-up, but she rejects them. She has fallen off her perch a couple times and I have picked her up and cuddled her after she settles down, but that has made her reject step-up even more. If I try to get her to step-up, she squawks and backs away. Can't train her to do much else until we get past this phase. It has been at least two years since she has been handled. Thanks for any help!

 

[kq_fan]

Try a long treat like a milet spray or a honey treat, they are at pet stores. So what you do is offer your hand and the treat, she should go for the treat and step up. Then give her the treat and praise her. But mostly, feed her the treat and go lower and lower but take your time, work on their time. Hope this helps!

 

[SandyBee]

It just takes time. We got Bosley our DYH over a year ago now. When we first got him from a rescue he hadn't stepped up for anyone over 2 years or more. He would not step up for me, I let him crawl from his cage to my lap and I bought him a T-stand so i could take him in other rooms. It took him 3 months to step up for the first time, even then it was slow going. It wasn't till the 6 month mark that he would do it most of the time when asked.

fast forward a year later, absolutely no problem will step up every time from everywhere without any treats.

The treat he ended up stepping up for at first that he could not resist CHEESE (use sparingly LOL)

They need to feel completely safe and that just takes time and bonding.

 

[antoinette]

Your bird is making great progress for someone who was not handled for two years.
It will take a while, when your bird is ready and willing the sky will be the limit.
You are doing a great job, keep it up.