Eats from my hand but runs when I teach him how to step up

[Supaoskd]

Hello, I have a few months old eclectus parrot named Apollo. He’s been home for 13 days and he knows the target training.

When we got him, his wings were badly clipped and sometimes he fall while playing with his Toys.

Everyday I target train him and I put my hand in front of the stick to teach him to step up. He got used to my hand WITH THE STICK (within his reach) but if I pull the stick out of his reach to encourage him to step up, he will run to the end of the perch.

I’ve read posts similar to my situation and it basically says “get your bird out of its cage to train as the birds view their cages as their territory” I tried opening the cage door for hours, I tried putting a treat outside the cage but still, he has no interest in coming out of his “territory”. We had a few incidents when we removed his cage cover and gave him his food, he climbed out of the cage and stood on top of the cage. We towelled him to get him to his cage as he didn’t know how to get down and we couldn’t risk him getting hurt. There were two times when he tried to fly but fell to the ground and basically climbed back to his cage. Those incidents stopped happening in the past few days, he probably figured out he can not escape from me. 🤷

He eats from my fingertips but doesn’t eat his favourite treats if I put them on my palm. I tried using the target training method to get him out of the cage but he simply looked, then lost interest and continued playing with his toys.

How do I train him to step up? I do not want to use force To get him out of his cage to train him since it might reverse the bond we’ve built. Are there any methods to get the bird out of the cage? Or any other step up training methods?

 

[Laurasea]

Hello!

Well it hasn't been very long yet to earn trust, and you had a few set backs. The toweling...I just wouldn't do unless it an extreme emergency. He probably could have figured out how to return with a lot if patience and coaxing. Definitely because of the clip and then painful falls he has learned helplessness. But he can unlearn that and gain back confidence.

If it was me, I'd cut way back on training right now. Instead I focus more on bonding, spending time together, hand feeding foods and treats, encouraging to come out and explore. I'd spend as many hours over the coming days with a comfy chair smashed up to his cage, and not focused 100% on him but just occasionally talking offering treats. Maybe play with a balled up piece of paper likes its tge most fascinating thing, see if he will come over and be interested in it then hand it to him if he is. Hopefully he will gain tge courage to climb out on you or cage and explore.