Question about Training

[Shoegoo]

I've had my GCC for 4 wks. and 3 days. He's not accepting any step up training. He's scared to death of hands. I did manage to get him to step up on a stick a couple times. But, I can't even reward him for doing it because he won't accept food from my hand.

I still reward him with a daily excursion out of the cage. When he comes out he seems very shaky moving about the dining room table or the side of his cage. Then with a vigorous flapping of the wings he's on the floor and looking up at the cage. Which he can't get back to. Always I have to pick him up.

A couple times he went back in on his own. Of course I always give him a Nutri-Berri but he has no way of associating this with the good behavior.

I am afraid that he will be flying about without ever being trained. I've heard it said that training has to take place when the bird is hungry. Would it be a good idea to leave him out until he's hungry and then coax him with food.

 

[Puck]

If he is very frightened of being out of the cage, you might try having him step up on the stick inside the cage, moving him to the door of the cage, holding him there for a moment, then rewarding him by placing him BACK in the cage where he feels safe and letting him chill. I know that has often helped me get birds brand new to my house more comfortable stepping up. Often they are so freaked out over being in a new place that the small cage they've grown used to is the place that feels the safest, so by having them step up on stick or hand then ONLY taking them to the door before placing them back where they feel safe, they learn fairly quickly that being picked up is not something that has to be related to terrifying experiences (like being taken out of their "safe space"). Instead they realize that it is an event on its own as they start to think along the lines of "okay, I'm being picked up but that doesn't mean that I'm being taken out of my safe space!" and this helps them start to become more comfortable with handling.

 

[Flboy]

100% what Puck is saying!

Please, do not use hunger as a motivation!