Step Up??

[crzybird]

Ok, despite the amazing accomplishments for Kiwi and myself I find that I am struggling with the most simple commands for her. Since a few days after I got Kiwi I have been trying to get her to do the "step up" thing. I tried with the stick lightly against her chest and the problem with this is, every time she sees the stick she screams and runs around her cage and then bites at it. She wont let it even get close to her. So I tried using my finger. When I do this she tastes me and then puts her head down and nudges my finger in order to try and get me to pet her. I keep repeating the phrase "step up" but nothing. Am I doing something wrong? I'm also wanting to know about clipping her flight feathers. Is this a good idea? I mean she is just now getting to the point where she trusts me. But if she's still not stepping up, or allowing me to pick her up I'm not sure clipping her is the right choice to make. But then I think that maybe if she wasnt able to fly as freely as she does now she'll become more dependent on me and will "step up" and allow me to pick her up. I'm just worried that if I do clip her wings she'll go back to being that aggressive non trusting bird she was when I first got her. I dont want to go backwards when we've obviously made huge strides together in a forward direction. Please help me? I just want to get some pointers on what would be right for her. I really really worry about her losing faith in me after all that we've gone through in such a short time.

 

[Remy]

Have you tried putting your fingers up against her legs? She may just not want to step up yet.

You could try getting her wings clipped. I would have somebody else do them if she has trust issues. They will grow back, after all.

 

[lene1949]

Have you tried clicker training? It's a fun and easy way to train, and you shouldn't need to clip her wings...

 

[suebee]

finger near feet rather then above as remy says and a treat so she has to step onto your finger to get it!

nut is fine with step up or down, when she wants to! but will scream an fly off if presented with a stick

clipping is up to you, and in the short term might be a good thing, as while she is dependant on you she'll learn step up etc as nut alot of the times will fly to where she wants rather then go for a ride and as for getting her into her cage, its near a days work lol but the best trick for us, is to give her a head rub then pick her up and pop her in, she's rather use to being picked up, and she does this funny waddling dart to get away at times, especially bed time

and don't worry about kiwi losing faith, she won't!

 

[roxynoodle]

Try the bribery with a favorite treat. That was how I trained all my parent raised budgies to step up. And believe me, Nandays are very food motivated! I think Rowdy would go anywhere for a Nutriberry.

If that doesn't help in a few days, I would definitely read up on the clicker training. I haven't ever tried it, but many here have reported very good results.

Also make sure you say, "Step up" each time she learns to associate those words with the action. I now even have my 2 newer birds understanding "Switch hands", lol! I have arthritis in my hands, wrists and elbows and have to switch hands every few minutes. And my right elbow is so bad now, it can't handle the weight of the larger birds for long.

 

[crzybird]

Ok, thank you everyone for the suggestions. I have not tried clicker training, to be honest I'm not even a 100% sure what that is. Keep in mind I have never owned birds before, Kiwi is my first. And not to toot my own horn but I think for having a bird that was basically wild as my first bird ever I'm doing a pretty good job lol. But again I wouldnt be doing such a good job without the help of all of you. I have tried placing my finger against her legs, and all she does is put her head down for me to pet her. And there are other times when I'll curl my finger in front of her and she'll bite me pretty hard but then she jumps onto my finger. I dont think that is because she's trying to step up, I think its more along the lines of her being grouchy. I need to get her to the vet anyway because I'm wanting to have her sexed. The people told me that she's a female but when I still had Sunny Kiwi acted like the male. They did this weird thing I have no idea what it was. Kiwi would lock beaks with Sunny and they would move their heads up and down really fast. And Kiwi would always bite if you tried to get near either of them while Sunny was here. I think just for peace of mind I should find out for sure. But while I'm there maybe I should go ahead and have her clipped. Just to see if that would make training any easier with her. And as it was pointed out, they do grow back lol. Next question. Is there a specific carrier or travel cage I should put her in? Thanks in advance everyone

 

[roxynoodle]

I use the small cat carrier for my conure. The plastic kind with the metal grate front door. I put a towel or old T shirt in the bottom. They like to hang on the door when they are riding in the car. It is also safe and stable sitting on the passenger seat. It's the same kind you must use for airline travel. You can get it at Walmart or similar stores. I have the slightly bigger size for large cats or small dogs for the other birds.

It would be good for Kiwi to have a full check up, and to be sexed. It can help the vet later to know what to look for if they know it's male or female and is sick, especially a female in case she egg binds.

I did clip Rowdy's wings when I first got her for training, although she did know step up it seemed.

 

[crzybird]

Ok, Thank you Roxy. I'm on the phone with vet right now and I do have carrier for cats/dogs. Man I'm so worried about them grabbing at her and making her not trust me again.

 

[Safira]

I use a cat-carrier (or dog carrier) too. I punch a hole near the bottom front of it to put a perch in, so they can sit on that and hold onto the grated door with their beak if they want to.

 

[crzybird]

Okay. Can anyone tell me what was happening with Sunny and Kiwi when they were locking beaks and moving their heads up and down real fast? My kids said they were kissing lol.

 

[roxynoodle]

Conures do seem to love to kiss. It sounds to me like they were playing.

I haven't put a perch in any of my carriers, although I would if they needed to be in it for awhile, like at someone's house. I see both Pete's and Merlin's have been drilled for one by their previous owners. I thought it would be easier for them to ride in my bumpy truck sitting flat on the bottom or hanging on the door.

 

[crzybird]

I will just use the pet carrier that I have here. Its not really tall enough for much of a perch but since its a short distance from here to the vet I'm not totally against just putting her in it and letting her ride on the bottom or hanging from the door. My concern is once I get her there and the vet goes to grab her with gloves :| there goes all the work I've done because wont that scare her from fingers? I asked them if they use gloves on all birds they handle and they said yes but this seems un-necessary to me. But then again, with the way she bites.....

 

[DannyA93]

Birds are alot smarter then ur implying haha she might actually come to you to "save her" from the vet! she'll know its not you grabbing her, and depending on how old your birds are it sounds like one's feeding the other. thats the only time i ever see birds doing that. but good luck

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, my experience has been mostly that my birds see me as their savior at the vet's. They won't grab her with gloves. They will gently get her into a towel to restrain her. If she is like my Nanday she will just lay back on their palm, all relaxed once she is in it. They are experienced properly handling birds this way, don't worry!

 

[Mare Miller]

Roxy's vet does the same thing mine does, with the towel. If you are going to a true avian vet, you should feel comfortable. My bird never seems afraid or threatened by his doctor. As soon as she sets him down, though...he flies right to my shoulder!

 

[Mare Miller]

I meant to add my advice on "step up". It took a few years for Amigo to figure out what I wanted. I tried the command 'step up' for a long time, then gave up, moved onto peeling him off his perch. For some reason, he now will hop on just because he wants to, I guess. But I gave up with the step up command and just say, 'come on, let's go!, this command works like a charm!

 

[crzybird]

Oh Kiwi loves the "come on" approach, but she doesnt go where I want her to. Its always on my shoulder. I'd like for her to sit on my hand or finger once in a while. makes for easier petting. My arms get tired always reaching behind myself to pet her. She responds to the step up once in a while but only after she bites me to the point of drawing blood. The vet I'm taking her to told me that they would use gloves to get her. Not a towel. And the sad part is, I think they actually feel that this is ok. I dont want her to get terrified of fingers when thats the opposite of what I'm trying to do. And the only reason I'm nervous is because it'll be her first time and I'm just naturally a worrier. I trust this vet and highly recommend them to anyone but thats for cats, dogs, and other small animals. I've never taken a bird there. But they assured me that they deal with birds too. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

 

[roxynoodle]

I'm surprised they use gloves. I've had 3 bird vets in my adult lifetime, and they all used towels. Still, it won't be hands that will likely scare her, but rather gloves.

I admit I have been getting Merlin used to being touched with an oven mitt to use when giving her injections for seizures. She is much too big for me to hold in a towel and give an injection to unless I had 3 hands. So it is easier for me to hold her neck with the oven mitt to give the shot and not get bitten by her having a seizure and not knowing where she is and what's going on. She knows I have on the oven mitt, but she doesn't seem to hate it.

 

[crzybird]

Well I'm going to be taking her tomorrow I think so we will see. But on the brighter side of things, shortly after I posted about her not stepping up she started stepping up a little bit. She doesnt do it all of the time but she did it a few times for me earlier today. I was pleased, but still, in order to keep her from hurting herself when she flies around my house I'm going to have her clipped. She flies between the banisters and smacks her wings each time. So I think that right now it would be best for her to be clipped.