friedsoup
New member
Hi all let me start by saying not every bird I have used the stick trick on has responded to it, I've had two failures one a Senegal who learned to use the stick but never changed to the hand and the other was a Double Yellow Amazon who had been abused by the previous owner; who would hit his cage with a cane so approching him with anything like a stick was useless. That being said I have taught this to 60+ birds in the last 8 years. Depending on the size of the bird smaller the bird the smaller the stick, I like wooden kitchen spoons for anything under the size of Amazons. Larger birds you can use a 3/4" inch dowel.
Ok now you have the tools here is the way to use them first off if you bird can fly away rather than step-up this will not work so clipping your birds wings is a must.
A perch that puts your bird at chest level (yours) you can use the back of a chair something steady for your bird to stand on in a place where your bird is not distracted by his cage the dogs or children running around.
Approach you bird from two sides at once slowly but at and even speed so that your bird freezes, and use the spoons (ladles in your palm handles extended to look like your index finger) to pet your bird watching his reactions he might bite one of the sticks if so keep petting him with the other and calmly take the other away from him and go back with it to pet him by this time he should (although still wary) have calmed down and stopped biting at the sticks do this for about 2 to 3 minutes stop give your bird a treat and walk away and give him 2 to 3 minutes to finish his treat.
This time bring one stick toward your bird and ask him to step-up if he acts like he is going to bite distract him with the other stick raising it towards him like your going to pet him again when he stops you stop and continue towards his feet and say again step-up (Treat the spoon handle like it's your finger and you want him to step on if he does bite calmly say "NO" or No Bite and take it back) try again get him to step up and Step-back onto the perch giving him praise for doing what you ask of him, again sessions should be 2 to 3 minutes then stop and treat .
Repeat after the second time give a treat and return him to his cage or playgym.
I suggest twice a day for this training at roughly the same time each time you will find that your bird will see you coming and be ready for school time and eager to learn. Now after your bird is stepping up on command and allowing you to pet him all over and touching him under wing and touching feet with no biting cheat the spoon handle back into your hand extending your index finger along the handle if as you try and touch your bird if he gets nervous and tries to bite you can rotate the handle so he bites stick not your finger. Don't lose hope just go back to petting him with the sticks you can even get his attention with one while trying with your finger from the other side.
Sorry if this was long winded but I tried to make it understandable and complete if you need help feel free to post me a message or just a regular post I'll be watching.
:red:
Ok now you have the tools here is the way to use them first off if you bird can fly away rather than step-up this will not work so clipping your birds wings is a must.
A perch that puts your bird at chest level (yours) you can use the back of a chair something steady for your bird to stand on in a place where your bird is not distracted by his cage the dogs or children running around.
Approach you bird from two sides at once slowly but at and even speed so that your bird freezes, and use the spoons (ladles in your palm handles extended to look like your index finger) to pet your bird watching his reactions he might bite one of the sticks if so keep petting him with the other and calmly take the other away from him and go back with it to pet him by this time he should (although still wary) have calmed down and stopped biting at the sticks do this for about 2 to 3 minutes stop give your bird a treat and walk away and give him 2 to 3 minutes to finish his treat.
This time bring one stick toward your bird and ask him to step-up if he acts like he is going to bite distract him with the other stick raising it towards him like your going to pet him again when he stops you stop and continue towards his feet and say again step-up (Treat the spoon handle like it's your finger and you want him to step on if he does bite calmly say "NO" or No Bite and take it back) try again get him to step up and Step-back onto the perch giving him praise for doing what you ask of him, again sessions should be 2 to 3 minutes then stop and treat .
Repeat after the second time give a treat and return him to his cage or playgym.
I suggest twice a day for this training at roughly the same time each time you will find that your bird will see you coming and be ready for school time and eager to learn. Now after your bird is stepping up on command and allowing you to pet him all over and touching him under wing and touching feet with no biting cheat the spoon handle back into your hand extending your index finger along the handle if as you try and touch your bird if he gets nervous and tries to bite you can rotate the handle so he bites stick not your finger. Don't lose hope just go back to petting him with the sticks you can even get his attention with one while trying with your finger from the other side.
Sorry if this was long winded but I tried to make it understandable and complete if you need help feel free to post me a message or just a regular post I'll be watching.
:red:
