Tips to train two stubborn Quakers to step up

m_lody

New member
Apr 9, 2021
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Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but I figured it would be the best place to ask for help since I don't know anyone else with parrots and I've been a bit lost.

So I have two male Quaker parrots, one named Sammy and another named Willow. I have been trying to train them to step up for the past week to week and a half with only mild success. The problem is that I found that they only want to step up onto the perch that I use when it training time for them and they get treats out of it and no other time. Moreover, Willow doesn't even want to step up most times and will start to bite and Sammy is a bit overeager and will readily shove Willow out of the way to step up. I don't know if it that they're scared of me (but they love to sit on my head whenever possible) or if they are just really stubborn outside of the time I train them or they're not bonded to me.

My biggest question is how do I get these two to step up without requiring a treat and outside of training time or does anyone have any tips for getting them, especially Willow, to step up. I'm sure it'll come with time, but how long did it take you all to get your parrots to step up with ease?
 

Laurasea

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2018
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Hello and welcome.
More background information is very helpful.
How long have you had them and how old are they? Where did you get them from ? Are they caged together or separate? Are these your furst parrots? Sorry lots if questions but it really helps us help you more.

If you have only had them a week and a half, then really things are going well. I usually spend the first few weeks of treats by hand , trust building, not really training. Getting thrm used to the routines, and me.

It can be very difficult to work with parrots at the cage, but especially quakers. While young quakers aren't as cage protective, most will become do by a year old. All 3 of mine are. So I have a perch on the door, and when it swings open they are good, and I have a perch outside cage next to the door. Then things are nice and civil. Away from the cage mine are all very sweet.

For most of my burds step up just evolved with trust, not a lot of fuss on repetition . More as a means to an end. But peoples approach are different, as is each parrot. Short training sessions, with no more than 5 repetition seem to work best with parrots, and you can repeat a few times a day. Target training can be helpful.

With my newest girl from the petstore, she had a huge phobia of hands, many birds can have fear of hands . To the parrots point if view hands are just weird. It took 2 months for her to get over this . During that time I fed treats all day long, and everytime she took the treat i said good birdie. To help teach her what that ment. I started standing on the far side of the cage ( she was out on top of cage with perches and toys) and had her walk to me for treat. It seems so simple, but when they begin to move towards you for rewards, it kinda switches something in their brain. And starts making things easier. There is a behavior specialist that says you should aim for 50 treats a day for all sorts of good behavior. Like oh aren't you being nice and quiet here is a treat, oh you played with a toy here is a treat, you came over to say hi here is a treat. I dont think I reached 50, lol, but I feed a lot of treats.

Yes you will get to a point that no treats are needed, they step up because they want to be with you. But I wouldn't worry about it st all.

All of my birds get treats to go back to the cage.

Bird tricks youtube , has a lot of good videos, and explains some behavior, and shaping. I think most of their info is solid and tgey understand behavior. I don't always agree with everything, but overall a great resource. I only watch the free ones, so some if them they talk on their products a little, some they don't talk about their toys or food at all, they just share some great info
 
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