Training help!

[lyss802]

Hi everyone,

my name is Alyssa. My boyfriend and I are first time bird owners, we just got our new baby named Flash he is a green cheek conure 💕 On 4/10. We are absolutely in love. We've been able to get him comfortable enough comming out of the cage, he loves when we pet him, he let me preen him (had a lot of pin feathers the poor baby) and he preens us sometimes so it's not that he is crazy uncomfortable with us, it does take a bit everyday to get him to rewarm up to us. But we can not get him to "step up" he always runs the other way, he is very smart and knows .. I've tried lots of things, his favorite treat, to slightly push on his chest with my fingers to get the step up, to slide my fingers under his feet, and to put it at his current perch level... he's just so stubborn and he knows what your trying to do. He used to try to bite our finger because he didn't want it there haha and now he bows his head because he wants me to pet him it's the most adorable stubborn thing. Does anyone have any advice that I haven't Read or is a bit out of the norm?! Currently he is trying to bite my phone haha he's obsessed with it when it's out Hahahah

Thank you ❤️

 

[wrench13]

How do you get him back in the cage?

So I would have his favoite treat in the palm of you hand, so he has to step on your hand to get it. When he does it,he gets the treat immedeately after stepping on your hand, and lots of verbal praise, along with the command "Step Up". His fav treat should only be used for training. You both need to be absoloutly consistent, same command, same tecnique, all so he does not become confused. Good Luck!

 

[MonicaMc]

Can you define how you are trying to train him to step up using his favorite treat?


Have you tried using scritches to teach him to step up?

 

[Scott]

Welcome Alyssa, love the name "Flash" for a GCC!

He is still barely with you two weeks and is likely still acclimating. I can understand your frustration, as stepping up is the building block of a great relationship.

While I don't know the conure personality first-hand, you might try some additional techniques to bond and build trust. Of course, he might be totally trusting and stubborn! http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Clicker and Target training is a more advanced technique: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/60435-clicker-target-training.html

 

[lyss802]

I do tottally understand we've only had him for two weeks, so I am honestly happy he even comes out of the cage and let's us pet him. I just feel like because we have to scoop him up with out hands to put him back in the cage it's giving him a weird feeling about hands if they arm petting him haha, Thank you for the link I'll continue to work on that!!

 

[lyss802]

I place my perch finger at his feet or current perch level, sometimes chest level and give a little push ( trying all ways I've heard ) and the other hand has a treat out that he has to step on my finger to reach. But he is so smart he sometimes will elongate his neck just far enough to rip and I mean rip the sunflower out of my hand, hahah probably not great that I find his savage stubbornness adorable. So smart.

 

[lyss802]

Thank you I haven't tried the palm of my hand yet, honestly we've been having to scoop him up with our hands (he used to bite but know knows we mean no harm) or ill nudge him until he latched on to my shirt and climbs up and I'll put my shoulder in the cage from there he grabs the bars and goes in. I'll have to try that!! Thank you.

 

[LordTriggs]

My conure was the same, figuring out every way to get the treat except the easiest solution. what I would do is instead of pressing against his chest hold a pre-existing perch or stick a little bit away from him and then hold the treat in a manner that even stretching as far as he can get he will have to step up. Get him used to the idea of stepping on the stick with your finger on the hand holding the stick outstretched against the stick, slowly as he steps up move your finger close and closer to the end of the stick each time he steps up, moving millimeters at a time. Eventually he should start stepping onto your finger and the perch at which point you can start to remove the perch. It's a long process but it worked for me (and gets them stick trained to so 2 for 1 training right there)

Definitely experiment finding the singular treat he will do anything for, mine for example was crazy about raisins

 

[Anansi]

Good advice offered already. Personally, I'd stop pushing against him to get him to step up. Depending on how bothered he gets by any threats to his balance, doing so might set back the trust you are building with him.

As Scott pointed out, it's only been two weeks. And consider the amount of trust necessary for a prey animal to put himself in the vulnerable position of stepping up onto a hand so much larger than he. It's not that coaxing him out with the treat is not working. it's just that it takes time to work. He has to be convinced that stepping onto your hand will be a good thing for him. Safe. And the best way to accomplish that is for him to feel as though it was his idea to do so.

Patience and persistence are key, here. Just move at his pace.

Another approach is to try target training him first, and then target him onto your hand once he's doing it reliably. Here is a target training video to give an idea of how to proceed: [ame="https://youtu.be/HaOicTtwIZo"]Beginners guide to target training parrots - YouTube[/ame]

 

[MonicaMc]

Think about your relationship with your bird as a relationship with another human being. In theory, you would give 50%, and your spouse would give 50%. You meet in the middle.

Currently, you're more like 90/10 with your bird. Your asking for more than he's willing to give. Instead of placing your hand right against his stomach, ask him to walk to you for a reward. Then ask for him to walk to you for a reward with your hand near by. Then ask for him to walk to you and have a toe or nail touch your other hand. Then a foot. Eventually, both feet!

Target training, as described above, can be a great way to teach this behavior!