Training step up while keeping my fingers

[MBloom7]

Hi,
This is my first post on a forum, but i'm not finding any information from just searching.
I recently got a green cheek conure. This is the second conure i've had, so i have some experience already. My first bird was incredibly easy to train, but the methods i used on her are just not working this time around. While this bird is not aggressive (very cuddly in fact), he seems to completely ignore any treats i use during "step ups" in favor of chomping my fingers. While i do not react at all, or if i do i push back instead of pull away, he's just not getting it - and my hands hurt to much to keep using this method. Would anyone have any suggestions?
Any suggestions for noise control early on would be great too. While he isn't loud yet, my old conure would shriek whenever i left the room and i was kicking myself for not training in that early on.
Thank you so much!
Miranda

 

[amysaviary]

Best thing if the bird likes to cuddle is to remove yourself from the bird when he bites. He bites u put him down and walk away for a min. then come back and try again. Don't put him in a cage or play stand just down like on the couch or table or floor(as long as it is safe) and walk away. He will soon learn if I bite she leaves me. Do the same with screaming, he screams u leave, only come back when he is quiet. U have to do this over and over but it works!!!

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Get a stick or a round dowel about 1/2 " to 3/4" and use that in place if your finger. Then you can begin to work your hand closer and closer until he is stepping up on your finger without noticing the difference.

 

[MBloom7]

Thank you both! I'm not at the stage where i can put him down yet....because i still can't get him on my finger. Both of the birds only seemed to call out when i left, but i'll keep making a point of not coming back until he settles down and use Amys advice. I've never tried the dowel idea, but it seems to be the only option i have left considering i'm out of bandaids Thank you both very much.

 

[Remy]

Is it a playful chomp, or an aggressive chomp? I've had trouble with Puck playing too rough with me (to the point of making me bleed). I just pulled my fingers away or stopped playing with him when he did it. I still have to do it, but he's better than he used to be.

I think he just enjoys chomping on fingers, and possibly, the taste of human blood.

I think the dowel idea might be good for you.

 

[McKee]

AGREED!! my Sunny hates fingers/hands (we are his 3rd family) but waay better than at first....we use a dowel to get him outta his cage..he is very territorial, like 2 diff. birds on his cage then off..or u can bend towards his cage and he hops onto our shoulder sometimes....he will get on our finger when he is on the floor or anywhere NOT by his cage or on one of us!! He used to bit hard drawing blood, but has gotten way better. my hubby lets him kno its not ok and puts him back...and the calling LOL...UGH haha!..One great thing about it is, Sunny is a GREAT watch bird..if someone is walking by our house he will gooo crazy screeching!! good luck hope ur hands make it thru!!!

 

[amysaviary]

Sorry though u could get him but he would bite when he did. U can also use treats to get him to step up(I am not a fan of the stick because u want to build a bond and get him to trust u and step up on u not a stick) Will he take a treat from ur hand? Start with that, then use both hand, 1 with a treat then 1 to step up on between him and the treat. If he even touches ur hand to step up on treat him(not a bite but a touch or foot) it will be slow but this will help build a bond.

 

[Pedro]

Are you giving your bird the choice to want to step up or are you forcing it. When i am dealing with a biting or aggressive parrot i apply the 3 A's Anticipate potential trigger situation. Be Aware of your parrots body language & what it maybe trying to tell you, and finally, Aviod any pontential situations where the parrot can either be intentionally or unintentionally rewarded & reinforced for unwanted behaviours. Remember the more a parrot performs a behaviour, the better it will become at it, be it a wanted or unwanted behaviour, practice makes perfect.

I would offer my hand & if my bird isn't ready to step up i just walk away & leave it come back later. Eventually when my bird is ready to step up only then do i take them from the cage. Once out of their cage & i am interacting with them as soon as i see them getting uncomfortable i pop them back on their play stand.

Was your bird hand reared & how old is it.??? If you haven't had him all that long maybe your not building the trust account with him.


http://www.parrots.org/pdfs/all_abo...enrichment/PS 19 1 Feb 07 Parrot Trust SM.pdf

Also read Steve Martins link above.

 

[MBloom7]

He'll certainly take treats from my hand. I've been trying to reward him for any non-biting contact, which usually leads to him just flying onto my shoulder or head. That's good enough for now! He is a year old, and spent most of that year in a pet store. We've had him about a week now, but i think he trusts me because he'll let me pet him. Hopefully this will just be a matter of time. Thank you all for the advice.

 

[amysaviary]

I don't want to start a "clip or not to clip war" but birds r more dependent on us if they r clipped. U said he just flies to u, not the best thing, he will not learn to step up and trust ur hand if u don't teach him it is a good thing. If u clip his wings and work on training u can always let them grow back later if u wish(I feel it is much safer for my birds if they r clipped and I clip all my babies wings before they go home but that is me) I just think u need to teach him he needs to step up to be with u then he gets to ride on ur shoulder and have fun after he dose what he should (step up) That is like letting ur kids go outside to play but they never asked for permission. They get to just go have fun and didn't do what they should do and ask to do something. IMO. It is bird manners if u ask me that a bird learns to step up.