Stepping up - command or suggestion?

[AnarchoBoxer]

Potential stupid question coming up.

More often than not, Tuco steps up. However, sometimes he just doesn't seem interested and gives me a pretty clear "no" stare. It seems he usually wants my company when he does that, but he just doesn't necessarily want to be on me.

Is "step up" supposed to be a command to be obeyed, or not? I don't like to make him do anything he doesn't want to do, and I usually just say "okay" and put my hand away.

[Michael]

I think neither. My birds just want to hang out with me and always step up. When they aren't so much dying for what they can get from me, they step up just from habit. You need to think about more reasons why your parrot should want to step up for you, practice, and always keep good things that can happen in reserve. Never "spoil" your bird by letting it have everything or obviously why should it bother?

[Pajarita]

I don't think of 'step up' as a command or as a suggestion, I think of it as a polite request and I hardly ever have one deny it to me but, when it happens, it's fine with me. I love my family dearly but there are times when I want to be by myself, too, so I figure that's what happens when they don't want to do it.

[AnarchoBoxer]

^ That's exactly how I've been treating it. I'm not keen on making him do things.

Thanks for the advice, folks. It's appreciated!