Won't step up on cage!

[bitterknitter]

Hi all!

I have a little issue- my bird hates stepping up when he's on his cage. He'll do it most everywhere else, he's still learning, but when he's on his cage he runs around avoiding my finger, even when I have treats right in front of him. In the end I tend to walk away and try again a little later, mostly with the same response.

How can we work around this?

[cml]

Target training!

By using target training you can use the targeting stick to target your bird to step up on your hand, while he will be pre-occupied with the stick and thus wont bite. More info here:
http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=227

[Pajarita]

Out of the four GCCs I had, only one stepped up from his cage and this was because he was handicapped and could not fly so I think it's a GCC thing. What I did was open the cage door, they would scoot out real quick and climb to the top of their cage and, once they were there, I would bend over and put my shoulder in front of them (I would say "Up up" instead of "Step up" so as not to confuse them) and up they would climb without a problem.