Help with step ups

[featheredfriend00]

Hi all,

I have a blue-headed pionus named Eva that I got from a rescue about a month ago. She's a really sweet girl, but refuses to step up. When I target her to step on my hand (stepping near my hand is fine), she starts whimpering and grabs onto the cage bars with her feet and beak as hard as she can. Sometimes she'll ask for head scratches instead. She does the same when I offer a perch. I imagine that she learned this because her previous owner grabbed her when he or she wanted her to come out. I can't get her out of the cage without grabbing her and prying her little toes off the bars one by one while she screams. Obviously, I try to do this as little as possible, but it's the only way I can transport her until she learns to step up.

In addition to clicker training Eva and targeting her to my hand, I have been praising and treating my other parrot for stepping up in the hopes that Eva will see the type of interaction I would like to have with her. Maybe eventually she'll get it, but I sure don't see any signs yet.

I'm willing to be patient, but not stepping up makes everything more traumatic than it needs to be--for instance, when she was startled off the cage, she started climbing up on Max's cage, and I saw his face fluff and the beak open, so I had to do the ol' grab 'n' pry with poor Eva before she got her feet chomped. Also, I had to grab her to take her to the vet for a wellness exam.

Eva and I would really appreciate some advice on this situation. Can you think of anything else I could do to help her?

Thank you,
FF

[Moe_n_Joe]

If you haven't already tried this, one way to make stepping onto a finger easier is to set up a perch so it is open at one end and "connect" your finger to it so your finger is an extension of the perch. Sidestepping along a perch is often a lot easier for the bird then stepping forward onto a new object, since the former can be done gradually, while the latter is an all-or-nothing leap of faith. This works well with a natural perch that is close to the diameter of your finger. Then you can gradually lure with a treat or target stick. Depending on how frightened she is of your finger, you might reward her for moving closer to the end of the perch toward your finger, eventually for touching your finger, then putting a foot on, then putting one foot further on, then putting both feet on for an instant, then for walking all the way onto your finger, then for staying, etc.

It shouldn't take long before she will come toward your finger as soon as you connect it to the perch. This move remains useful even after your bird learns step-up. My bird steps up, hops to hands, and does flight recall, but even when he is distracted, preening, or otherwise preoccupied, attaching my finger to his perch is an irresistible lure and won't startle him like putting a finger in his face while he's preening will, since he gets to notice the finger and move toward it at his own pace, which he eagerly does.

Then once she is used to shuffling onto your finger to get a treat, start to move your finger a little tiny bit in front of the perch so she has to step forward a little bit while she sidesteps on. Little by little, change the position of your finger so she has to step forward and off the perch to get to your finger. Later you can add new twists like stepping up from cage bars, stepping forward onto a perch, etc.

[Pajarita]

First thing you need to do is stop flooding her completely. She will never trust you if you continue doing this. Unfortunately, you already messed up by grabbing her and forcing her toes open when she was scared so now it will take twice as long to get her to trust you. Do not force her out of her cage, just put a perch on the outside with a treat on it, open the door, step back and wait. And wait. And wait. Don't look at her (staring is a predator behavior), just talk/sing/whistle to her, offer her a treat every now and then but don't give her the impression that you are paying her any direct attention (you need to fool her into complacency). And, if she doesn't come out after a couple of hours, close the door and try again the next day. Forget about having her step up, you need to gain her trust first and for that, you will need A LOT of patience and never force her again.

[featheredfriend00]

Hi,
Thanks for your replies. Moe, that's great idea to try having her shuffle sideways. She might be into that. I'm going to give it a try. I've tried it with her standing on the cage door, but maybe a separate perch on the outside of the cage will do the trick.

Paj, I need you to go a little further with your reply. Eva doesn't have a problem coming out of the cage, and she is very friendly and not afraid of hands. I pet her, kiss her, and target her around and on top of the cage every day. She eats from my hand. She just doesn't understand that she could step on my hand and we could go places together. I am aware that grabbing her is not good for our relationship, which is why I wrote the post. However, I stand by my choice to grab her--for now--when she's in danger or needs to go to the vet. Otherwise, I don't ever grab her, for the reasons you pointed out. She's ready for the next step, so to speak. So, let's assume that I've already done everything you suggested. Then what?

FF

[Pajarita]

When she is feeling comfortable and relaxed (you will know by her body language), take a high value treat (put different nuts, a piece of bread, a piece of graham cracker, etc in a row and see which one she goes first for - this item will become her high value treat and she will only get it when you are training her to do something hard for her) and holding it with your non-dominant hand (it would be my left) right on the other side of your dominant hand, which would be in front of her lower abdomen, say 'Step up!' and wait. Do not repeat it a million times, just twice and, if she makes no move, just put the high value treat away, wait half an hour and try again. Once she goes for it (she will start by stretching her body and neck without taking a step forward), keep it just a hairbreadth out of reach and move it very slowly so she has no choice but to step on your finger to reach it. Once she does this (even if it's only one foot), praise, praise, praise, give her the treat, scratch her head, etc. Do this three times in a row but don't do it one after the other, wait 5 - 10 minutes in between and just interact with her in the meantime. Once she puts one foot on your hand without hesitation, start moving the treat so she needs to put both feet on it in order to reach it. Do this several times a day (3 or 4 and never one after the other) and, eventually, she will step up without a treat with just your attention for a reward.