Step-up

[Sammy22]

Hey guys I bought a yellow crested cockatoo about 2 weeks now and I've been practicing step up with him, im able to now lift him away for a sec then he looks back so i put him down. But i tried to put my other hand infront for him to climb up and he freaked out and flew off. So how do i tackle this issue? He is a big bird, 3 years and i offer him my arm. The way i get him to step up is by target training but without it he wont hop up. I tried to also press against the chest gently and i got a warning bite. Currently doing this ontop of his cage because i cant get him to come off or to stand on the Tstand.

Thanks guys

[Wolf]

Slow down some and allow the bird to come to you, do not force the bird, it will backfire on you. Target training is good, although I think that you may have started too early. You should have allowed the bird to settle in and learn to trust you before beginning to train. I know that you have probably been told that you can use the training to earn its trust, but that is not entirely true.
Given the birds age this may not be too big of a mistake as it should already be somewhat familiar with target training. So I think that I would continue with the target training but probably no more than 2 15 minute sessions per day. I would spend the remainder of the time getting to know the bird and letting him get to know you and earning his trust. Does he take treats from your hand? At this stage the answer is most likely that he does. You may have to use target training to move him around and to teach him to step up on the other arm. But I would not try to force the issue, again at this stage I would wait and let the bird come to you. Bribe him with treats could help with this as well as in gaining his trust.

[Sammy22]

How would i target him to the other hand if he is standing on one? Is that what you mean, because if so im not aware of how i would do that.

And how often should i do training sessions with him during the day? Because at the moment its all over the place. Whenever im out of the room he calls and i answer and we end up doing some form of training whether its target training around in his cage or outside trying to do stepup.

[liz]

The top of the cage or anyplace that he is face level will feels safer for him. You will make better progress reaching up. When he is ready he will come to you. Find something to occupy yourself while sitting in his room. A puzzle or something that you can do quietly to give him time to watch you when you are not putting full attention on him. I sing (which is really bad), talk to myself or read out loud.
They are afraid of hands not faces.

[Sammy22]

Thanks for the suggestions liz, i will try spending more time in the room without giving too much attention. I guess i got a little over excited that i got in his face too early. Will definitely give him the space

[Wolf]

All parrots like schedules so set aside two training periods of about 15 minutes each. Make one of them in the morning about an hour after breakfast time and one in the afternoon about an hour before dinner time. Target to the arm that he doesn't like from his cage and then target him off the arm and in a couple of minutes back on to the arm that he doesn't like. Then also ask him to step up to the arm he doesn't like, if he doesn't step up or target to that arm, do not insist on it just target him or step up onto the arm that he likes and come back to try the other arm. After a while he will do both of them for you and then you can work on him stepping from the bad arm to the good arm and back. Just be patient and never force an issue with him as trust is the basis of everything that you will do with him.
You should answer him when he calls to you, that is good and lets him know that he is not alone and that you are listening for him. You do not have to come running to him everytime that he calls as that will teach him to call and scream for you everytime that he can't see you. When he calls for you, answer him and then go to him when he is quiet and spend time with him. You can play with him at these times and even ask for step ups as this is not a trick it is a useful action for living with each other. You can also just hang out with him during these times as he is not asking for training, he is asking for companionship and just quietly hanging out together is a very beneficial bonding activity that they do with each other all the time. They are very social creatures who in their world are never alone.

[Sammy22]

I did exactly what you suggested wolf, but i started this session with target traning around the cage theb opened the door and had my hand infront of his perch to step up on to, he was scared at first but slowly leand in, then put one leg on and the other. Not moving my hand yet but got him on and off both hands while in the cage. I stuck to the 15 mins and he kept asking for more. Looking forward to the second session with him tonight

I dont mean to bombard you guys with so many questions but he is constantly bobbing his head, and i know thats a good sign that he's happy or asking for attention. Just dont know what he wants when he does that, i kept my distance and talking with him, sang a little and he continued.

Please let me know if you think i should improve or make changes to the training session.

Thanks again guys, appreciate the one on one help

[Wolf]

Targeting him around the cage is a good thing, but I try not to go into his space while he is in it, any more than I need to. Try opening the door of the cage and letting him come out. See if he goes to the top of the cage or down to the floor. If he starts towards the floor try targeting him to the top of the cage. Give him a couple of minutes to look about from there, then see if he will step up onto your arm and try to walk about the room. If he doesn't step up try targeting him onto your arm and then try to walk around the room and then step down onto the cage top. Alternately try to step down onto a flat surface or chair back or perch, what ever you have to use other than floor or cage top. You want to be able to move him about and have him step up and down in a variety of places. If he acts scared, gets nervous or doesn't want to step off in any place don't push it. it is all about trust.
The head bobbing is a good thing, and could mean that he is happy. It could also be the start of him regurgitating for you. This is not a bad thing although you don't want to encourage regurgitation. He is going to need to spend a lot of time out of the cage, at least 4 hours out of the cage to explore his environment as well as to just hang out with you. He is also going to need at least one hour of one on onetime on you which can be in addition to the other four hours or it can be a part of the four hours. I would, for the most part consider that the head bobbing is a happy sign and that he wants to spend time with you and do that.
These are things that you may need to spend time building up to or he could do them in just one or two sessions.
If you do not have any stand alone perches then you may want to make a couple of them, or buy a couple of them or you could use a couple of chair backs to teach flight recall when you have him doing the things already mentioned. I am just trying to give you a direction to work in.

[Sammy22]

Thanks man i did as you mentioned once again and for the first time i was able to walk around with him around the room and back. The only way i can do that though is with treats and im currently giving him sunflower seeds because thats his favorite. But how much is too much? I want to cut back until no treats at all for a step up but he wont step up without them. I think that will just happen with time.

About that hour of one on one time on me, how would i keep him on? Continue offering him treats? And would it be too early for him to walk up my shoulder?

[liz]

Thanks for the suggestions liz, i will try spending more time in the room without giving too much attention. I guess i got a little over excited that i got in his face too early. Will definitely give him the space

Yes. He needs time to look at you and figure you out. He needs to watch you and hear you when your attention is not aimed on him. Once you are familiar he will reach out to you. Some go beyond our expectations.