Stepping Up

[Sharon]

I've had Freddie, a Yellow Naped Amazon, for almost two weeks. He's six, and his previous owners have done a good job with him. They were very firm with him. They did have trouble with getting him to step up, and they pushed the issue, until he did as they asked. If he tried to fly from their hands, they held his feet. I have been firm, as in telling him NO when I need to, but I'm finding that he avoids the step up, and will nip if I insist. I haven't been insisting as he needs to trust me....and it's only been two weeks. I've tried my hand, a perch, used treats, and nothing works. Usually, when I'm asking him to step up, I need him to go back to his cage. He knows what I want, and although he refuses to step up, he goes in his cage on his own, almost imediately. Any suggestions as to how to make stepping up pleasant, or at least tolerable, for him?

[MandyG]

When you do get him to step up, what do you do with him? If you are always putting him in his cage or doing something else he dislikes he will continue to avoid stepping up. When he does successfully step up praise him with his favorite treats and take him somewhere he likes to be. If he loves showers take him into the shower, if he has a favorite perch take him there, if he has a favorite treat offer it to him. My Amazon (Mojo) dislikes my husband but he can get Mojo to step up because he knows that he'll be brought to where I am and he wants to be with me.

They were very firm with him. They did have trouble with getting him to step up, and they pushed the issue, until he did as they asked. If he tried to fly from their hands, they held his feet.

It sounds like Freddie has every reason to not want to step up based on his previous experiences. You'll have to teach him that stepping up is a rewarding thing for him to do. Never hold his feet to prevent him from flying away and never force him to step up, you'll only break his trust.

Have you read the How to Teach Parrot to Step Up and to Come Out of Cage article yet? It has a lot of very helpful information for people in your situation.

[Sharon]

Thanks...

I'm a little confused with some of Freddie's behavior. This afternoon, he looked as if he wanted me to step him up, and he kept saying Step up, come on. So I asked him quietly to step up and offered my hand. He stepped on willingly, and as I moved towards his play area, he chomped down, several times. He's not biting as hard as he can, but he leaves the print of his beak in my arm. He's done this before, and I assumed it's because he finds my arm a little unsteady, but I don't think that's it. While I was cleaning up the kitchen later, he flew to my shoulder. I immediately sat down, talked quietly to him, and he preened me. He asked for and got head scratches. Then, out of nowhere he grabbed my ear, not hard at first, but then he tightened his grip. I yelled at him, which I know I'm not supposed to do, but it is a little disconcerting. He stops the biting when I react loudly to him. He then gets in his cage, and scolds himself loudly, with things such as Freddie, NO...Get in! get in!!!...not learned here. I do believe the previous owners were loud with him, from other things he has said, including....Paul, Put that *****bird in!!!!

Freddie has an amazing vocab, so I know they've given him a lot of attention. I have Freddie on a one month trial. Do you think what I'm seeing is an indicator of worse thing to come...???

[MandyG]

No, I don't think it's an indicator of worse things to come, although more of his personality, bad habits included, will start to come out the longer you have him. As with any 'second hand' bird you will have to deal with the problems that the previous owners created. It sounds like you have a lot of problems to correct...

Don't let him on your shoulder. Parrots should not be allowed on your shoulder unless you put them there. With new birds you don't know what they're like yet and you should not trust them on your shoulder. I know many people do put new birds on their shoulder and it works out well, but Freddie has already told you that he shouldn't be up there yet. Actually I've been told by many people you should never allow an Amazon on your shoulder due to their jealous tendencies. "If you can't bite the one you want to bite, bite the one you're with." is a popular saying, and it's true. Even if you do develop a bond with Freddie he might bite you seemingly out of nowhere if he's upset with something in his environment, such as a less favorite person coming near you. I do trust my Amazon on my shoulder, when I put him there, but I have had him since he was a baby and have a strong bond with him. I do this knowing full well that one day I very well might suffer some damage due to a severe bite.

As for the biting while on your arm I don't really have any advice. That's not something I've had to deal with.

Do not yell at him when he bites you or acts badly. I know sometimes this is nearly impossible to do, but remember that you'll be reinforcing the behavior. It sounds like you have a lot of problems to work through, but luckily you're bringing him into a new environment and you should be able to correct most of his behaviors by reinforcing the good and ignoring the bad. Others on the forum have experience with re homed birds and they should be able to help you a little more with this.

Although previously owned birds can be more of a challenge, you can build a very rewarding relationships with them. Don't give up!

[Sharon]

Mandy, I had no intention of allowing Freddie on my shoulder. When I step him up, I make sure he stays on my arm. When he flies to my shoulder, I can't see him. I hesitate putting my hand up to get him off, because I can't see him. I expect I should try to feel less intimidated..

He's used to shoulder riding...and I guess that's why he flies there.

Maybe I'm in over my head....I'm so afraid of screwing up...

[Sharon]

Freddie has been here two weeks now, and still biting. He'll step up sometimes, and then bite for no reason that I can see. He flew to my shoulder the other day, preened me, while I talked softly and told him what a good boy he is. Then for no reason, he bit my ear. I'm not allowing the shoulder now...



I'm getting worried that I don't have the ability to do this. He bit my arm a couple of days ago, and left two bruises, one for each beak portion. Again, he'd already stepped up, but bit on the way to the play area. I'm dreading getting him out of cage, and back in, as he seems so unpredictable...



The wings aren't clipped, because my vet contact didn't call back, and I don't have the "guts" to do it myself. Hubby is thinking he should go back...I'm not sure what I think. I do know that if I'm afraid of him, it can't be a good relationship....

[MandyG]

2 weeks really isn't long enough to build trust with a re-homed parrot. I've talked to people that have worked daily for months with re-homed Amazons, it took one at least 3 months just to get the bird out of the cage willingly. Don't give up yet.

Did you try the target training? Did you read the One Person Bird article? It's really hard to give advice when we don't know what tactics you've tried. If you haven't tried target training or the other tips in the One Person Bird article I highly recommend starting there.

If he is biting while on your arm you could try transporting him on a perch. I believe every Amazon should be comfortable stepping up onto a perch, such as a piece of dowel. Even very tame Amazons will have their 'hot' days where their tempers flare. You'll especially find this with the 'hot three' which includes the Yellow Napes. Being able to move them with a perch is really useful during hormonal periods as well.

If you are too afraid to work with him you may want to consider using a thick leather glove, such as a falconry or welding glove. The parrot will still be able to bite you but it will hurt much less and might give you the confidence to work with him. If he learns that biting you while you're transporting him doesn't create a reaction he should eventually stop.

Does he bite you when you're standing still with him on your arm? Is it only when you're walking with him? It could also be that he feels unsteady so he is biting you to steady himself. When my Amazon got his nails cut at the vet he started 'biting' and holding on just to catch his balance (the vet cut his nails much too short). My Amazon will also bite my husband if he's taking too long giving Mojo to me, he learned if he bites him hard then I'll grab him and he gets to come to me. Pay attention to what your reaction is to his biting, you may have accidently trained him to bite to get what he wants.

You definitely have a lot of work ahead of you and you have to be determined enough to put a lot into gaining Freddie's trust. Unfortunately there is a reason why they say Amazon's are not for the inexperienced and definitely not for everyone.

[Sharon]

I clipped the flights today. We started with three, which made absolutely no difference, so I did two more. A total of five flight on each wing, clipped at about 1/2 inch below the coverts.

Freddie has been more manageable since the clip. He played on the cage top for most of the day, and in his sleep cage...no flying around, and getting into everything. No flying to shoulders, when I'm not expecting it...He's been out almost all day.

He's gone to bed now...this is his first night in the sleep room, in his sleep cage. I didn't step him up after the clipping, but will be doing that first thing in the morning, when I bring him out to his day cage.

I am going to take control of him a little more than I have been. Last night he lunged for the peanut that I was using to bribe him back into his cage. That was the "breaking point" for me. I either have to return him, or take control of the situation. I don't want to take him back. Hence, my "extreme bravery" this morning in clipping. I'm taking control....Freddie is going to learn that I love him, but I am the "boss" when I need to move him. He can say NO to some things, because he needs to have choices, but he can't say NO to going back to the cage, bedtime, etc. He also cannot bite me everytime he wants his way. I do expect to get bitten sometimes, but I will not accept that, as a part of everyday handling.

We are resuming target training tomorrow as well....and he will not fly away when I'm trying to get him to focus.

I am going to use the stick perch for stepping up. He doesn't like it, but we'll work on that. It'll give me more confidence, and that will be better for handling him.

I am woman, hear me roar! Just kidding!

[MandyG]

You definitely do have to be a bit stubborn and stand your ground with an Amazon. If they know you're afraid and know that they can manipulate you they will.

Be careful, forcing him to do things he doesn't want to will damage your relationship. The great thing about Amazons is that they have very clear body language once you take the time to listen to them. You do have to respect them. That being said, you can't let them get away with things just because they said no. The trick is to make them think that whatever you want is their idea. If you can already see that he's not going to want to step up when you need him to (if he's playing or talking away to himself) wait a couple of minutes for him to calm down or walk up to him while talking with a favorite treat and target him a couple of times to distract him, then target him onto the perch or your hand. That way he doesn't think you're interrupting his play time, you showing up = training fun and treats! It will take time to learn how to read him and to figure out what works for the two of you.

You really do have to be one step ahead of them and it's really important to set them up for success.

[Sharon]

Thanks Mandy! You've been a great help!