Training after Stepping Up?

[Ecclesiarch]

Hi,

I own a moustache parrot (almost 2 weeks now!) and I have taught him to step up, or at least I believe that it is stepping up. When I put my hand directly in front of him, he sometimes steps up with only one foot and sometimes steps up with both feet. I fed him a lot of treats at first in order to develop a positive association, yet now he seems addicted to food. He only does anything for food, but will step up (for food). He normally ignores me if I don't have snacks.

What are the next steps in order to develop a bond with him and get him to be close to me without the treats? He steps up but then steps back down almost immediately if I don't give a snack. But then he steps back up, probably because he wants to try again for a treat.

He resides on an open perch, by the way, and not in a closed cage.

[Michael]

Start making being on you a positive experience regardless of food treats. Reward stepping up by putting the parrot on your shoulder or taking it places. Use stepping up as a way to get attention or to get talked to, etc. Then eventually you don't have to give treats for stepping up ever again.