Hi everyone

[ParrotsForLife]

hi everyone my name is Brandon i am 14 years old and love parrots i already have a question if anyone could plz answer it im kinda confused with my cockatiel rocko i have been teaching him to step up for a week now and he knows now how to do it i say step up and he gets right on my finger and gets his treat but when hes in the cage and i say step up he nibbles all over my finger it dosent hurt or anything he has never actually bit me why does he not step up when in the cage only outside

[Wolf]

There are a lot of variables that may have something to do with this. Timing is one of the foremost factor that may have something to do with this as most birds take naps during the day and you may be asking him to step up at such a time when he is ready to nap. There is also just the I don't feel like it right now to which you just walk away and try again in a few minutes.
I don't have enough information to suggest any other possibilities at this time.

[liz]

Just not in the mood. I can accept that theory. Mine even tell me no.

I thought mine were the only ones to take naps. Between 2 and 4 pm you can hear a pin drop. Every body takes a nap.

[Pajarita]

Hi, Brandon and Rocko, welcome to the forum! Some birds just don't like stepping up from the cage and, in my personal opinion, this happens mostly with the little ones so I suggest you just open the door and let him come out and stop trying to make him do something he doesn't want because, if you do, he might end up biting you hard (and who can blame him? He's been telling you over and over he doesn't like it and you are still insisting so he would have no choice but to 'show' you ). It really makes no difference whether he comes out on your finger or by himself as long as he does it, right?

[ParrotsForLife]

Hi, Brandon and Rocko, welcome to the forum! Some birds just don't like stepping up from the cage and, in my personal opinion, this happens mostly with the little ones so I suggest you just open the door and let him come out and stop trying to make him do something he doesn't want because, if you do, he might end up biting you hard (and who can blame him? He's been telling you over and over he doesn't like it and you are still insisting so he would have no choice but to 'show' you ). It really makes no difference whether he comes out on your finger or by himself as long as he does it, right?

He only sits at the cage door and only leaves his cage when he wants to but i noticed hes being a very smart bird because he knows that i know he can already step up and because he can already step up he dosent get treats anymore like he used to when he was learning to step up and now when i give him treats he lets me take him out of the cage is it ok for me to continue giving him treats everytime he steps up + every other thing i tell him to do i am now teaching him target and hes very good at it hes a quick learner and i dont think he would ever hurt me hes very friendly and lets me touch his head and give him scratches and stuff

[Harpmaker]

Welcome Brandon, Rocko and flock!

Brandon, how long have you had Rocko? A week's training is not much for a parrot, especially if you have only had him for a week. Something like the first month or so is a major bonding period, and training beyond step-up can wait until the bird is more settled.

Good luck!

[Wolf]

Cockatiels are usually both very sweet and very smart, but I can assure you that if you insist on a thing that they keep telling you that they don't like that at some point they will have enough and they will bite you. This does not mean that they don't love you, but it does mean that your relationship with him is one sided because you don't listen to him and he is smart enough to know this. For parrots the act of biting is a last resort for when all other attempts to talk to you fail. But to try to help you learn to listen to your bird here is a link that will help you to understand their body language which is their primary means of talking to you.
http://www.drcockatiel.com/cockatiel-in ... ior-guide/
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww15eii.htm
http://littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/ ... guage.html
I think that these will help you to understand your bird much better. Read them and let me know what you think, ok?

[liz]

Wolf, I only got through the first one but it is very good. I am so proud of myself that I learned these things from my 'Tiels.

[Wolf]

That is wonderful, Liz. I am glad that you enjoyed it.

[ParrotsForLife]

Welcome Brandon, Rocko and flock!

Brandon, how long have you had Rocko? A week's training is not much for a parrot, especially if you have only had him for a week. Something like the first month or so is a major bonding period, and training beyond step-up can wait until the bird is more settled.

Good luck!

I didnt have him a week i said ive been training him to step up for a week i have rocko since he was a baby he will be 1 year old in 2 weeks