Can't find answer

[cutlass5268]

Hi, I have read so many articles on the subject of teaching to step up I'm going blind. The problem being, they are all geared to younger birds that seem easier to handle or at least have a basic knowledge of the command. My problem is, my CAG is just over 1 year old and I am her second owner. After having her a month and a half, she trusted me enough to scratch her all over, touch her feet and enjoys being on my shoulder leaning against me and resting and walking around a bit. She has flown a few times and crash landed, but luckly not hurt. But ti get her off the floor I have had to let her climb me up to my shoulder, where I keep her until she calms down. But I can't get her to step on my arm or a dowel in order to take her around the house with me. She will only get on my shoulder if I sit on the couch next to her cage and she will come down and stroll around a bit and then eventually step onto my shoulder. Once there she is perfectly content to preen, nibble my ears & watch my goofy kids. But try to get her to step up, no way. As soon as I try she just lowers her head right away to block me or initiate a head scratch, same thing if I use a dowel. How could a bird that would step up for her previous owner seem to have abandoned all thought of repeating it for me? Most reading I have done says to take the bird to another area for training, but if I can't get her to step up, how do I get her to another area? And most likely she would be scared even more as she has not been in other rooms in the house but a couple of times. Do I towel her (not something I have tried yet) to get her into another room to try and train her? Or will she just be mad at me for towelling her? I'm at a loss as to how to even get started on the first very basic step of training. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

[JillyBeanz]

Because you have offered her your shoulder and let her reside there, she is quite happy there and thinks this is "her place". The shoulder is normally progression - after they've accepted the "step up" command.

She isn't biting when refusing to step up - so this is a great sign. When she bends her head down, just put your hand under her beak and gently press at her chest area - just to knock her a little off balance - she will probably then reach out and step up as she needs somewhere to go.

Sometimes Harvey lowers his head when he can't be bothered (although I don't usually need to ask him to step up - he offers) and I just adopt the measures I have just described. It honestly works

[rbpittman]

She has you trained well! She wants only to sit on your shoulder and by blocking you and not doing as you ask, you've accommodated her request. She's quick with the training...lol. As Jill said, gently push her off balance with your fingers just above her feet and she will step up. Remember to say step-up for her and praise her when you do. Training the owner is easier for a grey than the owner training the grey!

[she]

I agree, she had decided your shoulder is a good place to be and has taught you to let her up there,:laugh: ,clever bird.

[danmcq]

As others have said, she has trained you well.

If she is on the floor and wants up, only offer your hand or arm. Stop letting her climb up your body to your shoulder. Use your other arm to block the path up your arm to your shoulder. The shoulder is a privilege, not a god given right.

I know it's been a month, but trust is still being built and so are the handling methods your are teaching her for her new house and flock.

Treats and praise work wonders on getting a parrot to come around quickly. :-)

[cutlass5268]

Thanks. Kind of figured I was being played, but I always have been a sucker for girls! Guess I've been a little naive too, thinking that because she is hand raised, she should be willing to step up even though she may not trust me fully yet.
I'll give your suggestions a try, I'm getting better at reading her body language, so I don't get bit to often any more. Except last week when I had to pick her up to stop her from biting holes in the couch :blink: just one more reason to work on the stup up!!

[she]

Dont mention holes in the couch,sore point in my house :evil: . Charlie thinks its his chew toy.:lol:<br><br>Post edited by: she, at: 2009/12/06 09:14

[ecodweeb]

I have a 10 year old female who has come from an abusive home. She still ducks and clucks when you make a fast hand movement or anything goes over her little head (Window wipers in the car were a real nightmare for a time).

After 5 months of persistence and bribery, she steps up to an offered hand whether or not you say "step up."

If she's hesitant, say sitting on her door, I just reach for Mr. Towel and she throws her foot up. Previous she was taught to step on a covered arm or a stick, which really infuriated me.

If I can teach this old girl how to step up in 5 months, I know you can teach a one year old!

Karma to you!

[cutlass5268]

Thanks. I had a bit of a breakthrough on Sunday. I had gotten her another rope purch (cause I can't leave the pet store without something for her), but haven't put it in her cage yet. So I held both ends so it was in a u shape and held it up to her and said up. And damned if she didn't step right on it. Tried it a hundred times with dowels and such with no luck. So we kept practising a few times a day. Yay!! I think she probably liked that it was out of her personal space area, and holding with two hands, it is nice and sturdy. I'll just keep inching my hands closer to her and walking around a bit to get her used to the movement and hopefully have her stepping up on my hand soon. <br><br>Post edited by: cutlass5268, at: 2009/12/09 02:01

[luvparrots]

Karma to you Dave for finding something to help your grey step up for you!