It's not as difficult to get started with parrot training as you might think. You can get started right away by teaching your parrot some basic behaviors, no matter how long you've had your bird. In my opinion, one of the best things you can teach your parrot is to have a reliable step up response. How the step-up command works is that your bird should step onto your hand without hesitation whenever you give it that particular command.
So why is the step-up command the first thing you should teach your parrot? The main reason is that it makes it so much easier to get your bird out of its cage. Another is that parrots sometimes climb up on shoulders whether you want them to or not, so step-up makes it easier to get them off of a shoulder. Some parrots will try to bite when being removed from a shoulder, but this is less of an issue with a bird that is well-trained to step up. The step-up behavior is especially useful in situations where the bird might be in danger, such as if it would happen to accidentally fly out of your home. It's important that your bird learn to cooperate with you, and teaching step up is an excellent way to do that. So all in all, the step-up command is a great place to start when first beginning to train your parrot.
Let's Begin
Let's now take a look at the steps used to teach your bird to step onto your hand. You simply place your finger in front of the bird's feet and say "step up." Remember that your bird doesn't understand our language, so it will learn what these words mean over time. For now, you can gently push your finger against your bird's lower stomach area to push it backwards just a little. If you continue to press the bird gently backwards, you'll find that it should then step up willingly to your hand. Don't forget to praise your bird enthusiastically once it has stepped up onto your finger. You can then ask your bird to step-up a few additional times, encouraging your bird to go from one hand to the other. Be sure to give the step-up command each time.
Troubleshooting the Step-up Command
There are a few particularly stubborn parrots that clamp down on the perch with their talons and hang on for dear life. It would be interesting to know what is going on behind those intelligent eyes at times like these. Whatever they are thinking, here's the best way to handle it. Keep your one hand in front of the bird and move your other hand behind just a few inches away. Most parrots don't like to be picked up this way, and this action gives the bird a choice of either that or stepping up to your hand. Most of the time, the parrot will choose to willingly step up to your hand when presented with this choice. Again, wildly praise your pet for being smart enough to know that stepping up is the better choice.
Regular Practice
It is highly recommended that you continue to work with your bird on a regular basis. Practice daily at first, and then do semi-regular practice sessions throughout the bird's life to reinforce this behavior. If you do this, you'll find your bird is easier to handle and it won't be nearly as bad when the "terrible twos" hit. And there you go! You've just taken your first step (pun intended) towards becoming a parrot training expert.
No comments:
Post a Comment