One of the problems people
encounter when trying to teach their
bird to do step-ups is caused by the
very human instinct to try and help the bird up by boosting it with the
finger
from which the bird is stepping.
This
boosting actually has the opposite effect.
The bird feels the
strengthening of the lower perch, the one that it's supposed to be
leaving, and "lays" back on that solid, lifting perch. Why leave
something solid for something unknown?
Instead of boosting you
should be doing just the opposite; make the old finger/hand
melt away while the new, proffered finger becomes the strong, trustworthy
perch. That way the bird will be comfortable committing to it.
You can teach a bird to do step ups in
a very short time with a combination of three, subtle maneuvers:
1. Offer the hand or finger upon which you
want the bird to step, putting slight pressure on its body, just above the
feet if it's a small bird, on the lower chest if it's a larger bird.
This pressure should be toward the back of the bird, NOT upward.
2. The
hand from which the bird is stepping rolls slightly away from the new
hand. This is a technique I call the "log roll." Picture yourself
standing on a log. When it rolls backwards, you have to walk forward just
to stay on top of it. Much like that "Log Roll" a slight roll of the
finger/hand will encourage your bird to lift a foot just to stay on top of
that finger/hand. This, coupled with slight backwards pressure from the
new finger just above the bird's feet, does the trick.
3. When the bird's foot makes
contact with the new finger, don't let it waver. And instead of boosting
with the other hand, have that "old" perch
melt away. In other words, lower it gently. This encourages
your bird to do a clean, committed weight shift and not lean its weight
back on the old finger. Thus, the new perch is strong; the old perch
melts away. The bird shifts its weight forward to the strong, rising
perch. Be
ready to accept its weight and give your bird a rock-solid place to
step.
Don't let your finger wobble under
its weight.
This makes it less trustworthy.
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As you and your bird repeat this behavior,
the two of you will learn to work together to make the weight shifts smoother, faster and more
natural. Remember, you want as clear and precise a weight shift as possible to
encourage your bird to trust the new perch. Although these techniques
are subtle, they have enabled me to teach hundreds of birds that had never stood on
a hand before how to do step-ups in a few minutes.
Don't help the bird up - let it step up
