Here is how to teach your Parrot to step up.

Step Up

One of the most important things a Parrot can learn is to step up. It allows us to get them out of their cage, move them places or get them down from an unsafe location. It also helps us be able to put them back into their cage when we need to.

Now your Parrot can target it’s a great way to teach them to step up properly. A true step up should see a Parrot step towards you hand or perch you want them to step on.

If you’re nervous about being bitten, teach them to step onto a perch instead.

Breaking down the trick:

Objective: Teach you Parrot to step onto your hand using positive reinforcement.
You will need: Hand/perch, target stick, treats.
Hold the target stick over your hand so they have to step onto your hand to reach it
Say, step up
When they step up, say good or click your clicker
Reward

Repeat in reverse

Hold the stick so they have to step off your hand to reach it
Say step down
When they step down, say good or click your clicker
Reward
Keep repeating this until they confidently step up. Try asking them to step up without the target stick. If they do it reward them.

It’s really good to practise this frequently just to make sure they remember how to step up. One thing to remember, like with all training and tricks, if they don’t want to do it, they don’t have to.

If they don’t want to step up, you don’t need to force them. It’s great to give them a choice. It’s your job to find a way to encourage them (get a treat ready etc.) Or maybe they’re happy where they are for now.

Stretch challenge

Can you get your Parrot to step onto your hand three times in a row?

Troubleshooting:

My Parrot keeps trying to bite my hand:
Try using a perch to start with. Also go back over target training.

My Parrot is scared of my hand/perch:
Target the bird around your hand for a bit, getting them to come closer each time.

Train together:
Want to share your trick success, use the hashtag #northernparrotstrickacademy and tag @northernparrots to showcase how you’re getting on.