|
|
Post by blustersquall on Mar 30, 2014 15:24:14 GMT
So, Snow and I have been working on step-up yesterday and today, about three or four times a day for 10-15 minutes at a time.
He doesn't seem to care much for millet or anything, so all I can do is praise him for stepping up and I do praise him a lot each time he does it.
But how can I tell that he's actually learning the request to step-up and not just doing it because my hand or finger is there.
I have to put my hand or finger against his chest, but rarely do I have to push or nudge his body for him to step up. He might sit on me for five or ten seconds and then hop off to the nearest perch. Sometimes he seems like he's trying to bite me, he just nips, not hard and it doesn't hurt but is that a bad sign? Like he's getting stressed out?
Occasionally I take him out of his cage aboout six inches so he can still see it and hold him out of it, before I move him back in or he hops back in of his own accord.
I try and say 'step up' in the same tone each time, so he knows the tone more than the words, but is there a way to know that he /is/ learning the command, rather than doing things on instinct?
Also, what's a good command to teach once step-up has been mastered? Is there a way to teach him how to return to his cage if he's out side it?
Additionally, getting him used to being out of his cage, are short stints in a familiar room (like the living room) better? Or a smaller room in the house, like the bathroom for instance?
|
|
|
|
Post by OP on Mar 30, 2014 16:39:59 GMT
From my own experience, which is only from the past nine months, the key seems to be patience. The little chap is still settling in and getting used to you and his surroundings. What you want from him is to step up of his own accord. He will do this when he has gained your trust. Once again patience. My bud ,Joey, is quite a bit older and was when he came to live with me and believe me he has taken all this time to come out on my finger most of the time. If he doesn't want to he will jump back in the cage. If he is in the mood he will stay on my finger. Snow be totally different, but from what you describe I can see similarities. There are a good many more people on here that have much more experience than I have, but I have learned from them. The main thing is time and patience. You will be rewarded.
|
|
|
|
Post by blustersquall on Mar 31, 2014 16:42:03 GMT
I am being patient, I really don't want to rush him and push him away or give him cause to fear or mistrust me. But I read so many conflicting accounts of what to do to tame budgies.
Some guides say to start straight away, as soon as you get them home, and then others say leave them two or three days to settle in then start. Other ones tell you to leave it a month or more so that the budgie is fully settled in to their surroundings.
He does sometimes step up on his own, and then he hops from my finger to the nearest perch. So he never stays on my hand or fingers for longer than a few seconds. I'm keeping on with it, just talking to him and putting my hand in the cage for him to look at and choose to step on if he wants.
I guess I'm just curious to know when you can tell the budgie has started to understand the request to step up.
|
|
|
|
Post by mizloco on Mar 31, 2014 16:51:36 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by OP on Mar 31, 2014 18:01:44 GMT
I thoroughly understand what you say about confusing and conflicting advice. The real problem is that there is no howto guide written for a budgie that the budgie can read. They all have their own character, and it will show when you are training your budgie, The two words 'training' and 'taming' are used as though they were the same thing. In the English language they are different. If your budgie runs away from you as you approach, and flaps about the cage then it is not tame. So in this case you need to tame it before you can train it. This is what is meant by putting your hand in the cage and leaving it there etc. Once the budgie stops running away from your hand then it is becoming tame. If you have a budgie that steps on your finger readily or doesn't run away from you it is already tame. What you need to do is gain the budgies trust, which is what you are doing. When he steps on your finger and immediately jumps off again he is testing the finger as a perch. When he trusts you he will stay on your finger. It appears that some budgies do this quickly, others take a while. Mine took months, about 6 to 7 months. Now he stays on my finger only when he wants to, that is different. What I would say is choose a method and use that method, don't chop and change to other methods. Do what you feel comfortable with. If you are not comfortable your budgie will know it and you are on a loser. I am not going to try and tell you how, because I don't know you or your budgie, besides I am not experienced enough to tell you. What I can do is point in the right direction which is what I have tried to do. I hope you understand this.  I have just read your post again and noticed you paragraph at the end. You will now that he understands the command when he does the required action without pressing your finger against him. Joey, my budgie understands but still sticks to the perch as though he was glued there sometimes. |
|
|
|
Post by stace on Mar 31, 2014 21:48:18 GMT
As OP said, taming and training are two different things. You tame them by getting them to trust you so they are no longer scared. You train them to do things.
The conflicting advice is generally because each bird has its own personality, behaviours and hang-ups. Some are timid. Some are bold. Some are very smart, others not so. Just like us.
You need to have a toolkit of ideas, then "sense" which is working and which is not. Sometimes what works at one point, doesn't work so well later, so you need to adapt. It's like child-rearing in that way. The age of the bird also makes a difference. Old dog and new tricks and all that.
Some birds learn certain things very quickly. Others take longer. It's also an ongoing process. You can't simply teach them something for a week, and then think your job is done.
|
|
|
|
Post by stace on Mar 31, 2014 21:53:30 GMT
Also, the room you first let them free in. You need to make it bird safe. Watch out for windows. If they get panicked they can fly into them. Either close blinds or if you don't have any, tack up some bits of paper on the windows so they can see there's a window there.
Almost everyone then has an issue with getting them back in their cage, until they learn that that's where they go to sleep and where their food and water is.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Apr 1, 2014 1:21:01 GMT
But how can I tell that he's actually learning the request to step-up and not just doing it because my hand or finger is there.Always use the step-up command each and every time at this stage. It helps a lot if someone else is trying to get them to step up that they don't know ....... but really, does it matter whether he has "learnt" the command or stepping up because he wants to? Either way he is putting his trust in you. How do you know he is learning? When you don't have to put your finger against him before he steps up. What will happen is that he will actively do the stepping up rather than you having to bring it to his attention. In fact he well may become like my brats in that they step up even if I dont' want them to ...... particularly if I am trying to look at something about them and that pesky finger keeps getting in their face, or try to give a scratch that isn't wanted, they step onto the "offending" finger - quite clever really. It won't take long, I am sure, as Snow is a baby and he will be looking firstly for birdie company, but that not being available, he will next start looking forward to yours. This is when the trusting starts ..... try pegging up a small amount of millet in his cage so he can explore it on his own and hopefully get to recognise it as food, yummy food. Once he has discovered how good it is, take it away from the cage and start using it as a reward during your sessions. Additionally, getting him used to being out of his cage, are short stints in a familiar room (like the living room) better? Or a smaller room in the house, like the bathroom for instance?Smaller rooms are an easier training tool than a large one. Unless, of course you want/need the exercise of walking the length and breadth of the larger room a dozen times or more in the course of your ten minute sessions, whereby you spend most of your time walking back and forth and very little time actually practising.   What you trying to achieve here is to get Snow to not only step up out in the open, but to actually stay where you want him to be. At first he will be off like a shot, either before he has stepped up or seconds after, so you can appreciate why a small room works better for this. Once he is stepping up and staying put in the small room, then you can progress to the main area where he will be spending most of his time. This is very disjointed, I apologize, but my head is not working too well, still. I hope you can make sense of it.
|
|
|
|
Post by suesbird on Apr 1, 2014 8:14:21 GMT
And when he is tame you then have to eat in another room because every plate or dish is food and mine always wants whatever I am having. Jo was quite happy eating pear on my lap but ice cream in a dish was far more exciting. so you find me eating a spoonful at a time without making a noise on the dish like a naughty child.
|
|
|
|
Post by suesbird on Apr 1, 2014 8:21:01 GMT
I do only eat a spoonful at a time by the way!!!!!! (rofl)Good luck with Snow, Northern Parrots sell seeds on stems which Jo loves, even the hard ones he unpicks of the stem and rolls them around the floor. I use these as a treat.
|
|
|
|
Post by stace on Apr 1, 2014 11:13:43 GMT
And when he is tame you then have to eat in another room because every plate or dish is food and mine always wants whatever I am having. Jo was quite happy eating pear on my lap but ice cream in a dish was far more exciting. so you find me eating a spoonful at a time without making a noise on the dish like a naughty child. Tee hee. I know this one. I have to tip toe around like a burglar in the night sometimes, sneaking little snippets of food for myself. Not only does he have eyes like a hawk, but ears like an elephant. And if he likes an object, I have to put it away secretly when he's not watching, or else he'll get obsessed by the drawer, cupboard or box I've stored it inside. |
|
|
|
Post by suesbird on Apr 1, 2014 11:31:38 GMT
I love to wear long dresses and Jo just loves to play in them! Nothing is sacred any more. My hubby really impressed with him because he never thought a budgie could be so attentive, and hard work, like he says a dog lies down to go to sleep Jo does not. I feel so guilty if he is in his cage so i end up doing nothing except having him out!
What fun we have, my son says I am crackers, probably jealous of Jo having the attention!! Shame
|
|
What you trying to achieve here is to get Snow to not only step up out in the open, but to actually stay where you want him to be. At first he will be off like a shot, either before he has stepped up or seconds after, so you can appreciate why a small room works better for this. Once he is stepping up and staying put in the small room, then you can progress to the main area where he will be spending most of his time.
