Scared of Perch

[Mango]

Hi...
I've been making a lot of progress with Mango (he still doesn't like hands but will sit on our arms/shoulders for a little while). I am trying to teach him "step up" but he will do anything to avoid standing on the perch, including jumping over it.

On a totally different note, he does adorable little flips on his perch by sort of somersaulting around it. Whenever we see him do this we say "flip" so he will (hopefully) associate the word with the action. Is there anything else we can do? Can we train him to do it when we tell him?

Thanks!

[linda040899]

Hi Tamar,
You've got one smart lovie there! Mango isn't afraid of the perch. He knows what it is and is avoiding it. Could be he has a bad memory associated with one or he just has other ideas about what he wants to do. Keep a special treat for him in your hand when you are working with him and the perch. When he steps up as you command him to do, give him an instant reward. That will make the perch experience a pleasant one.

I have a lovie that does flips around her perch and it's comical to watch! She's the only one that does it and she delights in showing it off! :)

[LovelySydney]

My parrotlet Oliver enjoys hanging upside down from his perches and the top of his cage. He literally seems the most content upside down - my little monkey! I feel like with using the word "flip" when he does it will allow him to learn word association and over time he may understand that that is what you are referring to. Whenever I put Olivers cage cover on at night I say "night night", hoping that eventually he will learn what it means. Last night he did little murmurs to me and I waited for him to say it back, but he didnt. I know one day it will happen!! *crosses fingers*