This article is a continuation from Teach Your Baby To Step Up. This time we will focus on how to teach the step up command to an older bird.

Many people get their parrots from rescues or bird shelters.  Rescue birds have been abandoned by their previous owners and many suffer from psychological abuse.  Some of these birds have never been taught the basic step up command.  

This command is one of the most important commands you will teach your pet.  It is used to control your bird's behavior and it also is a great way to interact with your bird.

Getting a bird from a rescue can be a daunting task.  There is usually a lot of 'baggage' that comes along with a rescue bird.  You must exercise a great deal of patience when working with an older bird.

You will know if your bird doesn't know how to step up, because it will keep you at bay and try to bite you when you approach it.  The best thing to do is leave your rescue bird alone and let it get accustomed to its new cage and surroundings.  After 2 or 3 days, approach the bird's cage and just stand by it for about 5 or 10 minutes.  You can talk to it by telling it that everything is just fine.  Let your new household resident get used to you.  If it starts to screach and defend itself, don't go anywhere.  Just stay right there.  It is testing you.  It wants to see if it can scare you away.  Do this same routine for a week.  Nothing happens overnight and it might take longer if your rescued bird has issues. 

 Trust is what we are trying to accomplish here.  You see, by gaining your bird's trust, we can proceed to teaching it basic behavioral commands just like the step up command. 

After a week, when you notice your bird is getting used to you, we can proceed to our next step in the process.

Get yourself some dowel rods.  These can be purchased at most hardware and home improvement stores.  They have different sizes, so buy larger diameter ones for larger birds.   Cut two dowel rods into 14 to 16 inch sizes. 

Never do any type of training by your bird's cage.  This is its home and your bird will not learn anything while it is defending its home.   The easiest thing to do, is buy a T-type perch and place it away from your birds cage.  Do all of your training from this T perch.

We need to get your bird out of its cage and onto the T perch.  Open your birds cage and use a longer dowel rod to retrieve your bird.  Place the rod directly in front of its legs and push slightly forward.  The bird will have a natural instinct to regain balance, therefore it will step onto the dowel rod.  This may take a few tries, so if you spook your bird too much, stop and continue standing by your bird's cage to try again soon.

Once your bird is on the dowel rod, place your bird on the T perch.  The T perch can be in the same room.  I prefer to put the T perch about 20 feet away from its cage.  

Your bird is on the T perch and probably pretty nervous.  Talk to it and re-assure it that everything is okay.