• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Stepping up issue

Frankiemom

Moving in
Joined
9/2/23
Messages
13
Real Name
Lisa Chappell
I have an OW Amazon who, till recently, wouldn't step up. One day he left his cage and was crawling up the baker's rack. I went over to him and he just stepped right up as if he always did! I praised him, give him his favorite walnut and put him on his play yard. Won't step up now. He's happy to step up if he's away from his cage but not if he's in or on the cage. How do I work thru that? Also, I bought Birdtricks aloe misting thing. I set the bottle next to him for a while, then did a small spray. Didn't bother him so I misted him. He didn't mind more sprays but he didn't even ruffle his feathers. Trying a mist or two again tomorrow
 

SumitaSinh

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/6/20
Messages
2,659
Wow!! He actually stepped up! Maybe he feels it's a neutral territory away from his cage or Maybe you're a safe transport for a journey to back to the safety of his cage. But it's just great. My OWA is a darling but he never steps up.
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/3/12
Messages
24,822
I bet it's a neutral area thing. MC would step up from his tree stand but NOT from in or on his cage. His tree stand was on wheels. I'd wheel it to the cage, he'd step up, I'd wheel it away and wha la.....

I just use plain water for my amazons. Secret also has a heavy pottery bowl that I put water in. She stands on it and I mist gently above her head. She can step into the water at the same time.
 

Frankiemom

Moving in
Joined
9/2/23
Messages
13
Real Name
Lisa Chappell
Tried the bowl of water, he wasn't interested. I've been misting him hoping the aloe will help his feathers
 

Elysian

Jogging around the block
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
7/27/20
Messages
914
Location
Kansas City, Missouri
Opie, who barely tolerates me, will absolutely step up onto a stick for me if she is away from her cage.

She won't step off her cage for me at all - I also have to wheel a playstand over to her like Clueless and MC.
I guess getting a ride home is entirely different from being asked to leave.

I also can't get her to take a bath anywhere but her drinking water :shrug:
 

Frankiemom

Moving in
Joined
9/2/23
Messages
13
Real Name
Lisa Chappell
I can't seem to get Frankie interested. So I keep misting once or twice but probably should stop trying every day
 

Frankiemom

Moving in
Joined
9/2/23
Messages
13
Real Name
Lisa Chappell
I bet it's a neutral area thing. MC would step up from his tree stand but NOT from in or on his cage. His tree stand was on wheels. I'd wheel it to the cage, he'd step up, I'd wheel it away and wha la.....

I just use plain water for my amazons. Secret also has a heavy pottery bowl that I put water in. She stands on it and I mist gently above her head. She can step into the water at the same time.
My Quaker LOVED a good bowl of water. Frankie's feathers don't look nice & healthy and that's why I ordered the aloe misting thing from Birdtricks. Hoping it'll make a difference!
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/3/12
Messages
24,822
My Quaker LOVED a good bowl of water. Frankie's feathers don't look nice & healthy and that's why I ordered the aloe misting thing from Birdtricks. Hoping it'll make a difference!
I was told by a vet tech/trainer that the way to get their feathers looking good was by a good soaking bath (not just a "light" misting). That was when I first got the amazons. I put them in the shower with an open door and sit in front of them. I sang stupid songs while misting them. Secret stood on her bowl, MC stood on a pvc stand that was made for him. Later I had the shower going on a soft mist..... not on top of the zons, just beside them for noise.

Secret prefers 2 or 2:30 pm. Tepid water. MC used to like cooler water and really got into waving his wings into it.
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/3/12
Messages
24,822
Forgot to add the secret (play on words) 20230916_144126.jpg was to get the water down to their body.
 

WillowQ

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
2/4/23
Messages
1,955
Real Name
Heather Gerbyshak
She looks good! Very richly green,
 

Frankiemom

Moving in
Joined
9/2/23
Messages
13
Real Name
Lisa Chappell
I was told by a vet tech/trainer that the way to get their feathers looking good was by a good soaking bath (not just a "light" misting). That was when I first got the amazons. I put them in the shower with an open door and sit in front of them. I sang stupid songs while misting them. Secret stood on her bowl, MC stood on a pvc stand that was made for him. Later I had the shower going on a soft mist..... not on top of the zons, just beside them for noise.

Secret prefers 2 or 2:30 pm. Tepid water. MC used to like cooler water and really got into waving his wings into it.
I want to get Frankie outside where I can spray with the hose and see if he'll bathe himself. But, the trick is getting him in that position. I'm having to figure out how to get him away from his cage so he'll step up for me.
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/3/12
Messages
24,822
Why outside????

I put Secret in my shower, she stands on her bowl. MC used a small PVC play stand in the same shower.

I used a spray bottle for both of them and sprayed a fine mist ABOVE their heads and let it fall. Never pointed at them. A spray bottle, by the time I got to the bottom if it, was enough to soak them down to their skin.

Use a clean shower bottle that is ONLY used with water.

Whatever you do, you don't want to SCARE them. After a long time, I started the shower so they could HEAR the shower running at the same time as their bath but I didn't put them under that shower spray.
 

Frankiemom

Moving in
Joined
9/2/23
Messages
13
Real Name
Lisa Chappell
Why outside????

I put Secret in my shower, she stands on her bowl. MC used a small PVC play stand in the same shower.

I used a spray bottle for both of them and sprayed a fine mist ABOVE their heads and let it fall. Never pointed at them. A spray bottle, by the time I got to the bottom if it, was enough to soak them down to their skin.

Use a clean shower bottle that is ONLY used with water.

Whatever you do, you don't want to SCARE them. After a long time, I started the shower so they could HEAR the shower running at the same time as their bath but I didn't put them under that shower spray.
I don't have a shower here but am looking for a house with my lifelong bff so we'll have a shower too. Still have to lure him away from his cage so I can pick him up.
 

Clueless

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
11/3/12
Messages
24,822
I don't have a shower here but am looking for a house with my lifelong bff so we'll have a shower too. Still have to lure him away from his cage so I can pick him up.
Bath tub will work. Get you a pvc stand, small, I have directions somewhere. Put bird on it after it's in the tub and not slipping (maybe sit it on a towel). Mist lightly with your spray bottle!
 
Top