My conure is scared of my hand. How do I train him to step up?

You are doing fine. Do not rush him or force him to step up. Use other high value treats. This can include grapes, scrambled egg, a bit of a peanut or sunflower seeds. Move slowly and talk softly around him. Be patient. Eventually, he will step up on your finger. When he does, praise and reward him. When he is doing it regularly, you can slowly remove him from the cage. Be sure all windows and doors are closed, fans are off and nobody is cooking.

The best way to work with birds is to move slow and also reward with treats. Typically I pick a treat that Meenakshi will love and only have you give it to him. I would start putting it in his cage and slowly move to hand feeding. Than you can place the treat up your arm and as he becomes more comfortable he will stand on your hand. I hope that helps

Thanks for reaching out about Tweety. Training is all about persistence and positive reinforcement. Pick her up and place her on your finger and give praise. Offer to step up, if does not, then pick her up and place her on your finger, give her praise. Repeat until successful. Good luck.

It sounds like Cheeko still is wary of you, and honestly, you need more time to bond before focusing on tricks, especially if he is still flying away from you. Going back to a previous step such as hand-feeding, just being near his cage and spending time with him, petting him without handling, etc are all good previous steps to work on. You can then begin step-up training with a dowel or other object instead of your hand, that may help him train without being frightened by your hand or being handled. Training birds takes time and patience, so just keep trying, and if he seems fearful, give him a break, go to the previous step that worked, and then move forward from there.

The best way to encourage this is to break the trick down into smaller steps. First, get the budgies used to you by offering a treat every time you visit them. Then, get them to eat from your hand every time. Next, start petting them every time you offer a treat. Then, you can start putting your finger to their chest right above their legs while giving a treat- most birds will naturally step up from this behavior. You can then start tying a command such as "step up" every time you do this and give them a treat. Any time they seem stressed, frustrated, or scared, returning to the previous step that worked, and trying again from there is best. You may also want to take a break for a bit to let them both calm down and relax before trying again. Also, finding a favorite treat and only offering it during training can help them associate you with good, fun things!

I would give cookie time to acclimate to his new environment. Let him get to know you and gradually offer treats to gain his trust. Depending on how old he is and what he his previous experience and training is will help determine how quickly he may trust or learn your cues. Birds for dummies is a great book for beginning bird owners. There is lots of great behavior advice from an avian vet. Good luck! http://www.dummies.com/pets/birds/birds-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/

It may take time and patience. You can begin by simply sitting next to the cage for short periods of time initially and increasing it as they acclimate. They will flutter about and move to the far side of the cage at first. Eventually, they will settle down and accept your presence. Move slowly and speak softly around the cage. Once they have completely acclimated, you can progress to placing your hand in the cage. Make no attempt to touch or hold them. Again, they will flutter, panic and move to the far side of the cage. Leave your hand inside the cage for ever increasing periods of time. Use small treats as rewards after each session. Eventually, they will become curious and may hop onto your hand if you have treats. You can teach the 'step up' command by extending a finger and gently pressing it against the chest while saying "Perch" or "Step up". From this point, you can work with them to teach additional tricks or whistles.