It is preferable to try and teach the parrot outside of its cage however if this is not possible you can still perform the process with your bird outside of the cage, as long as you have a large door area and you can move the perch around. You a spare perch or a long wooden dowel for an untamed parrot as this seems to work better. Make sure that the perch is the right size for the size of your bird.



The command "UP" is the first behavior you should teach your parrot. Begin by placing the perch just above the parrot's feet and just below its breast while saying "Up" clearly. The next step is to mover the perch towards the parrot so it naturally steps onto the perch. Once the bird steps onto the perch, reward it either with loving sweet talk or a treat..Repeat this process for 10 minutes per session with two sessions per day.

Consistency is the secret! This is the single most important factor when teaching your bird this or any other trick - fail to be consistent and you will ruin the training.

Do not allow your parrot to refuse to perform this action after it has stepped up the first time - this is very important.Your parrot must learn and understand that this is something that must be done when requested. In return, you will provide love, attention, foods and playtime.

As your parrot becomes comfortable stepping onto the perch, you can begin shortening the distance from your hand to the parrot - slowly. Shortening the perch more than once a week can stress them and actually create a loss of the trust you've built.

Take your time and be certain your parrot is comfortable with each level. Ensure you do not rush the process. You will, at some point,reach a stage where the distance from your hand to the parrot is small. Once your parrot is comfortable with your hand being that close, begin the last step - offer your hand or forearm.

How long will it take to teach your parrot this command? Your consistency and your parrot will determine the time it takes to each your parrot this command. If the parrot has been stressed or made afraid through abuse or trauma, it can take a long time.

If you parrot was hand-fed, the entire process should take a very short time.Be sure to watch your parrot's body language for clues to the level of trust and level of comfort with the activities you are performing with it.

The parrot will generally communicate to you their comfort level using body language.