I was wondering about this.  When I have him on a stick (this is how we normally handle him because he can be quite nippy), I will hold him high in the air and the sort of swoop him down clos the the ground while he hangs onto the stick.  When I do this, he flaps his wings, sort of like flying.  After doing this 3 or 4 times, he is panting (yes, he's out of shape).  My only concern is that this is maybe hurting is feet by hanging on too hard on the stick.  I don't do this very often, and he doesn't seem like it hurts him, but I wonder if it is a good thing to do to get him flapping his wings and moving his body.  I hope I explained it in a way that is understandable.  Thanks for the help!

I doubt that it hurts his feet or he would fly off. Trees blow hard during high winds and they have to hold on, so I think a stick is fine to use.

I once tried twirling round and round making one of my birds fly for a long time and I got so dizzy I quit doing that.

He will stop panting as he gets in better shape. Keep trying til he gets to panting, stop, and then do it again in a few hours. He will build up so he can last longer and longer. Your arm may not last, though.

Annie

Thanks Annie.  I'm laughing at you getting dizzy doing that, only because I got dizzy by just going around in a circle with him twice last night, so I completely know what you mean about that!  I did it a few times last night with him, and he finally flew off the stick, so maybe his feet were hurting after a while or maybe he just decided if I'm gonna do this, I might as well fly.  His wings are due to be clipped here soon, so he won't be able to fly too far.  He can make it down the hall right now.  He sure isn't a good flyer.  Anyway, I also tried having him follow me around downstairs last night in our basement (unfinished so makes clean up much easier ).  He wasn't into following me too much.  He stood there saying "up, up, up" most of the time.  Guess he didn't like the cold basement floor.  I think I need a leash for him so I can pull him in the direction I want him to walk.  LOL!  Anyway, I'm going to keep trying to find something he really likes to do.  Guess he's too much like me....I'd rather sit and watch TV than exercise, so I can relate!

Sunniegirl, what toys do you have inside Mac's cage?  And what does he play with on top his cage?

 

On the problem of *step ups*--at times when I know my Amazon is going to be more defiant about it (at bedtime, or when he's on his neighbor's cage)  I wrap my hand  with a  heavy dishtowel and have him step onto that.  Occasionally he will bite at the towel before stepping up, but usually he just goes right up.  I started using this when he was biting my thumb every night when he was asked to step up to move to his sleeping cage.  It's pretty hard to INSIST that a bird step onto a hand when there are parts of it that are swollen and hurting from the previous days.   Protecting myself made it possible to INSIST that he obey and he quickly figured out that he couldn't make contact with flesh.  After about a month of this, we returned to being able to do this without a towel, for most step-ups, and most of the time we can even do it at bedtime if I give him a few minutes of direct, one-on-one attention and then calm him down before asking him to go.  If there is a night when he resists at all, or acts bite-y, I immediately get the towel and we go to the "no-nonsense, you WILL step up" voice.  I've been doing this for over a year, I think, and it's worked extremely well.

BTW--I am not a fan of using a stick to replace step-ups onto a hand.  I think there are better alternatives. Especially with an Amazon.  They are very strong-willed and require daily reinforcement of acceptable behaviors, if the human is to maintain control.  More easily done and more effective, if you can do it in a way that uses closer body contact, but avoids the resistance of the bird, and the pain (on your part)

 

 From a bird's point-of-view, that stick is something frightening, possibly dangerous, being poked at it (even though you aren't really poking the bird)  Yes, they are similar to a perch, but they are usually frightened of having new perches in their cages, so why would they be any more accepting of a stick?

Reading the last message now and want to say this before I forget--

 

I should have added earlier that certainly, in some circumstances, a stick might be the best choice, especially if the bird has a proven record of attacking you.  And with this one's age, you are dealing with hormones and jealousy on top of everything else, so I guess you use what works.

 

My birds occasionally fly to the top of the kitchen curtains, if their wings have grown out enough.  I learned that a stick is not the retrieval method of choice for a Grey or Senegal--and I had tried it several years ago with Amazons, with poor results (running up the stick and biting me viciously). But when my Blue front was up there a few days ago, I had no chair handy to climb on, and was too lazy to get one so I grabbed a mop and he stepped right onto the handle. 

OK, I've read through that several times and am thinking of some ideas, will be back later tonight and hopefully get them into something that makes sense.  Will also try to get Nan in here with some suggestions, because she lives with 4 (5?) mature Amazons.

 

 

Murphy is a big time biter. I can't get near him anymore without him slashing at me. He was terrified of the stick (apple branch) when I first tried it but he has gotten used to it now. It sits in plain view of all the birds at all times. Diana uses the same stick when she is hormonal and bitey, but except for those few weeks I can pick her up without any aggression.

I use a stick that is quite a bit smaller in diameter than their perches so they can get a really good grip on it.

 

I think all birds should be taught from an early age to accept a stick. Then when they are cranky we don't get hurt. It also will allow a sitter to pick up a scared bird.

Annie

I wonder if Eevie's fear of the stick is similar to Diana's fear of any long skinny thing. She can see me at the stove and if I am placing bacon in a skillet she panics. Also if I use a wooden spoon. The first time she saw the skinny black tubing on my steamer she went crazy.  She still does. These things could look like a snake, I think.

What is your stick made of? Could you find a different color or maybe a bent stick? If she likes the colored rope perches you could try those. Some are very stiff and wouldn't bend under her weight if you'd double it.

Poor bird. Why on earth do parents allow kids to be so hateful and abusive toward animals.  It makes them mean and fearful and the parents could explain that and then monitor that kid.

Annie