whats the next step for training my budgerigar??

Question

He's about 15 weeks old. When i put my hand in the cage with some spinach in it he jump straight on to it and happily eats away. Is he's next lesson for him to get on (in the cage) without the treat or should i try and get him to come out from the cage on my hand while still eating??

Answer 1

You've got it right!
When he jumps onto your hand for the spinach, give him the cue, "Step up". or "Up,Up", whatever you want the cue to be for stepping up on your hand. He will then begin to associate the cue with the action of the stepping up and the reinforcer...the spinach.
When you are first training anything, you want a one-to-one ratio schedule of reinforcement. That is: one cue and one execution and completion of the behavior asked equals one treat.
Your next step should probably be to get him to come to the door of the cage with the door open and have him step up to you outside the cage. When he does, treat him and praise wildly! Good Boy! Immediately have him step back into the cage on the perch. Praise and treat him for that too! You want him to be able to step up and step off your hand with equal skill. So he needs a treat for that too doesn't he? He's also learning that he gets to go back to his safety zone with no trouble.
Do that several times until both of you are comfortable with it. Then, when he steps up and is eating a treat, back away from the cage a step. Keep treating. Praise wildly! Then put him back and treat again. Praise wildly!
Repeat in longer time increments until you are further away from the cage and he's gone for a longer amount of time.
Then begin working on putting him on a perch outside of the cage. Use the same method, but always make sure he knows he will get to go back into his house and get praised for that too.
Let us know how you are doing, and let me know if I can be of any more help.
So far you are doing great! Good for you!

Answer 2

I would suggest first trying with the treat. After awhile, when he trusts you then you can try without the treat. If he won't come out without the treat, keep trying with the treat. Try adding a word to it, so in the future you just say the word and he will know what to do. Like say the word, "Come." each time you do this.

Answer 3

STEP ONE - TRUSTING THE HAND
In step one, you simply get your parakeet used to your hand being in the cage.
Instructions for helping your Parakeet Trust your Hand

STEP TWO - PERCH TRAINING
In step two, you train your parakeet to step up onto a perch on command.
Instructions for Perch Training your Parakeet

STEP THREE - FINGER-PERCH TRAINING
In step three, you show your parakeet that it's OK to step on a perch that also has a finger attached to it.
Instructions for Finger-Perch Training your Parakeet

STEP FOUR - FINGER TRAINING
In step four, still staying just in the cage, your parakeet learns that your finger is a safe perch to sit on.
Instructions for Finger Training your Parakeet

STEP FIVE - OUT-OF-CAGE FINGER TRAINING
In step five, the parakeet learns that her trusted finger is safe to sit on, even if it's outside the cage.
Instructions for out-of-cage Finger Training your Parakeet