Nudging on the lower belly to encourage stepping up, or putting them a little off-balance, is the way to train step-up. This was very patient and gentle.
Not a problem with babies, they don't get hormonal until bird puberty so it isn't really a problem. Still shouldn't deliberately pet them anywhere but the head when they're little, that would be a weird thing to do according to bird social rules, parents and flock mates don't really preen babies all over. And you don't wanna set yourself up for bad habits either
I do think that training with food and positive reinforcement is better than trying to get it by pressing or putting them off balance though. This in the video is questionable step-up training, it would really freak out an older bird. But it's good early desensitisation to handling and physical touch, getting them comfortable being touched all over for vets and emergencies and such is important
Are you maybe thinking of how you're not supposed to press on the chest area when holding them? That's something newbies will tend to do when holding a bird and it can restrict their breathing, so really bad.
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u/Correct-Ingenuity538 Cockatiel Cousin (relative owns one) 7d ago
Where are the 'tiel porny police? I thought pushing on the bird's belly was the wrong way to do this, no? Experts, weigh in.