Does your Quaker like to be picked up or rather just step-up?

[MonteDucklo]

When I was reading up online about Quakers awhile back, I remember at least a couple of mentions (somewhere?) of some Quakers preferring to be picked up rather than step-up. Just wanted to ask you Quaketeers if yours prefer one or the other, or if not if you've even heard of this? It sounded pretty common.

(Apple) absolutely prefers me to pick him up like a tennis ball. This afternoon he actually shoved himself right into my hand when I went to take him out of his cage! It was sooooooo cute! Don't get me wrong, we do step up and we have done some laddering in the beginning (I'm a prof. dog trainer so I totally understand how important that is!) but now that he's getting more confident and secure each day and we're really not having any issues right now, he really just seems to like getting picked up better. I'm actually on birdie cloud 9 because I've always wanted a "cuddly" bird that would like to be handled like that! I've never had a conure or cuddly or upside-down bird, just a Congo grey, tiels, budgies, non-tame lovebirds, doves, and finches (and worked with a lot of large parrots). My boy tiel Ducky loves to be with ME everywhere and anywhere and we're very attached to each other, but he's totally a step-up kinda guy! (Apple) on the other hand (wing) is happy to be held like...well..an apple!

[LovelySydney]

Thats funny you say that because when I first got Neko he wouldnt step up but he would let me just pick him up and place him on my shoulder or arm or his play stand or whatever. After about a week of this I felt I should probably break him of the habit and he learned to step up, LOL. But yea, he totally would rather have been picked up in the first week. I wonder if it is a settling in thing??

[MammaKim]

Twister does not have a preference. We always try to do step up, but sometimes she will just sit and hunch towards you to pick her up. She just wants to be on one of us! She also does that push into our hand - like a dog or a cat wanting attention! She and my U2 both push into us...So sweet!

[MonteDucklo]

Awwwww I love the push-in! That's so cute. If it is a settling in thing, or even if it's not, it's SO much nicer than having to towel or follow the new little guy around with a perch trying to pick him up! I've never had a bird that offered that before, very cool!