When to handle new parrotlet?

A few days ago I got my first parrot, a parrotlet. He's not very old, about 8 weeks. He's from a breeder but he hasn't been handled before.

I brought him home and for the first night he stayed in one spot on the very top of the cage but after that he started to settle in very well. He now sings his heart out, eats like a pig and plays with his multitude of toys but he won't let me anywhere near him just yet. He's so skittish that even when I drag the bottom trays out to clean them he flies all over the cage.

I've been slowly approaching the cage and talking to him softly but as soon as anything in the cage moves that shouldn't move (ie. the tray) he flies everywhere.

My question is, how long should I wait before attempting to handle him? Should I let him settle in some more or is it better to handle them early? How should I go about it? Should I slowly get him used to my hands by doing general maintenance in the cage while he's in?

Sounds like you're doing well as it is. It might take a little while longer for him to accept that you don't pose a threat to him. Why not sit by the cage, and when he's calm hold out a treat for him to take through the bars? Let him get used to you being up close with the safety of the bars between you, then when he's taking treats happily through the bars you can offer them through the open door, and then so that he needs to come to the open door and so on. With my bird it was little sprigs of millet that lured her out of the cage after the first few days. I always let it be her decision to come to me and allowed her to go back the second she shows signs of being uncomfortable, and it took a couple of weeks before she was consistantly coming out to see me without bribery, but I'm sure every bird is different in terms of how long it takes for fear to be overcome by curiosity. Well, and greed!

Parrotlets are millet junkies, at least mine is and now she only gets millet ever so often, or when she is under the weather. Something that might help is to start training him using some millet. I would start by sitting next to his cage and offer it through the bars. And tell him what good boy he is. When he gets comfortable try another location. Then try it with your hand in the cage, etc. The important thing is to speak softly, and move very slow in a calm manner. Parrotlets do not appreciate loud noises, large items, and crinkle paper. And they are known to have temper tantrums in protest of these things. You will know when it happens because you can't ignore it, it so funny. Check out some YouTube videos too. There are a lot of P'let videos. Are his wings clipped?

"millet junkies" LOL !!

Yep, mine LOVES millet, AND like Jayyj and Wendy said it makes a GREAT training aid!!

You got this, don't rush him, use millet to bring him to you!!
And we are all here for help and advice

Please keep us posted AND We Love Pictures !!

Great thing about millet for this is it takes a while to eat, so they can't snatch it and run away as they can with a pine nut. Alice would edge out onto my arm, spend a few minutes picking the millet clean, then I'd hold her up so she could go back to the cage. After a few times she started sticking around after she'd finished.

Parrotlet tantrums are amazing! I've had to ban myself from having a parrotlet for fear I'd spend all my time trying to annoy it to provoke a tantrum!