Any one know how to tame a parakeet?

[Kings_girl]

There's a parakeet staying with us awhile and he's terrified of people and I was hoping to get him to where I can at least have him step up but I've never worked with a parakeet before only bigger birds. Any good ideas on how to get him to trust me?

 

[Mekaisto]

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Before worrying about stepping up, try to get him comfortable with you.

His cage should be at about chest/shoulder height, any lower and you'll tower over him, and might frighten him every time you come close.

Try to make sure he's in an area where there's not too much noise or sudden movements/surprises. He shouldn't be too close to any doors or windows.

When you walk by his cage, be a little slower and smoother with your movements than usual.

Find out his favourite food (millet, corn and apple are typical favourites of budgies) and try to win him over by feeding him every so often. If he won't take it from your hand, just place it in his cage and sit nearby, so he begins to associate you with a treat.
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[strudel]

I talk to all animals. When my birds are startled or something, I tell them it's ok, not to panic. Always calm and soothing tone.

Otherwise, definitely millet. They'll like you if you come bearing millet, just give her some time to get used to you.

 

[Kings_girl]

Ok thanks I'll try then and let you guys know if it works.

 

[Kings_girl]

I tried to feed him some corn but he won't eat it and if I start to open his cage he starts to jump and hop around trying to get away. He won't even try the corn he just sits there even when I leave the room.

 

[strudel]

If you get millet sprays, you've got a chance because you hold one end and you don't have to get right up close because you'll have the length of the spray in between you and the bird. You can try it through the bars first, and hopefully work up to offering it through the door then put your hand closer and closer to get him used to you.

 

[lisascannell]

The way I tame my birds is bring them into my bedroom, close the door. Put the tv on and sit the bird on the bed and let it explore without touching it. Clipping the wings helps but is not essential. Eventually your bird will get curious and climb on you. I also teach them to step up on the first or second session. I find stepping up the easiest thing to train a bird. Well this is what works for me and I don't use treats. I have tamed 3 tiels and an Indian ringneck with this method

 

[Kings_girl]

Ok thanks I'll try to get some next time I go to the store and try it hopefully it work.

 

[lisascannell]

Also when you are training to step up the bird will likely jump straight off your finger. I repeatedly place my finger against the chest saying step up and repeat about 10 times

 

[Kings_girl]

Oh and I don't think letting him come will work because I've got him out and put him on the floor before and he just panics and try's to run and fly away but he couldn't fly then now I think he can but he's never actually flew before and I don't want him getting hurt. But thanks for the advice.

 

[Kings_girl]

When I get him to calm down I'll try that thanks.

 

[lisascannell]

Yes he will need to get used to you a bit before trying that. I try to let my birds settle in for a few weeks at least

 

[Kings_girl]

Ok thanks I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Tangie]

Allow for your budgie to settle in for a week or two, before you bring him out. Always approach his cage slowly, and talk softly. Spend as much time as you can with him by sitting next to his cage, talking to him, reading, eating, or even sleeping if that is a possibility. Parrots only eat, sleep, and socialize with members of their flock, so doing those activities with him will help greatly. Offer him millet through the bars as a treat, too.

Eventually he will become used to your presence. At this time you can start to bring him out into a small room and away from his cage. I suggest having his wings clipped at first. Just allow him to catch his bearings for a while, and only have him out for short periods of time at first. So he is not overwhelmed.
Make his experience joyful by offering millet and treats.

If he eats millet from your hand, then you can start training him. Try target training at first, which is the process of him receiving a treat after he touches a chopstick/object of your choice.

Teach him to step up on a perch first(he will be more comfy doing this instead of stepping up on your hand at first) so you can easily get him in and out of the cage more easily, so you don't feel as pressured to teach him to step up on your hand.

This is all I can write for now, but hopefully this helps. Good luck and taming a parrot takes time and different steps will pass more smoothly than others.

 

[RavensGryf]

I noticed when we got our two male keets 2 Christmases ago, that one became tame fairly easily, and had a more naturally easygoing personality. The other remains pretty much wild to this day, and after a year will finally step up but very apprehensively. It's like he just naturally has a more wild streak in his nature as if it's ingrained in his genes. Though they say with time ALL Budgies can be tamed, they will still retain their natural personality I believe, and some will become very tame, and some will become tame to a degree.

 

[Kings_girl]

He won't eat millet... Yet anyway.

 

[ct92404]

The first thing is to get him to realize that you're not a threat. He doesn't know who you are or what's going on, so right now he doesn't want to have anything to do with you yet. If he has never had much human contact, then he still has an instinctive fear of people and he thinks you could be a predator. If you try to touch him, he's going to panic. That's to be expected. You have to get him used to your presence. Take his cage to a quiet room where you can have some one-on-one time with him. Your bedroom would be perfect. Sit by his cage and talk very calmly and softly to him. Do NOT try to touch him yet. Just keep talking to him in a gentle voice, saying things like "I'm not going to hurt you. I want to be your friend." Even though he can't understand what you're saying, he will be able to understand your meaning from your tone. Go about your business, watching tv, doing work in the house, reading, whatever you normally do. Periodically, sit by his cage and talk to him again. He'll start to realize that you're not a threat and when he seems comfortable with you being by his cage, then slowly start putting your hand in his cage. But do NOT touch him yet. If you try to touch him too soon, you'll lose whatever progress you made getting his trust. Ease your hand into his cage periodically, do it slowly and calmly. Don't get too close to him. Just put your hand in slowly, leave it for a few seconds or so and then take your hand out and close the door. Do that a few times and leave your hand in a little bit longer and move your hand slightly closer to him each time. At this point, you can try to hold a piece of spray millet and see if he will eat from it. At this point, you are just trying to show him that he can trust you.

If he stays calm with your hand in his cage, or better yet, if he will eat the spray millet when you offer it to him, then try to slowly move your hand right by him. If he still stays calm, then you can try to carefully touch him. He might panic and flutter away at first. If he does, then give him a little bit of time, maybe 5-10 minutes and try again. Eventually, he'll accept you touching him. Maybe try to bribe him with some more spray millet. If you get this far, then very soon he will let you pet him gently. Usually on the chest.

Once he lets you touch him, then you can try to get him to perch on your finger. Gently give him a little push just under his chest. He will naturally step up and should climb up on your finger. Keep doing that periodically, and he'll get the idea. Very soon you'll be able to just hold your finger out and he'll step up on his own.

Once you get this far, he'll be tame and friendly before you know it.

I think the mistake people make is trying to touch a bird too soon, or giving up. If you try to touch a bird before he is comfortable even being around you, he is going to panic and then you'll never get anywhere. He has to get used to your presence and he has to get used to seeing your hand first. In the experience I've had with two budgies, they are VERY friendly once you earn their trust. And it's not hard to do if you're just a little patient. With both of the budgies I've had, I was able to take them out of the cage and hold and pet them by the 3rd day.

 

[strudel]

I think the mistake people make is trying to touch a bird too soon, or giving up.

When I got my first budgie, I was very reticent. I finally realised that I had to be a bit more assertive to move things forward. When they are used to you and understand that you are not there to tear them limb from limb but to serve them dinners and yummy treats, you need to be a little bit determined and not give up with every little flitter flutter.I found it hard to find that line where they would accept your interaction at the next level.

 

[Kings_girl]

He seems to be ok with me most of the time and he's let me pet him on the chest but other times he just freaks out but he doesn't as much as he was before so he's getting better.

 

[MonicaMc]

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