Evil Parakeet!!!

[Lilly Bird]

My little parakeet is really mean! She is 2 years old but wont let anyone come near her at all! I need help!!! What can make her nicer?

 

[Alison]

When you say mean, do you mean biting mean? As far as not letting anyone near her, is she in the cage fluttering around wildly when you approach? If so, the best way to get her to calm down is to walk over to her several times a day and sit near the cage day talking quietly to her until your approach no longer puts her into a panic. Once that is accomplished, start putting your hand on the cage and leave it there while continuing to talk to her until again, she is no longer frightened by it. The next step would be to put your hand inside the cage and leave it there very still while talking gently to her until that too no longer causes fear. Once she is comfortable with seeing you and having your hand in the cage, she will be much easier to train to step up on your finger without causing her any undo stress. This is not something that will happen over night. It will take lots time and patience to earn her trust. Good luck.

 

[Peta]

Can't really add anymore than Alison has said, but when we mention time and patience, we're not talking in a weeks time. It could take months, but persevere, it will all be worth it in the end. I'm talking from experience. I rescued two parakeets who were scared silly of humans. They are now willing to step up onto the hand, and fly around when humans are in the same room, without being scared silly. Its a lot of hard work but you'll be so happy when that time comes that your little parakeet steps up onto your hand/finger. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[Lilly Bird]

When i mean "MEAN" i mean her clamping on your finger and not letting go!!!!

I never have done anything mean to her like hitting the cage so what would be prevolcing her to have this behavior??? When i bought her i wanted a bird i can take out and teach to talk!!! She once got out.... ....she got stuck behind a dresser......

 

[Alison]

She's scared. You will have to earn her trust. It takes time.

 

[Lilly Bird]

Oh... i guess i got what i deserve....i bought her at Petco....... should have got her from a breeder......

 

[Peta]

I guess we learn by our mistakes, (I'm not sure what Petco is but I'm assumming its like a pet store) once you have earned her trust and worked with her, (don't rush her/him to do things too quickly) believe me it really will be worth it. My two rescues have learnt to trust me and I believe love me, and when I think of what they went through, I'm not sure I could ever learn to trust humans again. I'll have to find their story for you.

Please let us know how you get on. Believe me you can't go wrong with Alisons advise, she really does know what she's talking about. (Hope you don't mind me saying that Alison.)

 

[Lilly Bird]

Yes, Petco is a large chain of pet stores that probably dont give their animals alot of love. They are raised with only birds, no people. I will start working with her, but when she does bite, how should you react to show the bird it is wrong???

 

[Alison]

Believe me you can't go wrong with Alisons advise

Aww shucks... Thank you Peta lol

If you follow the approach I outlined, you shouldn't have many bites because you won't actually be holding the bird until she is ready. But, that doesn't mean you will never get bitten. When that happens, you should first try a stern "NO!", if that does not make her let go of you, try giving your hand a little shake while saying "NO!". DO NOT shake so hard that the bird will fall off, but enough to get her attention. If you shake too hard and the bird falls off, it could reverse any progress you have made because she will then be distrustful of you hand. The purpose of the shake to demonstrate to the bird that it is her biting that causes the shake and that to avoid it, she must avoid biting. Timing is everything when employing the shake method. Again, good luck with your bird.

 

[Peta]

Yep the stern No/No bite should do the trick, she is only biting because she is scared, it is a natural instinct for her to do.

My CAG Bucc (the brat) gave me such a good bite today that it broke the skin, blood everywhere, wish I could have told him off but it was totally my fault, I came up behind him and scared him, luckily it was only my finger, so yep he has finally got his wish and taken out one of my fingers, love him.

 

[Peta]

Errol And Flynn

Here is the story of Errol and Flynn my two rescue parakeets. They wouldn't come near me when I first got them, they hated humans with a vengence, well they didn't really hate them more that they were scared stiff of them. The best part of their lives they had been abused one way or another.

What hasn't been said in there is that if ever they made a noise they would have the tiny cage shook so violently that they were lucky to stay on their perch, heaven help them if they ever bit the person who had them. From there they went from one abusive home to another, for years this was how they lived. Throughout this thread, there is updates on them, even from a tiny thing like them singing when I was in the room. It was heartbreaking to see them, but well worth it now that they are happy and healthy and finally able to enjoy life.

 

[Lilly Bird]

Ouch! once my parakeet got out and when we tried to catch her and she ripped my lip up!!!! Man! DID IT HURT!!!!!!!!! I am glad it wasnt one of those huge parrots that can rip ur finger off(Well i MAY be exagerating a little!)

Well i was playing with her 2day and she did not bite once. She tried biting me...but she stopped right before she bit down. PROGRESS!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!

 

[Peta]

That is great news, Well done to you and to Lilly. Maybe I was exagerating too about Bucc taking the finger off. Looking at it now it doesn't seem so bad, but he is being so loving and asking "Mum loves Bucc" and "Bucc loves ya" and "Oh does it hurt" then giving me kisses. So of course I have to play up to all the attention that I'm getting. lol.

 

[Lilly Bird]

Yeah, kinda thought so! Well, i was wondering, if i were to get another parakeet, how would lilly react?????

 

[Peta]

i was wondering, if i were to get another parakeet, how would lilly react?????

If you were to get a hand tame parakeet that might help Lilly, or because there's two of them it might have a negative effect for the hand tame one.

[QUOTEWell i was playing with her 2day and she did not bite once. She tried biting me...but she stopped right before she bit down. PROGRESS!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!][/QUOTE]

I take it that she will let you play with her sometimes, and others she bites, is that right?

 

[Lilly Bird]

YEAH!! likeshe has mood swings ur somthin!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lilly Bird]

Well she is doing a lot better. I got her on my finger!woooooo!

 

[Alison]

That's great Lilly Bird.

 

[Lilly Bird]

and she did it with out biting!!!!!!!YEAH!

 

[Peta]

:jumping40 Thats great news, and no biting. YEAH :jumping40