Hand training my parakeet

[Ave Maria]

Hi everyone. I am trying to hand train my parakeet and needless to say, it is tough. I can put my hand in the cage without him bouncing around all over the cage but he does seem a bit nervous when I go near the cage or put my hand in it so I have learned to do everything slowly. Today, I was able to put my hand in the cage and even move it a little without him jumping to the top or side of the cage so I guess I am making a little progress. I have had him for a few weeks but he just won't let me put him on my finger. He got on my finger a couple of times for like a few seconds and I don't think he even knew he was on my finger because he almost immediately jumped off. His name is Tweety and he is a male because he has a light blue cere (skin above the beak, his nose). Unfortunately, when I first got him I was actually able to get him on my finger for a very small amount of time. Then a day or two later, he acted all scared when I would put my finger in there and try to get him on my finger so I gave up for a couple of weeks. Now, I figure I need to get him trained before he gets older or I may never get him trained. About how long does it take before he'll get on my finger with no problem? I am really anxious to get him finger trained but it is kind of frustrating. Any help you all can provide will be a blessing. Would it help if I waited till he was tired or if I made the room a little dim? Also, would it help if I shut the window so he isn't distracted by birds outside? He's right next to the window so he can see outside and I often open the window when it's warm outside so he can hear the birds. I think he likes that because he chirps a lot and sometimes even screams when he hears birds outside. He really likes to scream if I am doing something that makes some sort of noise. It isn't a scared kind of scream but more of an angry type of scream if you know what I mean. I'd upload a sound file I recorded of him if I could but I can't. Anyway, thanks for your advice in advance. I appreciate it.

 

[GooglyMelsiePoogly]

I have the same deal Holly. I have a Parakeet and I need help too. I wanna hand train him and I need some help because we need to get his wings trimmed. I even got him where I can get him on my finger but he pecks an awful lot but I can let him out of his cage in my bedroom and get him back in it. But if we try to let him out in the whole house we have a very hard time getting him back in. I heard though that if you don't let a bird out of his cage he gets cage territorial so thats why I let him out in my bedroom and after a while he gets a little better and lets me have him on my finger like a thank you. I do need some tips with training him so if you could please PM me that would be great! Because we might have to get rid of him if we can't do anything with him.

 

[Faithful83]

Not sure how much help I can give with hand training, but I do have to...well...burst a bubble.

How "light" is a "light blue cere"? We had a parakeet with a light blue cere which, of course, we were sure was a male until *he* laid an egg!

It was funny. The cere was so pale a blue we were going back and forth, male...no female...no male...no female. Then she decided to end the debate by laying an egg.

 

[Oblivious]

I had a parakeet growing up. He was pretty wild when I first brought him home. The first thing I'd suggest (if you haven't done so already) is clipping his wings. My parakeet used to take off flying and would fly smack into things. You don't want him to get hurt! Second, I would start off by having him "perch" on something that's outside of the cage and near you. Then he'll get used to "comfortably" being around you without the threat of being on your finger. Once he stays put on the perch, I'd work on finger training him. This is exactly what I did for my parakeet and he ended up extremely tame.

Good luck!

 

[lilchristiangurl]

the only bird ive ever owned is a cockatiel

 

[BeanMak]

ok, other parakeet owners, mine I am looking at my pair as they hang from the top of the cage. During the day, they sit on the perches, or ladder. When it gets dark in the room they hang from the top and side. It seems like they sleep there. Does anyone else have birds that do this?

 

[Ave Maria]

the only bird ive ever owned is a cockatiel

Hey lilchristiangurl! I also own a Cockatiel. However, it does not live in the apartment with me. It lives at my Grandma's house where it has lived for 99% of it's life. I lived mostly with my Grandparents from about the 6th grade on and my Mom gave me the only surviving Cockatiel out of her first and only breeding pair and I moved my Cockatiel down to my Grandparent's house with me which is where I lived most of the time. I also lived at my Mom's house from time to time but I didn't get along well with my siblings and I was doing better at school during Middle School while living at my Grandparent's house and that's why I lived there. Anyawy, I did try to move my Cockatiel in with me at my apartment but it only lasted a couple of days. Peppy, my Cockatiel, is so noisy that I could hear him even as I walked down the hall toward my apartment. I was afraid that the neighbors would start complaining soon so I had to send him back to my Grandparent's house. The problem was that Peppy was very obsessed with me and he would scream and scream and scream if I got out of his sight for even a few minutes. Peppy is hand trained and he can also whistle. He doesn't say much else but he does imitate my English Parakeet, Charlie, who lives at my Grandparent's house. But guess what? Charlie also imitates Peppy's screams and other noises except in a much quieter manner... lol! I love birds even if I can't train them. I have owned Parakeets since I was about 12 or 13 years old. My first Parakeet was a male named Tweety. I was able to hand train him. I also had a female Parakeet named Sissy that I paired with Tweety. From what I remember, Tweety just suddenly dropped dead one day for no apparent reason. We thought he was healthy but one minute he was alive and sitting on the perch and appearing to be normal and the next he was dead on the cage floor. I wonder if some sort of fumes didn't poison him and kill him. But then again, he was an older bird and it may have been that his time had simply came. I don't remember exactly what happened to Sissy but I think a cat got in the house and killed her. I honestly don't remember Sissy very well. But anyway, that is really cool that you have a Cockatiel. Cockatiels can be great birds! I really love Parakeets as well though because they are like miniature clowns or something. They are so cute and funny!

 

[Ave Maria]

ok, other parakeet owners, mine I am looking at my pair as they hang from the top of the cage. During the day, they sit on the perches, or ladder. When it gets dark in the room they hang from the top and side. It seems like they sleep there. Does anyone else have birds that do this?

Hey BeanMak! I don't know if it is normal for a Parakeet to sleep while hanging upside down but I do know that it is very normal for a Parakeet to hang from the top and side of their cage. They are natural climbers and are like mini acrobats. Did you know that you can train Parakeets to do a variety of tricks? They're really cool birds. I'd suggest you read up on them either on the Internet or from a book that you might get from the library or a book store. They are wonderful little birds!

 

[pgp_protector]

I have 2 budgies, 1 will fly to my hand with no problem , the younger one will hop over my hand if it's in the cage, and is not real comfortable with me.

But the reason for the second one is I wasnt able to spend enought time with the first one, so I thought it would be better for them to have each otehr to play / spend time with then be alone while Im at work.

 

[ORCALOVER]

I am going to assume that you have a budgie, which are easy to tame compared to other parakeets. The first thing that you have to realize is that you are a thousand times bigger then your budgie, and your eyes face forward-you're a predator. The worst thing that you can do is immediatly try to coax or force the bird on your finger by sticking your hand in the cage. The first thing you have to do is let your bird get used to your presence. Sit buy his cage doing something other than paying attention to him. This will show him that you are interested in eating him. After a few days your bird should be used to you being around the cage. Now you can go over to the cage and gently talk to him. Offer him millet sprat through the cage bars. Do this for a few days as well. When he lets you put your hand in the cage and offer him millet, then you are ready to begin bonding. Now you will have to get him out of the cage. Try to pick him up using a washcloth. This way he will be afraid of the washcloth and not your hand. Carry the bird to the smallest room in your house(most likely the bathroom)and make sure the room is bird-proof. if you bird is so scared that he flys around bumping into walls, then you want to get his wings cliped. Please, please,please don't let this wing clipping be permanent. in their natural habbitat budgies fly miles a day in search of food. Allowing your bird to fly makes your bird healtier both physically and mentally. Once you and your bird are alone, put your back up against the wall and put your knees up. Place the bird on your knee and just talk to it-no touching! Continue these training sessions for no longer then 15 min., around three times a day. Your bird should get used to this very soon, and you can slowly move your hand up your leg towards him. Try to associate your hand with something good like a treat. Continue traing seccions till you can touch him. Every time you toch him give him a treat. More training seccions, and he should be comfortable with hoping on your finger. Again, every time he comes on your finger give him a treat. This may sound like a long process, but it has worked with every budgie I have tamed, and the rewards are worth the wait!