How can I finger-train my 2 parakeets??

Question

They used to be finger-trained, but now when I stick my hand in their cage, one totally flies away and the other SOMETIMES lets me hold her. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!

Answer 1

You need to work daily with your birds; if they were once trained to "step-up" and aren't now, that means that no one is taking time with the birds to keep them socialized.

Below is my answer to an earlier post:

Our Green Cheek Conure had been parent raised and never handled the first year of his life by humans. He was terrified every time tried to get him out of his cage but getting him out and handling him was the only way we were going to be able to train him. So, each time I wanted to take him out I got a soft washcloth and got him to go to the bottom of the cage, dropped the washcloth on him and then picked him up with the washcloth. This is called "toweling" your bird. When you do it, make sure the wings are close against his body to prevent injury. After toweling him, I'd take him into a small bathroom (put the toilet seat down to prevent drowning) and pet him all over his body (while still in the towel). After a few minutes of petting I would let him play on the counter while I talked softly to him. After he played for a while, I would take a dowel perch, put it in front of him just below his breast bone and say "step-up" he started stepping-up on the perch the first day. We would work like that for 45 minutes or so several times a day. Within a couple of days I was able to replace my finger for the dowel and within a week I could put my hand in his cage and he would jump on. Spending time with him, talking softly and moving your hands and arms slowly but with purpose will help him to build trust in you.

Below are some articles on toweling and training your bird.

Good luck!

Answer 2

http://www.geocities.com/budgies_r_us

Check out that site, it has a lot of helpful tips even if it is a bit older.