Parakeet help?

Question

hi everyone! I just bought a parakeet a week and a half ago and I thought that budgies become comfortable with their new owner(s) after 4-5 days..(my parakeet was not hand-fed). does anyone know how I could make my pet come sit on my finger the fastest way and not run away from my finger??

Thanks!!

Answer 1

To get your budgie used to your hand, make a practice of never grabbing them. Budgies that have been grabbed come to view a hand as a deadly weapon that should be avoided. It'll take a lot of patience to get your bird used to your hand. Spend at 10 minutes a few times a day just sitting by your bird's cage and talking to him. This will help him to get used to you and your voice, and is a great beginning step of bonding.

Start with millet -- most budgies can't resist it. Hold a small piece of millet motionlessly in the palm of your hand, just inside the budgie's cage, near the entrance. Just hold it still. Don't expect your budgie to come running over the first time you try it, it'll probably just sit on its perch and ignore you, or be very scared. It's important not to move, just talk softly to the bird. Make sure you're not looming over the cage, because this will scare him. It's better to be at eye level with the bird.

After holding the millet still several times, your budgie may start to show some interest in it. Do not force it upon the bird -- if he's standing really still, he's probably frozen with fear. Whenever he's like this, just stay still and let him come to you at his own pace. He'll probably just pick at it and then leave to start with. But once he's willing to step on to your hand to eat the millet, this is a big step.

Spending time with him by talking to him and offering him millet is the best method to getting him used to your hands. Avoid setting deadlines on when you think he'll be tamed -- different budgies take different amounts of time. My budgie happened to take a particularly long time to adjust, but I've also had a budgie who became tame in less than a week. Just be patient.

Answer 2

You need to take time for your new budgie each and every day for at least an hour or two to just be there, softly talking to it, feeding it, and cleaning out the cage so that it will be comfortable and at ease around you...once it is sure it can trust your presence it will begin to be more friendly. Without the handfeeding from early on, you have a bit of a longer challenge for it accepting you. You may also get some of it's favorite treats and just put your hand nearby so the bird comes to you and not the other way around. Build up trust and let it know that the hand comes with a wonderful treat and it will be very willing to perch on you. No loud noises, crashes or bangs, soft and soothing tones and time and patience should do the trick.
Good treats: Fruits like orange apple pineapple and bannanna's are easiest to hold for long times and of course peanuts and peanut butter are good too. Don't overfeed it either...try to introduce your hand/treat when it's a hungry bird and time might not be as long. Good Luck...Budgies are a Blast!

Answer 3

Its almost impossible for a bird to not run away from your finger. Ive had my bird for 5 years and he is still afraid of me. I guess its just their nature. But if you let is get used to you then you could hold it. put your hand in the cage everyday, not to close to the bird, maybe closer every day. After a while start holding it on your finger almost everyday. Act normal around it, and put its cage in an area where it will see a lot of the things you do(kitchen;living room; some place with a lot of light and activity) Have a wonderful time with your pet. I hope this helped!

Answer 4

I've gotten a couple of parakeets and some cockatiels before that were adults and not hand fed and have successfully tamed them so they liked to come hang out with me.

1) Clip the bird's wings- this will ensure if he/she jumps off, etc., they can't fly away or play hard to get.

2) Get a hand towel or some gardening gloves to hold the bird with- this will ensure you don't react when the bird bites you. No reaction will help in that it keeps you from letting the bird go and reacting with fear so the bird learns it can intimidate you by biting.

3) Spend at least 20-30 minutes a day holding the bird and eventually petting it on the head as it lets you. It will eventually learn to trust you and will look forward to its social sessions with you. Birds, like parakeets, are sociable animals and learn to bond with their people and enjoy the company. Eventually the bird will not fear you and will come to you and hang out on your shoulder, finger, etc.

Answer 5

Evidently non hand-rised birds are not nearly as comfortable with people as hand-raised. But they can get close to. It WILL take a LOT of time though (up toa year) - but then you have a best friend:) Talk to him regularly but dont poke ur fingers through the bars. I do't know why - it makes them nervous. Talk in soothing tones - to get him to come here's a technique:

Start just getting him to come take a treat out of your hand. Work on this for a while until he doesn't run away when you open the door and comfortablly takes the food from you. You could also trying petting him a little (they specifically love being scratched on the back of their neck). DONT TRY TO RUSH THINGS. Taming a bird takes lots of time and love.

Next, either with your finger or a wooden pole (whichever you feel comfortable with) lure him out with food. Talk calmly and with praise. Dont scare him. When he's on the stick give him the treat - even if he's only just out of his cage. He's allowed to poop back in after. Keep working on the until he's comfortably coming out and not fighting to get away.

It wil take time - there's no GOOD speed method. Trust is a built up thing not an overnight one. Hope I helped :)

Answer 6

I have a Parakeet...Parakeets are not very trusting of Humans.
You have to make it depend on you for survival...Feed it its favorite food, only in your presents. Feed it as usual omitting the favorite, and maybe a little less then its used to.Offer the favorite food in your hand , this may take awhile. Hold the food in your flat hand near it, coax it. When your bird eats out of your hand ...U go from there. Open the cage door an let it discover on its own. ONLY when you are there to check on it,
Birds never forget....NEVER DISCLIPINE...ALWAYS REWARD..
Reward good behavior....Ignore bad behavior.
First You gain TRUST....
try www.talkbudgies.com
Good Luck!

Answer 7

ok start out by finding her favorite treat my birds was fresh broccali she loves it but once you have that every day sit with her and talk to her at the end of your talk drop the treat in the dish ...eventually she will come to recognize your voice and will be very excited for her treat when that time comes have her take the treat from your hand

continue untill she runs right up to your hand

slide your hand under her bottum and she will step on

eventually she will step on the seccond your hand is in there at theat point you can take her from the cage and let the hevey bonding begin

good luck

Answer 8

you just have to keep taking him out everyday...in time he will. I have had a few parakeets and this has worked for me. Also when you put your hand in the cage do it slowly as to not scare him. It's something that does not happen over nite or anything like that..it takes work with him everyday.

Answer 9

Sorry to say but that takes time and trust. I've got 2 of them and I just now got one of them out of the cage about 2 months ago and I had them almost 3years now. But u can take them out of the cage and hold it ever day so it gets use to you.The hard part is getting ahold if it.

Answer 10

patience, patience, patience. you have to put your hand in there and say step up and repeat it over and over again. if it was not hand fed that would mean the only connection that it makes with people would pretty much be a food source. it will take time and effort but it will learn to trust you eventually.