unfriendly parakeets.?

Question

i just bought 2 parakeets, and they adore each other, but they don't really want to interact with me.what's the best way to get them used to me?

Answer 1

Especially if you have them in the same cage and they're bonded. You have to spend time with them consistently, and that doesn't mean trying to handle them physically.

The thing is when you're in the process of taming birds (by which I mean having them adjust to their surroundings in your home and and are no longer fearful of people and at best, when they enjoy and seek out human companionship), you have to teach them to be tame in that manner first. Sit by their cage on a daily basis, and move it to a highly socialized area so they learn that the humans walking around them are safe because they're always around, but are never harmed when people go by. You'll begin to see progress when people walk by and the birds no longer cower to the other side of the cage. I find people who sit by their bird cages and talk to the birds have better chances of gaining trust faster. Even if you're not sitting right by the cage but in the same room, try talking to them and see if they vocalize back to you. I think that's a great start to getting them into the flock mentality in regards to you and other people.

When this is accomplished, you may want to try the hand thing again. I think leather gloves would be tougher to bite through, but I've never used gloves. Anyway, since they're a pair, they'll have more interest in each other than they will for any human. You may want to separate them when hand-taming or you may have to double the time it takes to hand-tame. If these birds are older, say past 6 to 8 months old, they've been through sexual maturity and MAY be territorial over their cage (if the environment seems like a spring/summer breeding period, chances are significantly higher that they will be territorial as what is deemed as their nesting area. that being there is too much daylight, too much food, nesting areas and nesting materials, and an unchanging environment). If you find they're lunging at you when you put your hand in the cage, slowly withdraw after they've calmed down (this teaches them that you are safe but won't go away until they're calm and biting only makes you stay longer). Try leaving the cage door open and letting them out of their own accord in a bird safe room. You can try to lure them out with some treats, such as millet or safflower seed (I find sunflower seed is too fatty, but it works well as a rarely fed treat) and at some point, you can hold it just out of their reach so they willingly step up onto you to retrieve the food. They may take it and run off, but that's good progress! They can then begin to understand that perching on you and being so close to you won't put them in any danger and will eventually learn to trust you. I started off with having my lovebirds come to my arm because there was less bite-able skin to grab, and then they graduated to coming to my hand when I held food there. Eventually, you won't even need the food to have them come to you!

Be very patient. Taming birds, especially pairs, is a VERY long, arduous process and do not give up. I successfully tamed three adult birds, two of them a bonded pair. Sometimes it will work to your advantage (one tries something, so the other follows that example) or disadvantage (both spend more time being scared together than with you). Either way, good luck.

Answer 2

i would train one at a time, using this method.
you have to be extremely gentle.

1 try to put your hand in the cage, but don't touch him. if he flies away, try again in about 15 min. repeat until he doesn't fly away.

2 the next day, or week, when he is comfy with you hand in the cage, start stretching it around and opening and closing it.

3 after he is comfortable with 2, probably about a day, and doesn't fly away, hold a small perch in your hand and move it towards him. if he flies away, try again in a few min.

4 after he is comfortable with that, move the perch rite above his feet, and say step up, wile gently pushing up on his abdomen. he should step up hold him there a few min. then put him back on his solid perch and leave him alone. this shows him that this thing really isn't so bad, and that it is safe to sit on.

5 next, after doing step 4 for about a day, every 15 min or so, get a short perch, about as long as your finger, and hold it with your finger on top, do step 4.

6 then do it w/o the perch. gradually move out of the cage, out of the room, to a different floor, until he is OK with it all. i wouldn't keep i longer than 5 min. out of his cage. the next day, add a min. to get it up to 6 min. next day, 7. animals need this gradual adjustment. it may seem to be taking forever, but he needs that. best of luck to you!

Answer 3

holding them everyday is a must, as is clipping their wings. you cant interact with them if they are on top of the cabinets, lol.
just give it time. birds require a while to get use to you. give them plenty of love and treats for being good and most of all dont jerk your hand back when they bite you, it lets them think they are the 'big bird'. by that i mean, dont let them win. i know those beaks can hurt, but stick to your guns and ket them know who's boss.
good luck!

Answer 4

I have parakeets and the way they like me is i put bread in their
cage and they like it and i put my hand in the cage and they sit on it so i really think you should put food on your hand and put it in their cage.♥ ♥and you should hold them a lot

Answer 5

its going to take a lot of patieance and a lot of biting but ur going to have to try holding them for a little while evryday...

Answer 6

u can feed them treats from ur hand so there used to your sense.also u can try holding them and train them. finally you can try talking to them so there used to your voice

Answer 7

talk to them and buy them toys.sometimes i feel used...my birds pay attention more to the toys when i'm not around!!!!!!!!!!