Anti-Social Parakeet?

Question

My brother got a parakeet from petSmart about a year ago. He is VERY timid, and doesn't like people AT ALL. If you stick your hand in his cage he'll freak out, and we just don't know what to do with him!

We think it was because the person at petsmart used a NET to catch him with, and he just can't forget that. Are there any ways we can "bond" to help him get over his fear?

Answer 1

First of all, sticking your hand into the bird cage is frightening to the bird...that is HIS domain...try opening the door and letting him come out on his own...as long as no other animals are present in the room... Once he learns to come out on his own, then train him to step up onto your finger by pressing your finger just above his feet into his belly, and saying "UP" at the same time (every time)...just gently push. He may nip or bite until he gets used to being touched. Talk softly to him at all times. Let him gain your trust. If he has been in the cage for a year, it is going to take time for him to learn to trust anyone. Be patient...

Answer 2

This is an answer i gave to someone who's parakeet is aggressive. It might work for shy.

My bird has the same problem. The way i take my budgie out is by swiping my pointer finger out under his claws, tripping him onto my hand. Then I grab him tail feathers with my thumb and middle, ring, and pinky fingers. this usually works taking the birds out.

As for lowering the aggressiveness, try teaching it tricks, such as "ladder", where you have him on your hand, then puttin gyour other finger from your other hand up to his breast. Again and again and again. This will give him something else to think about. That's the only thing I can think of.

When you put him on your shoulder, are you wearing any shiney stuff, like jewlry or hair gel? That might make him want to bite.

Notes: Despite what the other guy said, don't EVER GRAB a bird's tail feathers for any reason! They dont like their tails being touched most of the time.

Hah--mine doesn't mind it. He actually likes his tail being stroked. And I'm a female, not a male.

Answer 3

Despite what the other guy said, don't EVER GRAB a bird's tail feathers for any reason! They dont like their tails being touched most of the time.
Yeah I have one pet store bird as well, and I have concluded that being a freak is just what I have to deal with. He will never be the way my hand-raised bird is. Not that I have given up on him, but I jsut respect him now and am looking to find him a nice, calm birdy buddy since he likes other birds but not people. If you want a bird you can interact with, look for people that hand raise birds. My other bird is one you can pick up and pet head to tail and he is a lover.
I also ask that you write to the company where you bought your bird and encourage them to stop selling birds. Most of the birds they sell end up like yours- timid, freaky, and antisocial. Its not fair to them and if enough people protest, they will stop eventually like other companies have (for the record, i'm taking about big companies that have no idea what they are doing, not smaller pet stores that actually hand raise). Thank You.

Answer 4

Birds from pet stores tend to be a little shy at first, that's why I discourage people from buying there. To get him to like you may take a while and you have to make sure you don't get frustrated. Try just talking to him like you would another person (none of that "who's a pretty bird" stuff) and so he gets used to you being close to his cage and interacting with him in a non-threatening way. Once he seems interested in you, try putting one of his favorite treats between the bars so that he has to come close to you to get it, but doesn't have to really touch you or get too close for comfort. It may take a while, but when he's in the middle of eating the treat, reach your hand up SLOWLY to try to gently stroke his beak. The first few times he'll be scared and run away, but after a while he'll learn to trust you. Once you can stroke his beak without him caring, then you start feeding him the treat with your fingers. Once he takes the treat, try feeding him the treat with your hand inside the cage. After he trusts your hand in the cage, try to teach him to step up and reward him for every tiny little bit of progress he makes and he should learn to love you!

Answer 5

The big mistake can be detected through a question: would you like to be in a prison for the rest of your life, without any reason for that? That's what you're doing with this parakeet. Please be kind with him and try to let him free again in the same place your brother made him a prisoner. Make it easy and gradually till the day he'll be capable to live in the woods again. You can believe me, God is going to bless you. A bird or any living creature do not deserve all this cruelty.

Answer 6

Birds bought from a pet store are usualy very wild b/c no one spends any time with them, they are just shiped around and put in boxes, then new cages where people just look at you and tap on the glass... not a fun life. you (or your bro) need to gain his trust. Put you hand gentaly on the side of the cage. he will probably fly away, if he does, move as far away as posible, and put your hand there.be mindful of where your body is, too. it isn't only your hand that scares him. after he is ok with your hand beeing so far away, bring it a little closer. if he flies away, start at point A again. do this for about a week, or until he doesn't fly away wherever you put your hand on the outside. then go on to the real excersize:

1 try to put your hand in the cage, but don't touch him. if he flies away, try again in about 10 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. In the end, I wouldn't keep him out for more than a few hours without a break. Luck! ~me~

Answer 7

get some spray millet, they can't resist it. Feed it to him by hand, holding the spray and let him eat from it. That will get him to come around, not be afraid of you, then take it slow from there. They also like oats & groats, and usually will pick those from between your fingers. Just keep them close, and talk to them until he trusts you.