My parakeet doesn't like me.

I got a parakeet and a cockatiel on Saturday, and the cockatiel loves me. Whenever I walk around the apartment, he follows me or chirps at me wanting out so he can land on my shoulder (or my head, as is often the case). My parakeet, on the other hand... she was not hand-fed when she was a baby, and she isn't very tame. I take her out for a few minutes every day, and I also put her in the cockatiel's cage for a little while every day. The parakeet is eating and drinking water, and she chirps at my dog and at the cokatiel. But she hates it when I take her out of her cage and hold her. Anybody have any advice on how I can get her calmed down?

 

Just take it slow and give her time to adjust. Mike will be able to give you more specific instructions.

 

Hi cockatiels are easier to tame than your smaller birds because they are eager to please and learn.

As Jamiya mentioned take it slow with your parakeet, Taking her out of the cage for a few minutes everyday is not really enough time to get her used to being handled, The recommended lenght of out the cage time is 10-15 minutes a couple of times per day.

When you take her out of the cage hold her in your hands but not to tight she can't breath properly gently speak to her at all times while holding her and scratching her head.

Wing clipping is a good method to use when trying to tame birds but this should only be carried out by an experienced person.
Wing clipping renders the bird unable to fly at a height but can still fly there for relies on your to get it about.
The feathers that are clipped will grow back in with the next molt by this time the bird should be completely tame.

I have added some links on hand taming hope they are of some help.
But time and patience are the key.
Also bribary also helps if you can find the parakeets favourite fruit, vegtable or other treat use that while trying to tame it.

http://www.netpets.com/birds/reference/ ... aming.html

http://www.budgies.org/info/taming.html

Mike

 

Thanks so much! I used a couple of the tricks on Aqua (the parakeet) last night, and even some of them on Silver (the cockatiel that is currently standing on the keyboard). I gave Aqua some fresh fruit last night, and she seemed to really like it, especially the strawberries. She sat with me for about twenty minutes, munching off and on.

 

Hi glad everything is working out ok. Like we say time and patience and she will soon learn that your not going to hurt her and that your hand can be used to help her get from one place to another without flying.

Good luck and keep us posted of her progress

Mike