New pet parakeet!

[Chick1043]

My brother bought a parakeet and decided he didn't want it so he gave it to me. The problem is the bird doesn't trust me and bites REALLY hard!

Hes a baby so I don't know if its a boy or girl. I'm guessing boy... How do I make him stop biting and trust me? Thanks

 

[LostGosling]

It depends on the bird. My parakeet, Skittles, is very gentle natured and has never bit me. My LAST parakeet, on the other hand, would draw the blood when I attempted to show her affection, lol. For starters, you need to do taming exercizes with it. Put your hand in the cage once or twice a day at scheduled times for about 10 minutes each session. This will make him less frightened of your hand after a month or so. Be patient and, whatever ever you do, DON'T TRY TO PET IT during this time or you may have to start over. Next, after it is no longer fearful of your hand, start trying to get it to step up on your finger. Rub your finger under it's breast and sweetly tell it "up, up, up". This way, it will learn to step up on your finger after the command. Repeat this for two weeks to a month, or until it learns the command and will peacefully sit on your finger. After it has learned the "Up" command and you're absolutely positive that it's tame, it will need it's wings clipped. You can have this done the first time at Petland. I'm pretty sure that it costs and you may have to set up an appointment, but it will make it a lot easier to fully tame and enjoy your little bird. While they trim it's wings, watch closely so that you can do it yourself when he molts again. Also, you can sex it by the color of the skin around it's nostrils. A baby's "sear" will be pink until it's about a year old, but it will turn dark blue if it's a boy, and brownish white if it's a female. If your bird is yellow, though, the female will develop the normal sear coloring for her sex, but the male's will stay pink forever. It's somthing to do with the Lutino gene. If you have anymore questions, I know all about parakeets and have 3 different books on them. Hope I helped!

 

[Okie Amazon]

Sounds like a hen! My great uncle raised budgies for many years and he told me that to sex very young birds, he stuck his hand in the nest box and whatever ones were hanging onto his hand when he drew it out were baby hens!

I got several as pets from him over the years and he was never wrong. That being said, patience is the key. Follow the procedure posted above and also try hand-feeding treats. Parakeets aren't much for fruit usually, but mine always adored corn and usually would go for carrots and green beans as well. Try offering some corn kernels and carrot bits in the food dish, then when you see the bird eating them, start offering them in your open palm. Just let the bird nibble and eat from your hand.

 

[KDailey]

I got parakeets for christmas but now I'm trying to rehome them because they never really warmed up to me at all. One was alright but still didn't like being held. He just tolerated it until he had a good view of his cage and then flew away the best he could (clipped wings).

Now i'm trying to rehome them and having a hard time doing it. And what do you do with a parakeet that you no longer want? Can't eat it, can't let it loose.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Quote:
If Only I lived closer I breed parakeets (budgies) I have 15 plus 15 for sale and I have a buyer that buys all my babies but none of mine are hand tame but I wouldn't sell them because of it.

 

[KDailey]

Mine were bought from a pet store which is probably why they aren't very friendly. They should have been bought from a breeder but BF didn't know anything about parakeets. lol.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Quote:
Most of mine were bought from stores to and I think they were nicer then ones I got from breeders now I only trust ones I breed.