Taming Parakeets

[TheyBeChillin]

Hello! I recently got my first parakeet. I’ve never owned any birds before
( besides chickens, haha ) so this is a new experience for me.
The taming process has gone well so far. He’ll lick me sometimes, and also perch on my fingers reliably each time I press on his belly. He also was beginning to fall asleep on my finger before I set him back on the perch. He also eats out of my hand whenever I’ve offered him millet, and he preens himself on/around me. Sometimes, he’ll puff out his feathers for a moment before resting them comfortably.
I’ve only had him for a couple days, and I’ve heard it can take months for them to sit on you. Am I rushing him? Since I study at home, I’m able to be around him for hours, so I’m sure that accounts to his friendliness, along with perhaps his personality, and he’s a baby. If he freaks out, I’ll back off. I took it very slowly at first, just being in his presence and slowly blinking at him ( when I did that, he came as close to the bars as he could to me, so I figured he liked it ). I offered him food, and I also set my fingers on his perch and slowly brought them closer to him, which resulted in him grooming me. That’s when soon after I gently pressed my fingers to his belly, and he stepped on them hesitantly. The more I do it, the more confident and content he is to sit on me.
I just have a couple concerns. The big one is, am I rushing him? He seems comfortable at the pace I’m moving, but I got him from Petsmart so I know he wasn’t a hand fed bird, and I’ve only heard how hard they can be to tame. The second one is, he’s very quiet. He’s gotten more talkative today, but most of the time he’s very quiet unless he wants something. Is it normal for them to be so quiet? Third, I’m not sure where to go from here. I figure what I should do is keep sitting my the cage and having my hand in there/around him and the more I do that the more he’ll bond to me and be excited to see me? Also, weirdly, out of nowhere, he’ll seem more scared of me. But it’s usually when I just enter the room, or if I’m standing over the cage, which I’m usually not doing unless he needs his water replaced or something like the such. Is it normal, for during the taming process, a parakeet to suddenly act more nervous for a little bit before returning to normal?
Sorry the post is so long, but I wanted to put all the info out. If you read all this, thank you so, so much. I greatly appreciate it!

 

[ButtonHoarder]

and he preens himself on/around me. Sometimes, he’ll puff out his feathers for a moment before resting them comfortably.

Preening around you is good, it means he feels comfortable relaxing around you.

I’ve only had him for a couple days, and I’ve heard it can take months for them to sit on you. Am I rushing him?

If he seems like he feels safe and he wants to be around you, then I’d say it’s fine.

I also set my fingers on his perch and slowly brought them closer to him

I would stop putting your hands in the cage, (the cage is his safe space where he can go to get away) and ask him to come out to you.

The second one is, he’s very quiet. He’s gotten more talkative today, but most of the time he’s very quiet unless he wants something. Is it normal for them to be so quiet?

It’s normal for them to be quiet around you at first, he’s still getting used to you and will take a while to fully trust you and be able to be himself.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Wow it sounds like you are doing such a great job with your bird!

My mom just got parakeets this week. She got one (male) and he was absolutely petrified, silent, and barely moved/ate/chirped for days, so we went back and got him a female companion. They sat in silence for most of the day yesterday when we got her, but then now they seem to be more chatty and active. The female let me pet her yesterday when she was calm, but my mom said she's been too active and flighty today to allow it. The male will not let us go near him at all.

My problem is, my mom keeps trying to grab the birds (gently of course), and I think it's freaking them out. I told her about just letting your hand sit in the cage for a while before even putting it near the birds, but maybe she just doesn't have the patience for that. Have we "lost our chance"? Can we gain back the trust of the parakeets after my mom has scared them?

We had some really friendly parakeets when I was a kid. They would step up to your finger, were not afraid to be handled, and the one would even sit on the side of my cereal bowl and eat with me in the morning haha. But I have no clue how we trained those birds! I was too young to remember. My mom was the one who bought those birds (and I assume trained them?), yet she seems really confused why these new parakeets are so standoffish.

Where should we go from here?

Sorry OP if it seems like I am hijacking your thread. I'm just also looking for parakeet advice.

 

[TheyBeChillin]

Wow it sounds like you are doing such a great job with your bird!

My mom just got parakeets this week. She got one (male) and he was absolutely petrified, silent, and barely moved/ate/chirped for days, so we went back and got him a female companion. They sat in silence for most of the day yesterday when we got her, but then now they seem to be more chatty and active. The female let me pet her yesterday when she was calm, but my mom said she's been too active and flighty today to allow it. The male will not let us go near him at all.

My problem is, my mom keeps trying to grab the birds (gently of course), and I think it's freaking them out. I told her about just letting your hand sit in the cage for a while before even putting it near the birds, but maybe she just doesn't have the patience for that. Have we "lost our chance"? Can we gain back the trust of the parakeets after my mom has scared them?

We had some really friendly parakeets when I was a kid. They would step up to your finger, were not afraid to be handled, and the one would even sit on the side of my cereal bowl and eat with me in the morning haha. But I have no clue how we trained those birds! I was too young to remember. My mom was the one who bought those birds (and I assume trained them?), yet she seems really confused why these new parakeets are so standoffish.

Where should we go from here?

Sorry OP if it seems like I am hijacking your thread. I'm just also looking for parakeet advice.

No need to apologize! It doesn’t feel like you’re hijacking my thread at all
Telling your mom not to grab the parakeets is a good thing. It can really stress them out seeing that they don’t quite understand why a big creature like us would be trying to do that unless we wanted to eat them. However, I don’t think you’ve lost your chance with taming them.
I’ve only tamed one parakeet, and I’ve heard it’s easier to tame them one at a time, but since I’ve had no experience with this I won’t really comment on it- other than to say that it might take a little longer from what I’ve heard people say. For my bird, I first sat outside his cage and didn’t stare directly at him except to slowly blink a couple times. We’d go back and forth blinking at each other and that helped him get more comfortable around me. I also gently talked to him in a soothing tone. I’d set my hand in the cage, gently putting my fingers on his perch. Slowly, I’d move my fingers as close as he’d allow me until he’d scoot away, and then I would just let my fingers sit there for awhile without moving. I never made any quick movements towards him or away from him. I also put some millet seed into my hand, letting him eat from it, along with offering him a millet stick. After he was comfortable with my hand being on the cage/on the perch, feeding him, and being in his presence, then I would put my finger to his belly, gently pushing up. After he stepped up, I’d hold my hand very still, not moving it at all. I never attempted to grab him, and I never chased him around the cage. I moved at his pace, and I did what he was comfortable with which helped him to trust me more.
Your parakeets behavior seem to be very normal. Even when my parakeet was comfortable with me, it was still awhile before he got very chatty. You might not see them eat/drink in front of you for awhile since they’re very vulnerable when doing so.
Perhaps the first parakeets your mother got, they were like mine and warmed up very quickly. Although I don’t think you’ve lost your chance with these birds, I’d highly suggest with taking a step back grabbing at them, and starting sitting outside the cage/gently setting your hands on the perch.
I can tell you really love your bird and want wants best for them! It’ll just take some time and patience, but after that I’m sure they’ll be friendly in no time! Just remember to go at their pace and take things slow. I wish you the best of luck, and I can’t wait to hear how they’re doing!

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

No need to apologize! It doesn’t feel like you’re hijacking my thread at all
Telling your mom not to grab the parakeets is a good thing. It can really stress them out seeing that they don’t quite understand why a big creature like us would be trying to do that unless we wanted to eat them. However, I don’t think you’ve lost your chance with taming them.
I’ve only tamed one parakeet, and I’ve heard it’s easier to tame them one at a time, but since I’ve had no experience with this I won’t really comment on it- other than to say that it might take a little longer from what I’ve heard people say. For my bird, I first sat outside his cage and didn’t stare directly at him except to slowly blink a couple times. We’d go back and forth blinking at each other and that helped him get more comfortable around me. I also gently talked to him in a soothing tone. I’d set my hand in the cage, gently putting my fingers on his perch. Slowly, I’d move my fingers as close as he’d allow me until he’d scoot away, and then I would just let my fingers sit there for awhile without moving. I never made any quick movements towards him or away from him. I also put some millet seed into my hand, letting him eat from it, along with offering him a millet stick. After he was comfortable with my hand being on the cage/on the perch, feeding him, and being in his presence, then I would put my finger to his belly, gently pushing up. After he stepped up, I’d hold my hand very still, not moving it at all. I never attempted to grab him, and I never chased him around the cage. I moved at his pace, and I did what he was comfortable with which helped him to trust me more.
Your parakeets behavior seem to be very normal. Even when my parakeet was comfortable with me, it was still awhile before he got very chatty. You might not see them eat/drink in front of you for awhile since they’re very vulnerable when doing so.
Perhaps the first parakeets your mother got, they were like mine and warmed up very quickly. Although I don’t think you’ve lost your chance with these birds, I’d highly suggest with taking a step back grabbing at them, and starting sitting outside the cage/gently setting your hands on the perch.
I can tell you really love your bird and want wants best for them! It’ll just take some time and patience, but after that I’m sure they’ll be friendly in no time! Just remember to go at their pace and take things slow. I wish you the best of luck, and I can’t wait to hear how they’re doing!

Okay thanks so much! Good to know we haven't blown our chance at taming the birds. What you are describing is exactly what I was doing (minus trying to get them to step up because we aren't there yet). I was just putting my fingers or hands in or near the cage until they were no longer nervous, and that's how the female bird ended up letting me pet her. I think we should both focus on doing that kind of stuff. I will suggest to my mom that she stop trying to grab them. It's hard because her memory isn't great and I don't live there to remind her. But I do call her often and go over there so I can keep reminding her.

Thank you for easing my mind. I was really thinking we messed things up. We will keep working with them. I hope your bird is doing well!