Teach Your Parakeet to Love You

It can be somewhat difficult to get a parakeet (sometimes called a "budgie") to effectively bond with you, but with a little patience, you can get the bird to come around. In fact, if you spend the time necessary to get your parakeet comfortable with you, you can establish a loving relationship. Follow these guidelines and you can have your parakeet loving you back in no time.

Steps

Getting To Know Your Parakeet

1. Make your budgie comfortable. The cage is a safe space for your parakeet, but you want him or her to be in the presence of your family enough to be used to seeing and hearing people. Be sure, however, that this is a place where the bird can get rest when wanted—budgies need 10-12 hours of sleep per night.
   • Cover the cage when your budgie sleeps—this blocks her vision and keeps drafts at bay—and be sure no loud noises will startle her where she is sleeping
2. Get closer to your budgie. Once the bird seems comfortable in her cage where you have put it—and especially where she will be in the presence of people on a regular basis—start getting closer to the cage each day. Move slowly when you come near the cage so as not to frighten the bird.
   • Talk softly to the bird when you are near the cage. Avoid sudden movements.
   • Spend plenty of time near the cage—the more the better. She will know that you know she's there. You are essentially the bird's flock, with which he or she would spend all their time in the wild, so the more time you spend with your budgie, the better.
3. Start putting your hand on or near the cage near the bird gently. If it moves away, don't move your hand; instead, keep it there and talk to the bird or read a book or something.The point is to get the bird used to your hands and your presence. Just don't scare the bird.

Hand Training Your Budgie

1. Approach the budgie from inside the cage. Once the bird doesn't move away from your hand, it is time to do the same on the inside of the cage. Reach inside the cage and rest your hand there for a while. It is especially effective if you do this while holding a treat, such as millet. Holding a treat helps to gain the bird's trust.
   • Slowly, over time, move your hand closer and closer to the bird. Chances are, if you are holding a treat, the bird will begin to eat from your hand.
   • If you coax the bird to a place in the cage where he cannot reach the treat in your hand while on a perch or the side of the cage, he will likely be convinced to jump onto your hand to get the treat.
2. Get the bird to perch on your finger. After a while of feeding the bird on/from your hand, try to get the bird to perch on your finger without food by slowly approaching it with your finger and nudging it against their belly near the feet.
   • The parakeet may jump off your finger quickly, but keep trying—just don't overwhelm the bird. Give him or her some time between attempts and continue to move slowly. Be patient, and your bird should start getting on your finger voluntarily over time.
3. Bring the budgie out of the cage. The next phase of hand training is getting the bird to come outside the cage while perched on your hand. Because the parakeet feels safe inside the cage, he or she may jump off your hand near the exit. Keep trying, though, just like when you tried to get him or her to eat from your hand or perch on your finger. Eventually the budgie will trust you enough to come outside the cage with you.

Interacting With Your Parakeet

1. Talk to your parakeet a lot. Every time you pass by your parakeet, stop a minute and talk to it. If you repeat the same phrases or noises (such as whistles) when you do talk to your bird, he or she may even start saying them him or herself. Parakeets can talk just like other pet birds.
   • Talking to the bird also gets him to trust you more—which can translate to a loving budgie.
2. Try petting your parakeet. Parakeets may occasionally groom one another, and, as you are part of their flock, your budgie may like it if you gently rub or stroke his or her feathers in different places. Try scratching his or her head very gently, stroking his or her back, or rubbing his or her belly.
3. Remember to always handle your parakeet carefully. Budgies are small and very delicate. Take it easy when handling the bird and you will have an even more trusting pet, which can translate to a loving relationship with the bird.
   • Never hit or do anything rough with your bird.
   • Never kiss your budgie on the beak or anywhere else, because human saliva, even in small concentrations, is toxic for a budgie.

Caring for Your Parakeet

1. Feed your budgie a variety of foods, like fruits and vegetables, seeds, and pellets. A full bird is a happy bird, particularly when it isn't bored of the food you give it. Give your budgie seeds, pellets, fruits, and vegetables.
   • Start out with natural pellets that contain no colorings or added sugar.
   • Feed seeds separately—not mixed with pellets.
   • There are some foods to avoid, including avocados, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, and more.
2. Give your parakeet plenty of toys. Parakeets will play a lot, so toys will keep them very happy, making them more loving pets. Give them shiny toys, swings, rings, bells, etc.
3. Keep the cage clean. Budgies appreciate a clean home just like people. The difference is that budgies live in close proximity to their droppings. Keeping their cage clean minimizes exposure and helps keeps your bird nice and healthy.
   • Get the proper perches for parakeets. Perches with varying diameter like natural tree branch perches help your budgie get exercise that is in addition to you bring him or her out of the cage.

Warnings

• Avoid using gloves to handle your parakeet. Birds are naturally scared of hands and gloves only imitate the shape and make them appear bigger. This will actually teach your bird not to trust you more.

Related Articles

• Train a Parakeet to Step Up
• Teach Parakeets to Talk
• Amuse Your Parakeet or Other Bird
• Play With Your Budgie

Sources and Citations

See also

• Stop a Budgie from Biting
• Breed Budgies
• Train Your Budgie
• Take Care of a Parakeet
• Stop a Parakeet from Biting
• Tell if Your Pet Budgie Likes You
• Give Your Budgie a Bath
• Take Care of a Budgie
• Gain Your Parakeet's Trust
• Tame Your Budgies

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What links here

• Gain Your Parakeet's Trust
• Tell if Your Pet Budgie Likes You