How To Hand Train A Parakeet (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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1 Stick your hand into your bird’s cage several times a day. Do this repeatedly. Make sure that you are inserting your hand slowly and in a non-threatening way. Don’t shake your hand around needlessly. Don’t shake the cage or hit your bird. Your goal is to teach your bird to trust that your hand won’t hurt it.
- Lots of parakeets may fly around or squawk at you. However, remain still so it can determine that nothing will happen at this point.
2 Have a treat in your hand. After your bird gets used to your hand being in its space, a treat will tell your bird to value your hand. Your hand should signify a safe and even beneficial addition to its space. The ideal treats will be made of grain or seed. They should be big enough for your bird to recognize, but small enough for your bird to pick up off of your hand.
3 Present your parakeet with a perch. Perches come in many sizes. Most look like wooden dowels. Some are made out of metal. They all range in size. You should choose a comfortable perch that extends from your hand around 4 to 5 inches. Your goal with this step is to get your bird used to perching near your hand. The dowel will eventually be replaced by your fingers.[8]
4 Gently nudge your parakeet’s chest. This will be the physical cue that tells your parakeet to step onto the perch. Make sure that you don’t jab your parakeet too hard. If you do, your parakeet will associate the perch and your hand (or presence) negatively.[9]
5 Say “up, up, up” followed by your parakeet’s name. Let’s say your parakeet’s name is Petee. You’d say “up, up, up Petee” while nudging its chest. This will add an auditory cue for your bird to learn. Eventually, you may be able to have your parakeet hop onto your finger with one or the other signal.[10]
6 Give your parakeet a lot of praise when it steps up onto the perch. This includes gently petting its front, below its beak. Try not to pet your parakeet on its head or on its wings/back because it upsets the bird. or additional treats. In this respect, parakeets are like dogs and cats. They need some positive reward in order to learn the trick.[11] Some parakeets don't like to be petted. If your parakeet is one of these, stick to treats. Make sure that you choose treats that are made from natural seeds, vegetables, and grains. Every parakeet is different and will prefer different treats. Experiment and figure out what your parakeet likes the most.
7 Move your finger closer to the end of the dowel. Place the dowel and your finger near its feet. When your parakeet begins to step onto your finger instead of the perch, you can get rid of the perch entirely.[12] X Research source
- Make sure you keep your finger straight, as if the perch is still in place underneath your finger. Your parakeet needs to feel safe and stable at all times or else it will avoid your finger out of caution or fear.
8 Take the parakeet out of the cage while it’s perched on your finger. Remember that it has spent a long time inside the cage and will be understandably scared. This may take a few days.[13] X Research source
- Keep the doors and windows closed so your bird doesn't escape.
9 Have friends and family hand train your parakeet in the same way. This is the only way that your parakeet will feel comfortable with its human flock.
10 Allow the bird to sit on other parts of your body. Only after it feels comfortable on your finger should you give it the opportunity to explore other parts of your body. This includes the head, knee, shoulder, and arm. You can train them to sit anywhere as long as you take things very, very slow so your bird feels safe.[14] [15]