any bird lovers out there?Need some advice

United States
February 21, 2007 8:55pm CST
i have two parakeets that I love dearly but don't know how to bond with them.I have had them for two years I just cannot get them to perch.I have tried coaxing them with treats,trying to get closer to them in the cage gradually but as soon as I get any where near the cage,the hop to the other side but yet they always come right up to my dad and he doesn't do hardly anything for them
2 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
22 Feb 07
We have two lovebirds and they were fairly easy to train, but they are only 4 months old. When we got them they were not use to humans at all. My husband worked with them everyday and had one trained to get on his finger at the end of the week. The other bird now does the same but she is still a bit skittish. They ar enot always easy to get out of the cage. Since you have had them so long, you are going ot have a tough time training them. You need to be authoriative with them and make them think you are in charge. When you train them you have to use the same words over and over so they know what you want. As far as them scurrying to the other side of the cage, you just have to be patient. If you are not consisent in what you are doing and leave them alone fore days at a time, they will never get use to your presence. From what I know parakeets are not that easy to train. I suggest you get a book about parakeets as that will be your best resource for training tips.
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Feb 07
thanks so much for the information.yes,I guess I better get a book.I still can't figure out why they bonded with my dad.I 'm the onewho feeds them and cleans their cage out and they give their loyalties to my dad.No fair,lol.well thanks again.will try a book and see what happens.
• United States
22 Feb 07
Most birds do not bond well with humans when they have a companion of their own species.I used to have a cockateil and i made the mistake of getting another one they bonded together and grew rather violent towards me.With birds i have found it is better to only have one if you wish to have a close and friendly relationship with it.
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Feb 07
Were your cockatiels male or female? I had an acquintence once who had a huge cage with 5 cockatiels in them,two females and three males.She had no problem training the females,but the males didn't want nothing to do with her.