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Question:

>And now, every time I try to take him out of his cage he puts up a bigger >fight.. Now it is iposible to take him out without "chaseing" him around >the cage with my hand. He doesn’t want to get out.. Should I continue >anyway? Would I make things worse if I continue to force him out? I don’t >want to get to the point that he hates me…

I would have to say, Arie, that you should never chase your bird.   How long have you had him?  I know that sometimes it can take a few weeks until the bird gets familiar with things.  I think you might want to keep going near the cage, but stay a few feet away to make the little guy feel safe while, at the same time, become familiar with you. I think he might be at the point now where, when you show up and stick your hand in his cage, he knows what’s going on and he has to keep fighting you.  It will make him dread coming out of the cage. Maybe you should just open up the cage door and stay out of sight for awhile.  Let the bird come out on its own.  Even if it only sits at the cage entrance.  He will soon realize that it is a safe thing to do. I think any time that you "chase" or "grab" the bird, you’re going to make him afraid of what ever comes next.  What I mean is that if you grab him to get him out, then he’s not gonna like coming out at all. If he gets to make coming out of his cage be his own choice, then he will gain confidence in himself and trust in the new environment. We once had a parakeet that we were never able to really fingertrain.   Anytime we placed our finger on his breast, he would push back.  It was actually pretty funny.  We would push, he would push, we would push again, he would push back.  He was like some kind of tough guy expanding his chest and all. We would eventually get him up by moving your fingers lower  and  almost pick him up by his feet before he would jump on our finger. He was a great parakeet, though, and he was very people friendly.  He just didn;t want to be on your finger.  The sholder was his favorite spot. >It is now 4 days that I didn’t try to get him out, but he still goes to >the top of the cage when ever I approache.. He doesn’t even come over to >tase the millet spray I offer him…

Just keep going near the cage but stop a few feet away and talk to the bird. I think pretty soon he’ll get interested and come down from the toof the cage to see who you are and what you’re up to. Patience, I guess, is the key. One more thing.  Maybe he’s just very, very shy.  I read that if you raise the cage of a shy bird, you can get a drastic change in behavior.  Try to find a way to place the cage so your bird is above you. Then he rules the roost! >Arie. (its amazing how uppsetting it is to me .

Yeah, I understand, Arie.  I’m not amazed at all that this kind of stuff is upsetting to you.  It shows you care.  It also means that you and your bird are probably going to have a long, loving relationship. Don’t lose heart. Patrick

Response:

Thanks Debbie, I think I may have gone too fast too far with jordie.. On the first attempt to take him out he was just fine.. he climbd on my finger and I took him out of the cage. In the proccess he showd signs of wanting to return to the cage but I have move away a couple of feet and he climbd up to my shoulders and stayd there, looking towards the cage.. smetimes trying to "fly" over, but ends up falling (he’s clipd).. when Im about to rerun him to he’s cage, he can’t even wait for me to get close enough and he hops off me trying to return to his cage… And now, every time I try to take him out of his cage he puts up a bigger fight.. Now it is iposible to take him out without "chaseing" him around the cage with my hand. He doesn’t want to get out.. Should I continue anyway? Would I make things worse if I continue to force him out? I don’t want to get to the point that he hates me… It is now 4 days that I didn’t try to get him out, but he still goes to the top of the cage when ever I approache.. He doesn’t even come over to tase the millet spray I offer him… Arie. (its amazing how uppsetting it is to me .

: Patience is a virtue, as people say!  This is especially true for taming : birds, parakeets or otherwise.  The lady at the pet store was correct, you : should try to take Jordi out of his cage every day and spend some time with : him, and to let him adjust to his surroundings, including you.  Don’t expect : that he will be ready to fly around and "spend time with the family" in a : matter of weeks.  That’s just not enough time.  Let me tell you from personal : experience with Sammy, my pet cockatiel.  It took her a few weeks to let me or : my husband take her out of the cage on our hand.  Before that she would crouch : down in the back of the cage whenever we put our hand in to get her.  We did : kind of push her on our fingers, though, and she eventually learned not to be : afraid.   I would also say that it took maybe a few months for her to become : familiar enough with us and our surroundings to be able to fly to her favorite : spots in the house, and to fly to our shoulder.  Working with millet, which : parakeets also like, was very useful in training her to come when called. : We’ve had Sam in the family for 3 years now, and she is still learning more : and more every day.  She follows us around the house, takes showers (in the : bathroom) when she wants, eats almost everything we eat, and will at least : taste about everything to see if she likes it, etc.  She has quite a : personality, which I’m sure could only be brought out with lots of patience : and love.  A few other hints for you are to move slowly around Jordi at first, : since quick movements will scare birds.  Try also to give him treats in order : to get him to continue to eat out of your hand.  I’m sure that you’ll see, : with time, that Jordi is a great addition to your home! : Debbie Brucato — Arie Litman (408) 324-4411                          

Response:

Patience is a virtue, as people say!  This is especially true for taming birds, parakeets or otherwise.  The lady at the pet store was correct, you should try to take Jordi out of his cage every day and spend some time with him, and to let him adjust to his surroundings, including you.  Don’t expect that he will be ready to fly around and "spend time with the family" in a matter of weeks.  That’s just not enough time.  Let me tell you from personal experience with Sammy, my pet cockatiel.  It took her a few weeks to let me or my husband take her out of the cage on our hand.  Before that she would crouch down in the back of the cage whenever we put our hand in to get her.  We did kind of push her on our fingers, though, and she eventually learned not to be afraid.   I would also say that it took maybe a few months for her to become familiar enough with us and our surroundings to be able to fly to her favorite spots in the house, and to fly to our shoulder.  Working with millet, which parakeets also like, was very useful in training her to come when called. We’ve had Sam in the family for 3 years now, and she is still learning more and more every day.  She follows us around the house, takes showers (in the bathroom) when she wants, eats almost everything we eat, and will at least taste about everything to see if she likes it, etc.  She has quite a personality, which I’m sure could only be brought out with lots of patience and love.  A few other hints for you are to move slowly around Jordi at first, since quick movements will scare birds.  Try also to give him treats in order to get him to continue to eat out of your hand.  I’m sure that you’ll see, with time, that Jordi is a great addition to your home! Debbie Brucato

Response: