First Post! Need some advice

[Marmo64]

Hey everyone! I recently brought a baby parakeet into my home. The pet store said he was anywhere between 3 and 6 months old. But I feel like something may be wrong. He isn't very playful and really has no interest in being around me at all. It's been about four or five weeks now and I'm at a loss. He has plenty of toys in his cage but he chooses to always sit by one mirror in particular. No matter where I move it he always follows. I try my best to keep him involved with me when I'm home. I almost always have the door to his cage opened so he has the ability to come out and explore.

When I'm not home I always leave music on for him so he isn't sitting in a quiet room. He sleeps about 10 hours every night. He doesn't have a problem with eating or drinking at all.

I should probably also add that there are two other birds in the house. Another parakeet about the same age, and a cockatiel. The parakeets were together for a little while but I separated them because they would constantly fight. They do still get playdates every now and then and that goes for the 'tiel as well. My parakeet Revali is always chirping and talking to the mirror but I don't know how to get him used to me, and to explore the rest of his surroundings.

I'm sorry for the long read, but I'm at a loss and don't know what I should do for my baby. Thanks for the help!

 

[Tami2]

Hello Marmo64 and Welcome to the PFs. Glad you joined us.

I would start with removing the mirror. Then, I would sit next to her cage and read to her often throughout the day when you are home.

I broke the ice with Levi, by reading to him and playing peek-a-boo when he was a baby. I used a dish towel and hid my face and engaged him.
He was so inquisitive and started looking for my face when I covered it.
It worked beautifully for us.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Good Luck!

 

[Gemster]

In my opinion, mirrors are the worst. They don't do any good and just cause problems. Mirrors are fine in general but when a bird has a mirror in the cage or spends a lot of time around one, that is bad.
My advise is, take the mirror(s) out because it already seems that your bird is 'addicted' to it.
A lot of birds that are parent reared don't have that kind of interest in human interaction that hand reared birds do. I'm not saying that he/she won't ever want any interaction from you, but I am saying that it can be harder to train that in a bird that is parent reared. I am sure if you continue to tame and train your parakeet, he/she will eventually look forward to that interaction.
(Sorry, didn't see your reply, exactly what you said Tami2)

 

[Laurasea]

Parakeets are huge flock social birds. In my humble opinion , and as I have from sources , they are a bird I would recommend keeping at least two of. Does your new one react and seem more lively when the other parakeet is near?
Also if the cage is to small ( and many are) the bird will just sit there. When I put my parakeets in a much larger cage ( same size as my Quakers cage) they really became active! Mine are kept free flying in the house ( works for me) and are very very vocal active and happy. When I have to lock them up, they aren't vocal, or nearly as active.
It's surprising that your two fight, it does happen...but these guys live in flocks of hundreds in the wild.. you might find they get along in a cage that is at least 34 inches long. I need to measure my cage but I think it's 24 inches wide, 36 inches long and 56 inches high, with lots of perches. Even though I keep them free in the house during the day.
It could also be that your new guy is sick???

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

And how long has this new Budgie been with you? He may still be trying to figure out what has happened and who are these new folks ( meaning you and your family)



Jim

 

[Smerft85]

Separating the two budgies and adding mirrors instead is possibly worse, I'm almost betting the "fighting" you saw was probably what I call "budgie squabbles" I have 6 in the same cage and they do it all the time, sounds like they are killing one another, but no one is ever injured, kinda like us wrestling with a sibling. I agree, remove the mirrors and consider at least keeping the budgie cages next to eachother, maybe even let them live together again. If you think it's a full blown fight try to record it and post, separate the two till we can tell you if it's really a fight or not. All 6 of mine will crawl all over me, but won't sit in my hand, however I can get all of them to step up for bed time, they are definitely more interested in eachother, but they kinda like us too, the flock is first, humans second, that's just their nature and I've accepted it.