Parakeets Do Not Willingly Come Out of Cage... Advice?

[reiss_pieces11]

Hi all!

A bit of backstory... I got my first parakeet, Rio, over three years ago. It was just him and me, and I had taught him how to come out of the cage and step up.

Fast forward a year and a half and I got another parakeet, Luna. The two immediately bonded, and Rio "forgot" his training.

A couple weeks ago I decided I wanted to try to re-train them. I clipped their wings so that I could train them. My problem is that they do not like coming out of the cage. They are scared of my hand being in their cage. I can hand feed them millet in their cage, and once I get them out of the cage they behave very well (stepping up, and sometimes eating millet). But when I put my hand in to try and encourage them to step up, they won't. So I end up guiding them out with my hands until they fly out (they will not fly out on their own). Like I said, once they are out, they behave. I just really hate feeling like I am forcing them out.

At first I had the thought that eventually the more I did this, the more they would get used to it and not fly away. But they still do, and the more research I do, the more I think this is so wrong.

Any advice is helpful. But please keep it respectful. Thank you!

 

[SailBoat]

Well, I tend not to be very respectful. More along the lines of a grumpy old man...

Basic Stuff!
Birds have no Natural reason to trust us! Hence, we need to work with every contact to have it be a Trust Building contact.

We see each other and other things in a single form. Birds, tend to identify with our face (head) and everything else is like a tree with other stuff hanging around. Also, our hands and arms can be seen as a Snake! Hence, it takes time for them to see those 'things' as safe to be around after they gain trust in us.

Open the cage and place food and water near the door (in full sight) and step back a distance and watch...

More stuff later.

Hmmm, I must be getting soft, no bite marks...

 

[reiss_pieces11]

Well, I tend not to be very respectful. More along the lines of a grumpy old man...

Basic Stuff!
Birds have no Natural reason to trust us! Hence, we need to work with every contact to have it be a Trust Building contact.

We see each other and other things in a single forum. Birds, tend to identify with our face (head) and everything else is like a tree with other stuff hanging around. Also, our hands and arms can be seen as a Snake! Hence, it takes time for them to see those 'things' as safe to be around after they gain trust in us.

Open the cage and place food and water near the door (in full sight) and step back a distance and watch...

More stuff later.

Hmmm, I must be getting soft, no bite marks...

Thank you so much! I had thought about doing this, and the other people I consulted thought it was a good idea. I've also came up with/ been told to put the millet in my hand and see if they will perch there (and slowly move my hand inside the cage since they will eat millet that I offer inside the cage, but I haven't laid it in my hand to see if they will come), use a wooden perch to try to get them to step up and take them out that way, and like you said, to put the food bowl nearby outside the cage and leave the door open. I really hope it works! Thank you again!!

 

[fiddlejen]

HI a few days late on this one. But wanted to add a suggestion. I work 2nd shift so my birdies go to sleep and then wake up when I get home. (My budgies are mostly non-tame but will sometimes step up.) But every bit of progess I've made with my budgies has been at night or evening, when they are in a sleepy, non-startled but only-half-awake mood. IN the morning & early afternoon they are too busy being earlybirds and have no interest in cooperating. So you might try something similar, look for when they are relaxed & sleepy, (and then of course move slowly speak quietly etc as you work with them) and this MIGHT help a little.