# How can I tame my parakeets?!



## Kfire (Jul 11, 2015)

I cant train my parakeets! I have 2 parakeets, One is Blue(named Blue) and the other is Yellow/Green(named Sunny). I bought the 2nd one about 2 weeks after we bought the first one, because I was working alot and we didn't want him to get lonely and I was buying a bigger cage anyways. They were both young so we couldn't tell the sex, But i think Blue is male because his head bob's and he sings a lot. And I think the new one Sunny is female because well she seems meaner then Blue lol . Sometimes they touch beaks nicely, and sometimes it looks like 'angry kisses' or fighting, and sometimes i see them grooming each others face lol.  ANYWAYS, We have had them for about 5 months now... and there's no progress in getting them hand trained! We waited about a month for them to get used to us and the house before i tried to train them (yes i did my research eventually). The first bird Blue is willing to do the lessons, but the second bird Sunny doesn't want much to do with us. So we are trying to train blue, but still try some with sunny so she doesn't feel left out!

Ok so Basically where I am at is... Blue will walk,jump, and yes fly, to my hand if I have millet, but if there's no millet he wont go near me. It has been like this for a while now and this is where im stuck. I dont want to end up having to give him a treat just for some companionship, like some people do with their dogs, (example of my friends dog who gets spoiled and only does things like get off the chair if you bribe it with a treat or they bark till you give them a snack)

How can I still use the millet, because they love the millet, but also build a bond at the same time so I can eventually not use the millet to get him to step up, and give them lots of millet later. I tried dropping the millet when hes perched on my finger so he can get used to being on there without eating millet but now he puts 1 leg on the millet while eating so it doesnt fall, He is very funny.

Sometimes if i reach in the cage slowly and speak softly to them, Both birds will let me approach them slowly with my pointer finger and let me touch their beak or stomach, but they usually end up nibbling, i wouldn't say biting just a test nibble. However i cant ever go above their eyes so we still cant pet them on their head. Somehow I think they have learned the phrase 'step up' to mean run in fear. But if theirs millet they will do anything.

Is this all because of one time.... when we first got Blue and we were still doing research so didnt know any better. We just wanted to see if he would step up and He did almost instantly without hesitation but then he flew out of the cage and we freaked out because the stove was on and he was headed that way so we had to grab him quickly(no towel just hand we didn't know better) and put him back in the cage? This happened about 3 days after we bought him, So we thought he was traumatized and gave him space before training and that's when we bought the other bird a week later.

We used to open the top of the cage and let them fly around the house but they would end up on the floor walking around and wouldn't let us go near them and they wouldn't go back to the cage until hours later when they were hungry. I don't let them out of the cage as much now because I want to train/bond with them first. so that way when I do let them out of the cage I can use commands to get them to return to me and i can put them away if we need them safe real quick or so I can place them on a table perch or on my desk and they will be comfortable and not flying around crazy looking for a place to land. because i read that is what they do when they aren't tame and they don't trust any place to land except their cage.

Please Help me out, I have more time to spend with them, and I want to have a bond with them! Train Blue at least and hopefully Sunny will 'monkey see monkey do' and will like us too. I know patience is a important part, and I have been taking it very slow.... but I think i am doing it wrong.

How can I try to get Blue away from the cage to try to train him in a small room or bathroom, away from the cage and Sunny, if he wont let me grab him or step up? They were clipped when we bought them but now they both can fly all the way to the ceiling and I like to keep them flighted they love to fly. Or does anyone have any other tips or tricks? Im willing to try anything at this point


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi and :welcome: to Talk Budgies!

Both of your budgies are female. 

Use the millet to coax Blue into a smaller cage and then transport her to a smaller room away from Sunny for individual one-on-one training time.

Remember that training is all about helping your budgies learn to trust you. It takes time, patience and consistency. You must work at your budgie's pace and not try to rush her.

http://talkbudgies.com/training-bonding/237105-using-positive-reinforcement-training.html

http://talkbudgies.com/training-bonding/265337-basics-clicker-training.html

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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hello and :welcome: to Talk Budgies! 

Deborah has given excellent advice. Taming budgies is easier when they are separated. Also, most budgies do not like to be petted, even when they are tame, so I would try to earn their trust and get them to step up more easily instead  

There's tons of information on the forums that should help you along taming your girls, and if you have any other questions along the way, please be sure to ask  

Hope to see you, Sunny and Blue around the forums! :wave:


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Welcome to talk budgies. Those are some gorgeous budgies, and I agree both are hens. You have found the place to get all the training info, advice, and help you could ever want...


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