is it too late to tame my parakeets?

[8Birds1cat]

I rescued a young male parakeet from the local shelter. I thought he might be lonely so bought a very young female for him. Both are very sweet and outgoing. My intention was to tame them so I could take them out of the cage from time to time but haven't yet. They're both under 6 months, the female is most likely 2 or so months. Will it be hard to tame them without scaring them so much they'll never want anything to do with me anymore? Their names are Pablo and Paloma.

[popcornbird]

Under 6 months? Your birds are just babies! Its not late to tame them at all!! I tamed my friend's parakeet for her at the age of 2 years, and after just 2 days, she started hopping on my finger. By the end of the week, she was fully tamed and went back home. Her "mommy" was amazed! Both my cockatiels were 3 months old when I tamed them. Now they are 3 years old. I cannot imagine having a bird that's not tamed, locked in a cage at all times. Even if a bird is not tame, it HAS to have out of the cage playtime. It is AWFUL for their health to be confined to a teenie tiny cage, and can cut their lifespan by half or more. A bird cannot be happy locked in a cage at all times, and in my opinion, keeping a pet in a cage all the time is cruelty, whether they are tame or not. I know I would hate to be locked in my bedroom for the rest of my life.

I advise you, to have their wings clipped for their safety when you tame them. If you do not have wing clipping experience, you can get their wings clipped at the vet, or certain pet stores. I "think" Petsmart and Petco both clip wings for a small cost. It is a totally painless process that is just like cutting our hair, but it limits their ability to fly for a month or two until they grow back. This is important because a bird that is not clipped can get very nervous during socializing lessons and can fly into a wall and get hurt, so its better to be safe than sorry. Parakeets are very easy to tame once clipped. If you need any advise/help, feel free to ask me, and I will assist you. Are your cockatiels and other birds tame? If you tamed your other birds, the same process should work well with budgies as well. :) Even if your parakeets are not tame, its important to allow them out of the cage on daily bases. They need exercise/exploring/ and playtime outside of their cage. My birds are both VERY well tamed and are only in their cage when they are eating, or at bedtime. They are out and about the whole day, and I can trust them anywhere in our house without getting into trouble. Just make sure they don't chew on wires or other dangerous things when out of their cage. Good luck in the taming process! Once your birds are tame, you will hopefully have a best friend filling your home with joy for many years to come! Good luck!

[Cookiebaker]

No, I don't think it's too late to tame your parakeets. Spend *lots and lots and lots* of time with them...never be without millet...and take it really slow. When I was taming my Azure (blue parakeet) the first step was playing with coins. He would sit on top of his cage and I would put a dime down near him. He would throw it on the floor watching it spin in circles. I didn't try and hold him, but rather let him learn that my hand wasn't scary....always moving slowly and talking in a low voice. Best of luck to you in your taming...it will be worth it all in the end. And if you don't have time to spend with them, bring them with you wherever you go...if you are on the computer, put the cage down right next to you. When you eat, bring them with you. And like I said, it is so worth it when they become the best snuggle birds in the world. ;)

[8Birds1cat]

Dear Popcornbird & Cookiebaker,

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to my question. I have 2 cockatiels and yes, they're tame. I hand-fed one and the other was a rescue. It took some time to gain his trust but both are now what I call my 'velcro birds' meaning they're always on my shoulder, head, or even hitch a ride on my back pockets sometimes! As their cage, well my house is their cage. They have full access to all rooms athough I admit I'm on constant bird seed/mess alert!

I agree that seeing a bird in a cage all day long is sad, and that was the main reason I wrote. They seem to enjoy eachother immensely, but I know they need more exercise. They have a fairly large cage but I'd love to have a 'hands on' relationship with them. Thanks to you, I'm going to make a big effort to tame them so they're little worlds can be expanded. I'll let you know my progress if you're interested......smiles....cynthia

[Cookiebaker]

Hi Cynthia,

I think that with two tamed cockatiels, it will be even easier to tame the parakeets. They are such imitators that when they see the other birds like something, they will try it too.

Do you have pictures of your birds?? I would love to see them if you do.

Take Care,
Anna :D

[popcornbird]

I would love to see pics of your birds too! All of them! :D

I agree that it should be easier to tame them when the tiels are tame. Play with the tiels in front of them. They "should" get the point that its safe. :)

Good luck!