Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Patricia R wrote

How can I get my 2 parakeets to trust me when I open the cage to feed them clean the cage?

Catherine Replied

How many do you have?

Were any of them tame when you received them?

How long have you had the birds?

Birds of a feather flock together and you don’t have any feathers.

 

Given a choice, budgies will prefer the company of other birds to you.

 

If you get one young parakeet, it may wish to bond with you as it will desire company, but again, only if you have regular close interaction daily with it while young and continue to be its companion.

 

If the bird is older and you don’t or didn’t spend the time with it to tame it, the bird will likely not ever wish to be with you. In this case, either get it a birdie buddy or a mirror for company.

 

If you have more than one parakeet, they will prefer each other to you. If so, then get them a nice big cage with toys and let them play. Watching them can be very enjoyable.

 

We have a large cage with 10 parakeets in it. They are very happy with each other.

 

But they still flutter around when I open the doors to feed, water and maintain their cage.

 

This isn’t going to change in their lifetime.

 

Patricia wrote

 

I have 2 parakeets, had them at least 3 months ago they were bought for me. Far as any other information I don’t have it.

 

Catherine Replied

You have had them for 3 months?

 

No idea of age? If they were babies, they would have a wide area of white on their forehead without barring.

 

As they age, the barring fills in a lot of the empty space.

 

I assume they are at least 6 months old.

 

What have you done with them other than put in a cage?

 

Have you let them out? Handled them? Had their wings trimmed so they can crawl on you instead of fly away?

 

If you have done none of these things then most likely it is too late to do anything with them to tame them.

 

I would recommend that you let them have a nice big cage at least 24″ wide, fill with toys and good food and enjoy watching them as they enjoy each other.

 

Patricia wrote:

 

Thanks for the tips!

 

Jane wrote:

I  have a Male budgie about 14 mos old.

 

Love him to death. He is healthy, talks a lot, and is very active.

 

My problem is that he is always humping his perch.

 

Sometimes it can be embarrassing, especially when the grandkids are here.

 

Is there any way I can stop or control this?

 

 

Catherine Replied

Dear Jane

 

Your budgie is suffering from overactive hormones.

 

Most likely your birdcage is in a dimly lit location.

 

Dim lighting leads to heightened hormone levels gearing up for breeding, mating.

 

I have a solution.

 

 

Get a full spectrum light set up within 6-12 inches above your bird’s cage on a timer 12 hours on and 12 hours off (at this time of year 7:30 to 7:30 is good)

 

We have a good bulb available here.

 

You can insert it into any fixture aimed straight down over his cage.

 

We also have a clamp-on lamp available with bulb and timer.

 

Within 30 days your bird will slow his mating behaviors and go back to being a playful fellow you won’t be embarrassed by.

 

Please let us know how this works out.