Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 2/11/2007

Question
How can I get the bird to come out of its cage so that I can work with it? Also, what kinds of things could I do with the bird to improve the quality of time we have together?
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Hello, my name is Jamie. I received a parakeet for Christmas. At first I let it get used to its new surroundings and cage. After about a week, I sat down by it, talked to it, and played guitar for it. I got it to sit on my finger but after I went back to school after Christmas break it seemed like some of our bond was broken. I talk to it often when I get home and we still play guitar but it refuses to have anything to do with my hand and sometimes seems nervous around me. How can I tell if I'm invading its space and making it uncomfortable and how can I get back it to willingly sit on my finger again?
Thanks for any help.
-----Answer-----
Hi, Jamie.  Thanks for posting!

What happened was when you went back to school after Christmas, you spent less time with your new bird than you had since it arrived in your home.  Your bird doesn't understand what happened...all of a sudden, you're not spending the same amount of time with the bird.  You are correct...the bond between you and your bird has regressed instead of progressed as a result of this change.  

You'd be invading your bird's space if you are trying to work with your bird while your bird is inside it's cage.  The inside of the bird's cage is it's safety zone, it's personal territory, etc., so allow the bird to come out of it's cage on it's own before working with the bird.  If the only thing that has changed is the amount of time during the day you spend together, perhaps you can make up some of this lost time by spending more time with your bird when you are not in school.  Usually, birds who were not handfed as babies have a fear of fingers/hands or a handfed bird who has had bad experiences with fingers/hands will fear them.  

I really think the problem in your situation is the decrease in the amount of time you spend with your bird since you've gone back to school.  I know it isn't easy when you are in school to continue spending the same amount of time with your bird, however, perhaps if you can increase the quality of the time you spend together, the decrease in time won't be as noticeable.  In other words, don't just talk to your bird when you get home from school, spend some one-on-one time with your bird.  For example, make a habit of spending 7:00-8:00 PM (or whatever time suits you best) every evening with your bird playing, communicating, doing things together, etc.  Quality of the time you spend together is often better than how much time you spend together.

Chrys

Answer
Hi again, Jamie.

I'm sorry...I assumed it was coming out of it's cage if s/he was previously sitting on your finger.

Just open up the cage door while you are sitting next to your bird and try coaxing the bird to come out without sticking your hands inside it's cage.  It may take some time for your bird to come out if s/he isn't used to doing this, but usually their curiosity gets the best of them.  Sometimes it helps to just sit there and ignore the bird while you are watching TV, playing XBox, etc., and the bird gets to the point where s/he can't stand it any longer and has to come out to see what you are doing.  If you have other pets around, like a dog or cat, you'll need to keep them out of the same room with the bird or move the bird into another room or the bird will never come out!  You might want to try a favorite treat to coax your bird out.  You need to reward your bird any time s/he does what you ask, too, so the bird learns.  The process you use to get your bird to come out of it's cage on it's own depends on the individual bird's personality.  However, if you scare your bird first by sticking your hand inside the cage and trying to get s/he to come out this way, the bird may not like to come out of it's cage.  

Birds feel more vulnerable when they are outside their cage because they don't have the protection of the cage wire around them.  Therefore, you have to make them feel comfortable enough outside their cage so they will come out.  If your bird just won't come out on it's own after trying the above recommendations over a couple weeks time (don't try just once or twice and say it isn't working), you'll need to gently and as unintimidating as possible take your bird out of the cage and place the bird on top of it's cage (close the cage door so s/he can't go back in).  Just let the bird sit there on top if it's cage (or get a play stand for the bird to play on) and get used to being out.  Eventually, you'll need to take the cage out of the room when you work with your bird because s/he will want to get back into it's cage for safety and security when/if s/he feels threatened.  You want to build trust with your bird so your bird feels safe with you.  Therefore, don't do anything to result in mistrust with your bird, which includes making your bird scared of you.

To answer the second part of your question....it's a process.  First, start with getting your bird comfortable being out of it's cage and more trusting of you.  Once you have accomplished this, when your bird is out of it's cage, play with your bird, talk with it, allow it to sit on your shoulder while you are on the computer or watching TV or playing Xbox, make your bird a little stand/perch so s/he can sit with you at dinner (the bird may even like to help you eat your dinner!)...things like this.  Just spend time doing things or including your bird in the things you do while you are at home.  While doing homework, give your keet some paper to tear/shred up while s/he is sitting on your table where you do your homework.  Most tame birds just like to be in the company of their human owners.  However, if your keet isn't tame, you'll need to start with taming s/he down first.  Your bird is partially tame or s/he would not have been sitting on your finger previously, unless "sitting on your finger" meant you put your hand inside the cage and the bird "sat on your finger" because s/he had no other choice!

Chrys