Taming advice

[EmsyMarie]

hello! I am looking for some advice when it comes to taming shy parrotlets.

One of my parrotlets will take Millet from my hand but I can’t seem to progress any further? I know he is not ready for step up as he moves away whenever I place my hand in front.

My mums parrotlet Kiwi is an adoption who lived in an aviary. He spends most of his time behind a toy at the back when we are in the room but today he came out and ate some Millet while we were both there! One problem I am having is giving him his chop. As every time I open his cage to change the bowls he flys away and I feel it distresses him. Any ideas on how to make it easier for him?

Both boys are in seperate rooms by the way so they cannot see each other or their cages.

Sorry for the long post and hope it is okay to create another thread. I just wanted a thread specifically for training the boys

 

[Zara]

Why are they in separate rooms?

How long have you had the bird? Strange he will take millet from you hand but get scared when you change the dish. Try giving a bit of millet when you change the dishes.

Do you leave the cage door open a lot? When I found Aldora, I put her cage right in front of me and left the door open all day. Eventually she came out and now she comes over and lands on me. She´s definitely not scared of me, nor is she ¨tame¨.
When I would pass her cage, I would give her a sunflower seed or s chunk of millet, or fruit.
We now have a mutual understanding: I don´t touch her, she won´t bite me

If I were you, I would forget teaching your bird to step up until he is more comfortable around you and feels safe.
Don´t force him to do anything, if he doesn´t want to do it, that will only backtrack your relationship.
It can be dangerous if he´s panicking and flapping in the cage as he could break a blood feather.

Your goal should be getting him to feel safe around you, and then he will allow you to change the bowl. He could possibly be scared of the bowl. Try introducing him to the bowl outside of the cage.

 

[EmsyMarie]

Hi my mums parrotlet is the one who is scared of hands in the cage whereas my bird Star is okay with eating Millet. Sorry should have made it clearer

 

[Zara]

Ah ok, sorry. I see.
Does your bird (What is his name?) sit on you hand to eat? or does he just take the food and run?

And I would leave kiwis door open most of the day, as much as you can, preferably in the living room, so he can come and explore the humans and the room. If you leave Kiwi in the cage all the time, and in another room, he will never get over the fear.

 

[EmsyMarie]

My bird is called Star. He will take the Millet and stay by my hand and will also take tiny pepper seeds off my fingers. So he’s definitely getting there. He’s just not sure when I place my hand close to his tummy. It’s almost like he looks at me like “ what you doin Mum” lol

Will keep Kiwis doors open. We have been reading to him and he will now sit looking out on the front perch.

 

[Zara]

How long have you had Star?

 

[EmsyMarie]

Just over 1 week. So he has come quite a way since then. As before he would just fly around his cage if I put my hand in.

 

[Zara]

Then you are doing well.
Keep spending time with him, in time he will learn. But remember, even when he knows what step up is, he may choose to not do it sometimes.
It is more a question than a command.