How can I bond with my parakeet and get it to stop nipping?

I have a 3 and a half year old male parakeet. I bought him when he was a month old from a breeder who hand-fed him. When I got him, he had just started learning the step-up command. I can now get him to step up onto my hand and leave his cage without a fuss, but I haven’t gotten past that point in training.

He still hasn’t quite warmed up to me, and he gets totally freaked out and nips me when I try to touch his feathers. I know that nipping is bad behavior that should be corrected, but I don’t want to scare him by trying to “punish” him.

How can I teach him not to nip me in a way that does not scare or harm him? How can I bond with him? I really want him to become comfortable with me so I can be his friend, not just something he can perch on. Is being timid and shy normal for young parakeets, and will he just grow out of it?

Thanks!

How old is too old to finger train a parakeet?

We have a male parakeet who is finger trained. We are considering getting a female who is about 1 and 1/2 years old and is not hand trained. This is from a private breeder; the pet stores can’t sell birds until April. We would like to know whether to get this bird and try to tame her or to wait and get one from the pet shop.

What does it mean when my Parakeet bobs his head?

What does it mean when my Parakeet bobs his head up and down? What is he signaling to the other Parakeet?

How can you tell when a parakeet is younger?

I got a parakeet a few years ago and tried for a long time to tame her but because she was so old when I got her, I was never able to tame her. So is there any way to tell when they are younger? I know love birds have black on their beak so I was wondering if there was any way to tell with parakeets. If there is or isn’t, what’s the best method to tame them?

How much would it cost to buy a parakeet and all supplies needed to get it started on average?

I’ve had a few pet birds in my past when I was a kid. And now I am just curious to know how much it would be to buy a parakeet or two plus a cage and toys and what not. I am just looking to see if it is a reasonable price and that if it is worth it. I just remember them being very simple. And that’s what I liked about them.
Thanks!

How to tell if a bird is a parakeet or a lovebird?

I was given a bird and was told it was a cockatel! Apparantly they dont differences between birds. It is either a species of parakeet or lovebird. How can I tell?

« Previous Page — Next Page »