What to Do If Your Parakeet Won't Bond with You

It takes time to bond with your parakeet. Owning a pet bird who has not bonded with you has the potential to turn into a disappointing and even painful experience, so it is important to put plenty of effort into the bonding process. Parakeets who do not trust their owners often behave fearfully or aggressively.

  1. Time

    • Parakeets can live for up to 15 years, so you have plenty of time to form a bond with your bird. Your parakeet needs time to learn to trust you and develop his relationship with you. You can not expect a parakeet to instantly bond with you immediately after leaving the pet store or breeder. It can take weeks, months or even years for your bird to fully trust you, depending on your bird's personal history and life experiences. You will have better luck bonding with a bird who is already tame and has been handled previously. It can be difficult, even impossible, to fully tame and bond with a wild adult bird who has never been handled.

    Handling

    • Do not be surprised if your new parakeet bites you a few times when you are trying to handle him. Your bird is likely to try to get away from you when you attempt to handle him if he does not trust you. If he can not successfully fly away, your bird may bite you. You should not release the bird if he bites you, or stop handling him. You do not want your bird to learn that he gets a reward in the form of being released when he bites you.

    Socialization

    • Parakeets are social, but that does not necessarily mean they will be social with you. Your parakeet may have bonded to someone else in your home or to another bird that shares the cage with him. If your parakeet is bonding with other people and animals instead of you, you can encourage him to bond with you by removing his other sources of social interaction.

    Positive Reinforcement

    • Make interacting with you into a fun and rewarding experience for your bird. Spend time talking gently to your bird and petting him. Give him treats when he does what you want him to do. Never yell at your bird or intentionally harm him in any way as punishment for attempting to escape or biting you. It will damage his trust in you.