How to Make Parrots Friendly

Whether you are in need of an alternative companion to a furry cat or dog or just feel yourself attracted to the colorful feathers, ability to talk and comical personalities, parrots are a great pet --- great if they are friendly, that is. Parrots are not friendly by default. They must be raised right and trained properly.

Things You'll Need

  • Leather gloves
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Instructions

    • 1

      Hand feed parrots when they are babies. Parrot breeders who do this usually pull the parrot chick from the nest at around two to three weeks after they hatch and begin their hand feeding and socialization with people. This makes for a parrot that imprints early on with people being a positive in its life.

    • 2

      Build up their trust. As with people, trust comes before friendship or love. Move slowly and talk softly around your parrot to help make it friendly. Be patient, as this might take weeks, or even months, depending on your parrot.

    • 3

      Don't show fear. Parrots are very intelligent and can sense emotions easily. If you are afraid of them, they will know it. If they know you are afraid of them, they will become fearful of you in return. An unfriendly parrot really requires a confident owner to help make it friendly.

    • 4

      Be careful of your reactions. Parrots love reactions. Humans will become their favorite toy in quick order if they enjoy you. "When I bite him, he jumps all over and entertains me," some parrots seem to be thinking. Likewise, for some parrots your loud or fearful reactions can result in increased fear in your parrot and potentially destroy any trust or progress you've made.

    • 5

      Respond in a silly and non-threatening way when your parrot does something positive that you want to reward. Often, just the sound of your giggling is enough to make a parrot happy. Make up a silly laugh, and try it out on your parrot. Treats sometimes work as well but are not as readily available for that instant reaction.