How to Teach a Blue Parakeet

Parakeets---also known as budgies---are small brightly colored birds that come in many different colors of green, yellow and blue. These colorful critters are very active and playful pets who enjoy human companionship once they have been trained. If you have a blue-colored parakeet that you would like to hand tame, or even teach to talk, it will require a lot of patience. Older budgies that have not been hand raised since birth can be very skittish at first and training requires lots of diligence and patience on your part.

Things You'll Need

  • Perch
  • Treats
  • Tape or CD player with voice recording (optional)
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Instructions

  1. Earning Trust

    • 1

      Go near the cage, and place your hand either on top of the cage or just beside it in plain view of your bird. Talk quietly and use soothing sounds as you do this. Repeat this exercise about two to three times every day, for about ten minutes until your bird gets to know you. Budgies will be very afraid of your hand at first---especially when you have to feed them---so always make slow motions when cleaning the cage and replenishing their food and water.

    • 2

      Continue the process of placing your hand near the cage for about four to seven days. Now, you are ready to put your hand inside the cage. Again, use soothing sounds to make the bird relaxed and don't move suddenly. Keep your hand still, and repeat these sessions two to three times daily for about four to seven days.

    • 3

      Hold a piece of treat in your hand, such as a piece of spray millet or some bird treats. Don't thrust the treat at the bird, just hold the hand still and allow the bird to approach you if he wants to. Repeat this process for about three to five days, twice daily. Each day, move the treat closer toward the bird---this will help him associate your hand with positive things like treats. Once the bird is comfortable taking the treat, you have completed the trust-building stage of training.

    Perch to Hand Training

    • 4

      Remove one of the smaller perches from the opposite side of the cage and use it to mimic your finger. This is a preliminary step to getting your bird to step onto your finger. Move the perch close to the bird, and gently press it against his lower abdomen, just above his feet to encourage him to step on. Try five times per session until the bird is comfortable standing on the perch.

    • 5

      Continue offering him the perch until he steps up each time without you having to press the perch on his stomach.

    • 6

      Replace the perch with your own finger, holding it out straight like a perch. Repeat this process several times a day until he steps up on your finger each time.

    • 7

      Bring the finger closer toward the door as he becomes more comfortable sitting on your finger. Eventually you will be able to bring your bird out of the cage.

    Talking

    • 8

      Select a very short word or phrase you would like your parakeet to learn such as "pretty bird" or "hello."

    • 9

      Visit the cage every day, in the morning before you feed the bird and in the evening after dinner. Repeat the phrase many times as you feed the bird, or clean the cage. It will help if you place a small tape player or other device that will play a recorded track with your word or phrase.

    • 10

      Complete a 20-minute training session each day, until the bird has learned the required word or phrase. Then, you can move on to teaching him a new word.