How to Train a Parakeet to Sit on a Finger

Parakeets are smart, friendly and sociable birds. Therefore, as long as you are willing to invest some time and patience, training a parakeet to sit on your finger really isn't that difficult and is well worth the effort. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Perch
• Parakeet

1. Make a fist with the thumb-side of your hand facing the ceiling. Extend your index finger. This will become the "perch" for the parakeet to sit on.
2. Allow the parakeet to get used to your hand. Make your finger "perch" and slowly put your hand into the parakeet cage. Rest it inside the cage, non-threateningly, for a few minutes while speaking to the parakeet in a calm, soothing voice. Remove your hand after a minute or two.
3. Teach the parakeet to step up onto a perch. Select a short perch that you can easily move about inside the cage. Slowly move the perch towards the parakeet until you are able to gently press it against the parakeet's lower abdomen or leg area. Maintain gentle but constant pressure until the parakeet steps onto the perch. Hold the perch steady, and then move it to another anchored perch so the parakeet can get off.
4. Acquaint your parakeet with a "finger-perch." Approach the parakeet with the same perch used in the step above, but now lay your index finger lengthwise over the top of it. The parakeet thinks it is stepping onto the perch, but is actually stepping onto your finger.
5. Form the finger "perch" described in step two. Slowly move it towards your parakeet and gently press against its legs as you did with the perch exercise. By this point, your parakeet should be willing to step up onto your finger. Hold your hand very still at first, and then move it to a perch for the parakeet to dismount.
6. Teach your parakeet to sit on your finger even outside of the cage. Approach the parakeet with your finger as described above. Slowly withdraw your hand from the cage, allowing the parakeet to "ride" on your finger.

Tips & Warnings

• If the parakeet is very skittish from your hand at first, spend lots of time changing the parakeet's food and water and offer some parakeet treats, such as millet. Your hand will come to represent good things.
• Talk to your parakeet in a positive, soothing voice through the entire process. Parakeets appreciate praise too.
• If your parakeet gets nervous the first time you remove it completely from the cage and flutters away, allow it to calm down and then calmly approach it with your finger perch so you can return it to its cage.
• When you remove the parakeet from its cage for the first time, make sure all doorways to that room are closed. That way, if your parakeet does panic, it is still confined to one room and close to its cage.
• Do not rush your parakeet. This process takes several weeks.
• Do not move on to any step until the parakeet is completely comfortable with the previous step. Rushing your parakeet can cause it to panic, which may lead to injury.