Is there a way to train a parakeet without having to clip it's wings.?

Question

I'm going to be buying a baby parakeet in the next few days, and I just wanted to know if there is an easy way to train it to sit on my finger, be held, kiss, and nice things like that, only without having to clip it's wings. I've had parakeets before and they usually live with indifference towards me, though they will willingly sit on my finger. Any tips or advice for me?

Answer 1

ok first i need to say something.....ahem...AWWWW! a baby bird :).......haha ok well i think it will be a lot easier to tame a baby bird because they have not developed bad habits the way older birds can/have. i bet itll be very attatched to you! just spend lots of time with him/her everyday and give it some outside time of the cage everyday also! good luck :)

Answer 2

Training your bird at a young age is ideal when compared to re-training or correcting the bad habits of an older bird. Some pet owners can become sidetracked by the freshness of having a new bird and enjoying their cuteness while they’re still baby birds; however, you must remember that in order to set the stage for the future, it is important to socialize your bird, work on good communication, and establish trust at a young age.  Just as human babies need to learn to eat with a spoon and play well with others before they tackle long division, baby birds need to start with the basics. Spend time with your young bird developing trust and teaching the basics of good bird behavior. For example:

Body handling. If you help your baby bird become accustomed to being gently handled now, you will prevent many problems later. For example, gently playing with your bird’s feet and toes will help it tolerate toenail filing. Gently lift its wings, so a trip to the groomer doesn’t become a nightmare later on.

Toweling: Start using the towel as part of your play with your baby bird, gradually working into wrapping your bird up in the towel. When you or your vet need to wrap the bird in the towel for its own safety, the experience will be much less stressful.

Beaking: Baby birds use their beaks to explore, but now is the time to let your bird know that anything beyond gentle nibbles is unacceptable. Frown and tell your bird “No,” and leave it alone for a minute or two, so it associates biting with being put in “time-out.”

Harness: It can take some time before a bird accepts wearing a harness or flight suit, but things will go more smoothly if you start when the bird is young. Once you get your bird into the harness, take it outside, at least briefly, so it learns why the harness is worth the bother. It’s also a good time to try out the carrier. Take short car rides that don’t end at the vet each time, and your bird might look forward to them.

You will begin to notice better communication between you and your baby bird. Working with your bird frequently allows you to become familiar with the body language and preferences of the bird, making it easier to know what your pet wants and how to respond to its actions. By taking time to teach your bird new tricks, you are encouraging desired behavior. Your bird will begin to demonstrate the favorable behavior because it learns it receives your attention then, as opposed to misbehaving. The stimulation training provides your bird is also very important to cater to their intelligence and appease their curiosity.

Answer 3

really should not need to clip a young birds wings. BUT, when they learn to fly, if they spook, they will go and you will loose it. harnesses are ok, tho i find they cause more stress than is needed.

I clip my birds wings, cover him in a towl to reduce stress and bites, then CAREFULLY trim the primary and a few secondary freathers. never let the bird know who is clipping its wings, coz he will resent you for it.

Let the bird learn to fly and land before cutting its wings, if they dont learn to land, they will fall hevily and hurt themself.

Its more a securtiy issue for me.

Pet birds in the wild make great hawk snacks and can also creat feral and pest populations.

Answer 4

You certainly can train a bird as long as you get it as a baby - that way they can get used to be handled and depending if you want to teach it to talk they can learn from a young age.  The only thing I would worry about if you dont clip the wings is that they can fly away.  Alot of people train their birds and then one day out of the blue outside the bird will fly away even if it has been good previously - its safest to either keep them inside if their wings are not clipped or go into its avery (depending how big it is of course) and shut the door behind you to train it.

If your worried about clipping the wings yourself - the pet shops and vetanarians can do this for you.

Hope I helped enjoy your new baby bird!

Answer 5

You shouldn't have to clip your new baby's wings.  Most birds can learn to sit and be social with you even when they are fully capable of flying.  All it really takes is a lot of time and patience.  Your new baby will probably be a little unsure of itself in the begining when you bring it home.  The best way to start the training is to make sure in the first couple of days that you do not let the bird on top of its cage or to get above you head.  This way it will be more cooperative with you because it will not get an imediate high point which will cause it to think it is dominant.

So for the most part just take your time and make sure you talk to your new baby and pet it a little at a time.  After a while you should have a very happy little companion.  Unclipped wings are also great as the bird gets a little older where you can train it for free flight.  This is where you can get it to fly to certain points or people!