Food & Nutritioni got a parakeet 4 weeks ago and I really want him to be affectionate and enjoy being petted and perched on my hand or shoulder. He has no problem and is eager to perch on my finger if I have a treat in my hand but if I do not have a treat he walks a
I see that you posted this question a while back, and I answered it there, so I'll repost my answer here for you to be sure you get it.
Patience and time! Until he's 100% on his training, be sure to always reward with a treat. However, if he's perfect at it with a treat every time, you can start to wean off them.
You can try luring him with the treat to get him to perch, and then start only giving him treats intermittently. If he doesn't know when he's getting a treat and when he isn't, he may be more inclined to keep trying in the hopes he gets one sometimes. You can also use a favorite toy to play with, a gentle pet in a place he enjoys, or some of his regular food instead as a "treat" while you're phasing out the real ones.
Updated on August 12th, 2025