How do you successfully bond with a young or old parakeet without getting bitten when you have birdhunting dogs or cats that try to eat the parakeet every time it flies?

Answer 1

A parakeet should NEVER be exposed to dogs that try to eat them! That is a major stress and the poor bird or birds are probably terribly stressed and unhappy. It would be better for your birds if you find a real bird lover and see if they are willing to provide a safe, secure home for them so they can live a happy life! Without the stress situation, then taming could begin. But until then, you will have no success with bonding with the parakeets! I think that you should keep the parakeet in a separate room then the other dogs or cats if they continue having problems. After it has been away from whatever is scaring it, it may be more willing to become tame. I'd also suggest washing your hands of dog/cat scents before coming in contact with your bird. We had a parakeet that never came out of his cage, but we also had a cat. The parakeet never came out of his cage though even before we got the cat. Our cat and bird actually became friends--the cat would sit/sleep near the cage, they would touch noses, and other friendly actions. When the bird died, the cat wasn't herself for a couple weeks. So, sometimes, separating animals isn't always the best thing. Just do what you think is right for all three animals. Ok, either get rid of your cat/dogs or your parakeet. You decide. Although, I have a dog who lives inside allot, and she doesn't chase the parakeet around. It is possible to train dogs not to go after your parakeet, but with cats, good luck. Budgies are prey animals. Their brains and their behavior are structured to keep them safe from predators, and that means flying away from animals that scare them. Right now, your bird sees you as a predator that's just as dangerous as your dogs and cats. Having your dogs and cats in the same room while you're trying to get your bird to trust you is not helping. The best place to keep a bird is a place that balances between safety (from your bird's point of view) and stimulation. If your bird is kept in a room where he is bored and rarely sees people, he won't get used to them. On the other hand, if your bird is in a high-traffic area where there are dangerous animals, or a lot of noise (birds need more sleep then humans), he'll be too stressed to want to interact with you. Move your bird to a room where you spend a few hours a day but your dogs and cats don't. If you do a lot of reading or working on a computer, or another quiet activity, put your bird in a room where you can do this and the bird can watch you. After a few days of watching you go through your routine, you bird will be more receptive to taming. I highly recommend Mattie Sue Athan's "Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot" and "The Second-hand Parrot" for detailed information on understanding bird behavior and how to tame an unsocialized bird.