My Parakeet Won't Leave her Cage

User Question
I just got my new parakeet , she has learned to step "up" but still wont go out of her cage, what should i do to encourage her to come out and roam around outside of her cage?

Lisa's Answer
It's a very GOOD thing that your parakeet feels so safe in her cage! That is a great step in your parakeet's learning to trust this new home she has. Parakeets are extremely intelligent and do things when they are ready. There's no need to rush or force her. In her own time, when she learns to trust you, she will start coming out of her cage. What you can do is keep the door open and make sure there's a little "landing area" in front of the entrance to her cage. Most cages have that automatically, or you can build one from a rope perch. Then seal off the room so she can't fly out somewhere dangerous, play some soft music, and just hang out in the room with her. Read a book or watch TV or whatever else is available in the room. She might get curious eventually and hop out onto her "porch" to see what this outer room is like. My parakeets love to just sit in their porch area, it's just like humans sitting on their front porch. They are still safe by their home, but they can watch the world go by.

If you don't have any millet yet, put some millet on that porch. That's a parakeet treat and might lure her out!

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