Taking New Parakeets to the Vet

User Question
Hi, i recently purchased two 4 m.o. parakeets. I'm beginning to hand train them, but do you recommend hand training them if they are both in the same cage? Or is separating them into two different cages easier? And if so, what's the best way to put one into a different cage? I don't want to grab it when transferring it to another cage because it may never trust my hand again. Thanks.

Lisa's Answer
OK, I suppose first, I wouldn't have put two new parakeets in the same cage. Parakeets need to learn to settle in and trust you and having to do all of that while learning to get along with a 'strange bird' is a lot to ask. However, since you already have them in the same cage now I wouldn't separate them because that would be even more stressful. They would have gotten used to being together and would feel isolated and alone if pulled apart.

So I suppose the answer at this point is to just hand train them in tandem in the same cage. Work on one, then on the other. They both need to learn to be comfortable with your hand in the cage, so you get double duty out of each training session. First you get one of them to get up on the perch, and then the other one. Hopefully it will actually be easier on whoever goes second because they see that the first bird did the same thing without any ill effects.

Birds are all different so don't be worried if one gets the hang of it and the other doesn't. Don't make them both go at the same pace. If one is more comfortable, move him along to the next step, but let the slower one go at his own pace. They'll both get it eventually, but all birds are individuals and figure out things in their own time.

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