Use exterior feeders and waterers which can be changed from outside the cage. Exterior waterers can be ordered online or found in every pet shop. Exterior feeders are harder to find. I use ones similar to these: amzn.to/2N1Eok0 (affiliate link)
Darn I never knew this and I’ve had my parakeets for 5 years now and I put my hand in to hang cuttlebone and treats and food and water. I blew it 🤦🏽♀️ Thank You for the video!
I think this also applies to humans, if we consider scale and proportion. If a hand that was twice the size of my body came in through my bedroom door, I think I might experience stress-induced shock...
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks I love people with a jovial sense of humor :D Shortly before christmas a friend of mine who breeds canaries gave me a young one. He spends most of his days alone while Im at work so one weekend I decided to let him out of the cage and he seemed pretty happy I guess but later when it came time to put him inside the cage he didnt want to go so I ended up having to chase him for a while. Was this a big mistake? When is the time right for letting him out so he can enjoy a bit more freedom like your finch does without having trouble making him go back to his cage? (cellphones and treats did not work)
Congratulations on your new canary! The trick is to not force an untame bird to go into the cage, but rather to set a time window for when he has to be back inside. Since birds have an insanely fast metabolism, they go back to their cages to eat and drink at least every half hour or so. So, for example, if you want your bird to be in his cage by 4PM, stick around between 3.15 and 3.45 and simply close the door on him when he's inside the cage. Because you are quite right, chasing a bird is never a good idea. - Another hint, many birds get quite panicky about 1 hour before dusk, so it's a lot easier to get them into their cage before that! Even a tame bird like Leporello is almost impossible to get into his cage during this sensitive time. One final thing, if you spend most of your time at work and can't manage to spend at least 4-5 hours actively interacting with your bird (not judging here, I know life generally is like that!), I strongly suggest you get your canary a canary girlfriend. After all, you have your life, your family, friends and your job, but your bird only has you! A pair of them will actually be easier to tame than a single one, and they will obviously be a lot more fun to watch, too. Hope this helps :)
This is such a great tip! I avoid putting my hand in my canaries’ cage as much as possible now. When I give them treats, I put the doors down (they collapse both ways) and offer them treats with my hands outside. While they’re in the cage I only interact with them through the bars, which they seem much more comfortable with! I’m hoping they will soon be able to venture outside the cage
This is extremely informative and helpful. There's always gonna be people that disagree or whatever but in the end, bird owners need to try different methods from people who know what they are talking about until they find something that works. As far as getting pet owners who don't really think about how the bird is feeling THANK YOU.
What do I do I have already “tamed” my bird that way? They would stand on my hand if it has food in it and they seem to be very used to my hand and my presence, but how do I establish a relationship with them as not a “Functioning robot, bird feeder” but as a friend that they love to be with? And if you need the information they’re lutino lovebirds aged 6 months old, bought them when they were 4 months old (dont worry I bought them from a good responsible bird breeder that treats his animals like humans and not bricks like chain pet stores), one is male and the other is female. Also, will I be able to tame them faster and better because they aren’t scared of my hand now? or no? Have a nice day!
I have a 15 year old lovebird who has never been tamed, and I thought that putting my hand in her cage could build trust. Thank you for making this video!
I just bought a bird and made the exact apposite as she said.. I put my hand in the cage and i think he was scared because i could see his heart beating so fast.. Now that i see this video im like Oh no i totaly messed up.
Don't worry, you can undo this! First of all, give your bird three or four days to settle in. Only change food and water, but don't interact with him. This is important because it will subconsciously tell him that his new environment does not pose any danger. After this initial settling-in period, start with this: ua-cam.com/video/dWeoAsBdOFo/v-deo.html
What about for moving my bird to another cage, cleaning the cage and changing food and toys around? I have 2 month old baby canaries and had to move them to a bigger cage today which meant i had to handle them. They were really scared and i felt so sad but it had to be done. I have a brother and sister in the same cage and noticed today the brother is bullying the sister so separated them. Then they missed eachother so much and looked miserable so i rejoined them but in a much bigger cage. Its so hard to do anything without putting hand in cage
I clean the cage when my birds are not inside. You should not leave them in the cage all of the time. My cage is open almost 24/7 (I secured my room big time). But I feed them when they are inside and this is what i do: I walk to the cage with the food bowl. As soon as they look at me i show them the food. As soon as they noticed the bowl, I put it inside of the cage slowly and walk away immediatly. It took some time but now they know what is coming and dont get scared anymore. I hope this helps a little =)
Thanks for the very convincing explanation on birds’ psychology. I think, you should show in a video how to deal with practical common problems like: cleaning the cage, replacing food and beverages for example by using the right accessories, and how and wether to fetch a bird, when this is needed. You may have a situation, where the bird insists moving around the cage, while you are cleaning it.
Hi Emanuele, thank you for your feedback. I agree, some of those videos would be nice. Usually birds are very happy to give up the cage when it is being cleaned - which is very necessary, since a thorough clean can only be done in the shower/bathtub, and birds usually shouldn't be anywhere near those things!
My Goldfinch does not like to give up his/her cage or, at least, to move/fly to the other side of the window, while I am simply removing the bottom drawer of the cage. He gets so stressed, that I had to fetch him on a couple of occasions and set him on the top of a piece of furniture, from where he was eventually quietly watching my actions, but, as soon as I was done, he flew back and took possession of his headquarter, and if I am not quick enough, he flies back before I am done and the stress begins again. He seems to forget the stress immediately afterwards and to enjoy his/her cleaned place, but I would like to avoid this stress, without having to move to another room. I would really like to build the trust, you have been capable to build with your Leporello. By the way, Leporello has withish or pale grey moustaches, this is a typical feature for a female. I have t o renovel my compliments, as you have made an impressive contribution to the understanding of birds’ psychology.
Leporello is such a lovely bird! And his owner is very wise. I came here for bird taming tips but your insights apply to humans as well. There is a fearful little bird inside each of us who must be kept safe, cared for and loved. If the only lesson we learned in life was how to befriend our bird-self, we wouldn't need anything else to be happy. Love your videos! Please keep them coming! Subscribed.
OMG!!! Thank you so much for this!!! 🙏🙏🙏 I did wrong and I was happy he is eating out of my hand inside the cage but wondering why the second I move he panicks. Great trick, I hope I can still reverse my mistake and correct it so as to build a strong bond based on trust!! 🙏🙏🙏🥰
This channel is, by a great margin, the most useful finch resource on the internet! Pretty much all the advice on this channel also works for goldfinch/canary mules, too (and probably a lot more breeds of birds). There is one person who has disliked the video - so we can probably assume that there is one imbecile who insists on creating a hellish environment for a bird. On behalf of all people who love their birds, thank you for another excellent video! P.S. the "be my friend!" with gun part - I laughed too loud for a public setting. No one in that train carriage is ever going to want to be my friend. Cursed headphones...
Thank you for your kind words! Also, glad you were entertained, haha. I'm surprised at that one disliker too, but contrarily because I thought there would be a lot more of them; it's a rather sensitive topic, after all, seeing as UA-cam has so many videos of people sticking their hands into cages with frightened birds. Thus it makes me all the happier to see that there are also many people with common sense and empathy for their birds! - Thank you again.
Personally, I think that if someone opts to dislike a video such as this one (i.e. a topic that that warns of a potentially fatal outcome), they should at least have the decency to write a comment expressing their reasoning. All of the comments here are positive, so the disliker has opted to condemn the video without providing any information as a counter. You have demonstrated your credibility as an outstanding bird trainer, so it is very annoying to see some thoughtless, anonymous person come by and ruin the perfect score of a perfectly made video. It takes a split second to click the 'thumbs down', and it was just disheartening to see it on a video with such valuable information for bird health. So I felt that I should comment, in the hope that dislikers might see it and take the time to educate us on the supposed benefits of cage invasion...
Your cause is noble and I agree with your curiosity. Yes, it surely would be interesting to hear their reason. But then again, this is the Internet, and people form opinions on all kinds of factors. Perhaps they didn't like the shaky cam at the beginning, or the voiceover, or this stance on the matter; perhaps they've simply had a bad day, or this cropped up in their newsfeed and they have no interest in birds. Whatever it is, it's all right. That said, I appreciate where your heart is. :)
Thanks so much for recommending me this video when I commented about taming my cockatiel this was very helpful and I won't put my hand in the cage anymore!
I think it depends on the situation. My finch likes to stare at me and sing when I change water or food. If you move slowly and try talking or whistling to it, the bird becomes quite calm.
Um how do I make Charlie social because he loves me but utterly refused to be near anyone else and it annoying because sometimes I'm sleep ate in the weekend and my sister gets him God knows how but I can tell Charlie is mortified and the minute he sees me he flies to my hand and screams like as though trying to tell me how much he hates my sister never let her near him then my dad calls us to eat breakfast and I have Charlie my dad starts screaming WHY DO YOU HAVE CHARLIE AND NOT MELANIE YOU ARE SO SELFISH YOU DO THIS WITH EVERY PET MELANIE GOT HIM FIRST SHE GETS TO HOLD HIM SHE IS ONLY HERE TWICE A MONTH AND SHE WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM I get so mad I yell WOW YEAH JUST TREAT CHARLIE LIKE HES AN OBJECT AND NOT A LIVING CREATURE WITH STRONGER EMOTIONS THAN YOU COULD DREAM OF Then I put charie in his cage and yell THERE NOW MELANIE CAN BE THE BIRD EXPERT HOW ABOUT THAT SHE DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT HIS DIET SHOULD BE BUT DO I CARE NOPE LET HER STICK HER HAND IN THE CAGE GRAB HIM DO WHATEVER SHE WANT BECAUSE APPARENTLY TO ALL OF YOU HE IS JUST A TOY And just so you know he flew to me it was his choice Please help if he does not become social properly my dad is going to make me more sad than I already constantly am And I don't know the proper way to do it
You cannot make a bird "social" by your definition. Explain to your father and your sister that if they want to interact with the bird, they will have to go through the same taming steps as you. Give them this example: Just because you have a good friend at school/work, does that mean you'll be friends with every random stranger off the street because he's human, too? The answer is a clear "no", and the same goes for a bird's mind: They trust people on an individual basis, not generally. Every stranger (= everyone who doesn't interact with the bird on a DAILY basis) is perceived as a threat by a bird, and leaving a bird with such a stranger is very stressful for the bird. I repeat, your sister would have to interact with Charlie daily for Charlie to be comfortable around her. If she only has time for him twice a month, the best she can do is feed him the occasional treats and thus built a positive base of interaction for the bird. But she will have to accept that he will be a lot less comfortable around her than he is around you. This is ingrained in the biological nature of birds, there is nothing that can be done about it except for your sister taking it very, very slow and taming him herself with the gentlest method possible.
Also, I know it is hard particularly when you're speaking to people who know less about birds than you do, but remember that everybody can be educated and taught about them. Instead of yelling, try taking a few deep breaths and explain the needs of your bird with as calm and rational a voice as possible. Don't yell back at people even if they yell at you. If you manage to state the facts calmly and clearly (even if you have to repeat them for a couple of weeks), other people will come to their senses eventually. As an owner, it's your duty to protect Charlie from harmful scenarios, and keeping calm will go a long way.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks thanks and yup I have been explaining they have to do the same process and no they still rush it 😐 guess I have to watch Charlie like a hawk (friendly of course 😂)
I just deleted a few bookmarks that suggested this, I have subscribed, great stuff, I am thinking of getting a Finch or two, I am trying to learn how to keep them properly, thank you!
Hello, thanks for the information. Just purchased my first bird today… it’s a Yellow Canary. I named her “Lovely” I also got my daughter a couple of birds. Hers are Society Finch. My son went a different route, he got a Bearded Dragon! Those were our new additions today… we already have a dog, and some fish.
Hi there, congratulations on your new family members! Since Lovely is your first bird, may I suggest getting a second? Canaries are difficult to tame, and they are more likely to be sociable with humans (and also more healthy, more relaxed...) if they have a companion of their own kind. They are incredibly intelligent birds, too -- newest research shows they have the intelligence of a two-year-old human toddler! They need a quiet place to rest (rectangular cage with at least two sides + the top covered) and lots of mental stimulation (paper toys, a feathered companion, lots of bird-safe fresh veggies, NO avocados and no mirrors though!). Hope this helps!
*Hello beautiful people, sorry for the long break - a new video is coming this April 15th! If you have any requests, feel free to leave them in the comments. Stay tuned :) Edit: Trying to make it a good one - date updated! Can't wait to share!*
I'm getting budgies soon and definitely agree. But I'm also worried about the first weeks. Food and water containers are all accessible from the outside of the cage, and I also checked for a way to attach millet without reaching into the cage. But for example I will have to reach into the cage to remove the transport cages after they got out and settled into the cage. The cage is rather big and has big doors so the best option for letting them out seems to be putting the transport cages into the cage and opening them.
Hey Jasmin, well done for researching so thoroughly before getting birds! Don't worry about reaching in once to remove the transport boxes - that's just a one-time action and birds are very forgiving about those (and your budgies will be very nervous the first day, anyway, regardless of what you do). This video is more about _constantly_ putting one's hand in the cage, as some people do. Best of success with your budgies!
Thanks for your very helpful videos. I have a canary that I'm trying to tame. I didn't know this thing about not putting your hands in the cage. I usually do it very gently exclusively to give and change fresh fruit and vegetables. I've been following your advice for a week or so and today the canary ate from the hand behind bars. Do you think it's still possible to win his trust anyway? (obviously not doing it anymore)
Well done! I think you are on the right track :) Birds are really good in recognising changed behaviour, so all should be well if you keep up the great work!
This makes a lot of sense! I just got a green cheek conure almost a week ago. He's very shy and I thought maybe putting my hand in slowly would get him used to the idea of my trying to touch him. I had no ill intentions but now I unde rstand why he would avoid my hand at all costs. Great video btw!
Hello, thank you a lot for this video, but how can I do to cut my bird's nails ? I should put my hand in the cage, I have no choise. Please can you advise me ?
I adopted my boy at about 2 or 3 years old. He is wild. I can’t give him medicine or clip his nails if i do not reach in to his cage. He’s been with me for 4 years, he lets me put my head next to him and stand close and sing to him (outside of the cage). I get what you are saying. No one should ever crowd or force interaction, because it can kill them, frightens them, etc. A bird is not a toy, its a wild creature. But I also think maybe it underestimates a bird’s understanding that if he’s lived with you for years, he doesn’t see you as a huge threat. I think they are wild and demand to be independent ( I have a grass keet, so a small one like a finch, not a big parrot), and they deserve to be respected and treated with care. I’ve handled my bird for about a dozen times over 4 years. I can see that he knows I’m not a big threat, but nevertheless he demands autonomy.
You can train your bird to “consent” and allow you to grab and hold them. Go to flock talks channel she has a whole video about it I think the title is something like “grabbing my birds wing”
Hi, I got a diamond dove 4 days ago and I've broken the rule of putting my hand in my birds cage when i shouldn't because I didn't know any better. I've never had a bird but I've been diligently researching how to care for them when i came across your video. I can coo at her and she sings back to me but she's still quite timid when i get too close to her. I bought a larger cage for her that i will set up with all the right things including the feeders you linked in the description so that i dont have to stick my hand in anymore when i change her water and give her fresh food. I'm hoping i can start over with her with this new cage so that our relationship is less forced for her. I've let her out the cage on her own accord a few times and it was hard getting her back in since coaxing her with treats doesn't work so my mum has had to get her to hop on a perch and hold it in her cage until she hops off. Looking up information for diamond doves as pets is hard since most of the search results either pulls up mourning doves or conures. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right. Do you think that starting over with a new cage (which I was going to get anyways since her current one is just a starter size) and building trust with the correct feeing methods will work? ALso at night since i stay up late in my room, We put her cage in a quieter room which requires me picking the cage up with the carrier handles. She's a bit used to that but the new cage i ordered is big with wheels. I was wondering if putting a blanket over her cage at night while i use earbuds for devices would help her get good sleep or would rolling her cage in the room she normally is put it at night would be equally acceptable? I used multiple devices at night so it might keep her up even if i use earbuds for one device which is why i'm asking if rolling her in the other room would be ok to do at night.
A while back I had a goldfinch in a breeding cage in a shed and some how one of the feeders fell off and he got out . The shed was bird proof and I was in a rush the gold finch was not tame .So I left him until I came back there was food and water in the shed as I kept Young canaries free in the shed .when I came back the goldfinch was back in his cage .I found it amazing that he was so devoted to his canary .that he came back to her.
Nice story! Yes, birds have an incredible capability for bonding with other birds (or indeed, their owners). Some bird breeders in North Africa/the Middle East will let their finches fly free outside, knowing that as long as the birds' partner is around as an "anchor bird", the finches will not fly away, but always stay in the proximity of the anchor bird's cage. (Don't try this at home, though!)
NEVER when the bird is in it. First, the stress from the hand plus the cleaning supplies is huge. What's even worse, birds have incredibly sensitive respiratory systems, so any cleaning fumes are toxic for them (even natural essential oils!). Most cages can be separated into a top and bottom half. Cage cleaning should always be done during a bird's free flight session. Usually the top half only needs a quick wiping down with a wet cloth, anyway. (Again, this is not be done if the bird is inside the cage, but most birds will be quite happy perching on top of it, watching you work.) - One then takes the bottom have and leaves the top (wire) half in the room, so that the bird can perch on his cage if he wants to. Outside, you can then clean the bottom half properly: empty the bedding, wash and scrub it thoroughly under the shower with hot water and a mild dish soap, rinse, dry thoroughly with a towel and then refill with clean bedding. After this, you take the bottom half back to the room and put the wire half back on top. That's it.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks I have a pair of lovebirds that are wild and when let out they fly in panic and fly into lights, etc.. I am working on building a trusting relationship but they have never been handled or tamed properly. So far they are not interested in companionship as the male and female pair are strongly bonded to one another. How do I clean the cage in this case without having to grab them and transfer them to a mini cage? Any advice helps.
Question, how do you clean a cage with a bird inside?! Answer: You can't. Cages are cleaned on a bird's daily free flight session. I will upload a video on cage cleaning in about a week.
Always use exterior feeders and water dispensers. Not only are they less stressful for the bird, they also allow for a stranger to care for your bird (when you're on holiday) and they are much hygienic because the bird cannot soil them with droppings.
Good afternoon from the uk and Zoro my wild rescued goldfinch you might remember. I have a question you might be able to help with. I give him vitamin supplement for his vitamin D mainly but he’s not keen on it in his water. He’s now wants to take more baths outside his enclose so he drinks then (cheeky fello) and he’s taken to pecking away on his daily cucumber chunk to make drinking well! It would be easier I could give him his vit supplement on a treat as I seem to recall on one of your vids, but what treat? What does leporello like and how do you get him his vit d (zoro won’t eat egg!) I hope you keep posting your vids.
Hi there, I suppose you could always put some droplets on his slice of cucumber? I generally just put a droplet of multivitamin on a hemp seed and feed it directly. Note that Zoro might not like this at first - it definitely takes them a while to get used to it! If it's only his vitamin D levels you're looking to crank up, a better alternative would be to move his cage closer to a window (must be draught-proofed) or install a flicker-free bird lamp (they are available on Amazon, for example). Natural UV-light (again, if coming from a lamp, MUST be a bird lamp will ramp up your bird's vitamin D production naturally, as it is a vitamin that is synthesised by the body. Same thing goes for humans, by the way!
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks Thanks the lamp looks like the answer. Zoro is next to floor to ceiling windows but the glass means no Vitamin D3. I’ll check out the lamp it might be nice for me too! He won’t eat hemp seeds and stubbornly sticks to tiny seeds like nyjer with some linseed and also millet and he’s just taken to liking sesame (a lot). He likes strawberry’s for the seeds he picks out. His enclosure always has about 15 food based items and he naturally forages most of the day. The vitamin D3 has been my only nutritional problem. Looking forward to more of your posts. Thanks again J.
Sounds like you're giving Zoro an amazing life!! It always makes me happy to read comments like yours. It just occured to me that one could hook up the bird lamp to a timer, so that it switches on automatically half an hour after sunrise and switches off again half an hour before sunset. Then all one would have to do would be to adjust the time every week or so to reflect the seasonal change. And yes, goldfinches that have been separated from their parents at a young age often refuse to eat larger seeds. This is because large seeds such as white sunflower or milk thistle have to be chiselled open with the beak, an acquired technique young finches normally learn from their parents. But who knows - perhaps Zoro will start nibbling on hemp seeds after all! It took Leporello a couple of years (!!! yeah I know) to figure out milk thistle seeds. They are clever little buggers, after all!
Leporello the Goldfinch Good afternoon, lamp on order. I think here is is the only way I can post you a link to meet Zoro? ua-cam.com/video/r7GqmG9W8c8/v-deo.html Not to keen on public posts!
Smashing! OMG I can't say how much love I have for your post! Zoro looks happy and healthy, in a really nice enclosure - and what an ingenious idea to use water dispensers as a way to keep greenery fresh and handy!!! I'll definitely be adopting your brilliant idea! Would you be OK with being mentioned as the inventor in one of the upcoming videos?
Hey Hannah thank you for your response. My babies are now 4 months old :) they are getting used to my hand. I will be letting them fly around very soon :) they have big cages so plenty of space but yes ı agree not to keep them in cages all the time. I am struggling with mite spray too as ı dont want to handle them...any advice on spraying them without scaring them? :)
I don't know who Hannah is, but CAUTION, mite spray should NEVER be used on birds, it is toxic to their airways!!! If you have a mite problem, adopt a rigorous cleaning routine (cleaning the cage daily with hot water and dish soap), and sprinkle the cage floor and corners with diatomaceous earth, as this will kill mites effectively. - If your birds don't have mites, you don't have to do anything!
@@leporellothegoldfinch hannah was one of the commentors :) ... Thank you for your response :) I use a natural spray called KG which guarantees not to contain chemicals...one of my birds is itchy as she was the runt of the litter and spent more time in the nest than the others and ı worry about her the most. There is so much different information everywhere its confusing knowing whats best. Id find it difficult to deepclean all 3 cages everyday especially as my birds are not usedto me yet and im not ready to let them out as the room needs further organisation with perches etc. They had a little flight but it didnt go too well so ı will be solving the problem of why :) ...vets say they need to be sprayed as no bird can be without mites...ı just dont know whats best for the birds as in the wild they could roll around in dust etc but at home they rely on me
Hellooo Again :) Great vid.. and it makes a lot of sense. A cage for a bird is its castle.. if it doesn't feel safe there it will always feel stressed. I have the opposite problem with Gigi.. He likes his cage to much as I told you last time when he is out of his cage (whichever the room), even when he flies around the room he always lands back on his cage. I must admit it is more of a good thing then a bad thing.. I have control of him that way. But that inhibits him from landing somewhere else like for example my hand. I do put my hand in his cage because I give him his treats in an internal feeder and he doesnt mind now that he knows he is soon going to eat something good the second after my hand is back out. Have I ever told you that Gigi is a cross between a Goldfinch, a monkey, and a pig? Time is the trick here.. you cannot do something that takes months in days.. A bird is so many thousands of times smaller then us so who blames them for the long process of taming.. and some never get tame. Thanks and hope you have a great year ahead :)
Heeeey! So many great points in your comment. Haha, the not wanting to land anywhere else but the cage seems to be a goldfinch thing - Leporello only lands on his cage too, except when I'm in another part of the room, then he'll follow me, but he generally wouldn't fly there on his own. And even the following part took several months to years for him to do... goldfinches are smart, and part of that intelligence is increased caution, I suppose. Don't worry, Gigi will get there eventually, you two already have an excellent bond :) Getting Gigi to land on your hand can take some time, but the easiest way to start is to get him to hop on your hand by showing him a treat, rewarding him, and then gradually increasing the distance day by day. I understand that you and Gigi are already doing this - like when you show him a bowl of egg food - which is great! That's already a sign of Gigi's great and growing trust. Perhaps you could start luring him with smaller and smaller treats. That said, these little guys do have their own heads, so they might not deem it worth the effort to fly over to you if you're not waving a treat to them (even Leporello doesn't always, and that's okay). Eventually, as time goes by, Gigi will start seeking out your company on his own accord, whether you're holding a treat or not. This can take months or even years, but when it happens at last, how sweet that is! :)
Even Gigi.. he is like Leporello following me. He can't stand it when I am leaving the room he is in. If he is in his cage he whistles loudly, and if he is out of his cage he takes flight and tries to follow me.. Its as if im his flock leader. Sometimes my wife tries to feed him with a treat when he is in his cage, but he rarely takes it even though she loves him like I do and never shown aggression towards him or shouted at him. With me on the other hand he takes food from my mouth with no hesitation. There certainly is a bond between us.. Another thing is that he rarely sings when I'm in the same room. On the contrary he sings when he is on his own or my wife is in the same room, but not when I am. I think it is because he feels that once I am near him he has his companion and there is no need to sing to attract anyone else. Maybe it sounds silly but that's how it is. I have high hopes that he will be like yours one day.. since there is the bond. Fingers crossed and we'll see.
From what I can tell by your anecdotes, you really couldn't be doing any better. Congratulations. You and Gigi are already a fine example of a true bird-human friendship, and I have no doubt you'll grow even closer as time goes by. Well done you :)
Hi I have a parrotlet I re homed. Do you think a canary or goldfinch would make a good companion. I'm thinking canaries have been breed to be less social and maybe it's singing would entertain the parrotlet while I'm not home. I would let them both fly around the room while I'm home. Do you think this would work?
Hi there, no!!! This absolutely won't work. Parrots/parrotlets and finches are completely different animals! That would be like an alien putting you in a room with a lion with the argument that you are both mammals. Parrotlets are incredibly social and need another parrotlet to survive. Canaries on the other hand can be incredibly territorial and aggressive. These two species do not go together. If you get another bird, I strongly suggest getting another parrotlet. They are easier to tame in a pair and surprisingly, also quieter.
Hi there, I hope you are doing well and thank you for the problem you are raising this time that many people don't give attention, however i always put my hand inside the cage to fill the feeders. Is that a problem? Thanks
Hi there, it's better to have a cage with exterior feeders, however if that's not an option, changing food/water must obviously be done by reaching into the cage. It is not ideal, but you can make it easier on your bird(s) by 1) moving calmly and 2) doing it around the same time every day, so they at least get used to the routine.
I tamed my gouldian finches so I sat in front of the cage for 15 minutes and slowly approached each time and finally put my hand in a cage and the birds slowly started to come to my arms. I did it because every time I cleaned the cage they would fly. They would make a mess but now they stand in place while Im clean. I did not have to transfer them to a smaller cage (sorry for bad English)
Hi i need to ask an important question! I moved my cockatiels into a new bigger cages but they flew away from me and i had to catch them and threw a shirt over one of the two because i couldnt catch him and i feel like hes scared of me more than before but theyre both in a better cage and how can i build their trust from here on ? Must i give them a lot of time?
@@leporellothegoldfinch they both kind of hit the wall because they tried to fly away ..i feel like they got really stressed out but now theyre okay in their new cage and i gave them a honey treat stick
@@leporellothegoldfinch so now they have both eaten some milet i stuck through the gate but they are hesitant but will eventually have a little bit and leave ..i have treats as well but putting my hand in the cage with the treats isnt a good idea is it
Thank you for another superb video! This information makes perfect sense, and I am using your gentle method to tame my canary, after many months of inadvertently sending him mixed signals by putting my hand in his cage, and so far, it's working beautifully! I do have a question, though: once a bird is tame, how do you go about handling him if you need to trim his nails, etc., without traumatizing him and losing his trust? Will he tolerate being held in your hand? Thanks!
Hi Sara, so great to hear that you and your canary are beginning to understand one another! Good question about the nail trimming. The method I prefer is to just very carefully cut the easy-to-reach hind and longest front claws with straight nail scissors when the bird is sitting on an outside perch, sleeping at night (with the lights on, of course, so you can see what you're doing). You can only cut one nail at a time because the bird will wake up from the snapping noise, but it's a very gentle and stress-free way, as you don't have to grab your bird in any way. I've found that as long as the thick hind claws and the longest front nail are kept at a normal length, the other two nails will either wear down on their own or the bird will even trim them himself with his beak. Having natural wood perches of varying diametre in your canary's cage instead of industrial, uniform wooden sticks (and definitely not sandpaper coverings!) aids with natural wear-down, too. Hope this helps!
Excellent-- thank you for your reply! I realize my bird has been extending friendship to me all this time by responding to my voice when I talk to him, (even imitating my whistles and matching pitches with me!), but it turns out I've been the unreasonable friend who wouldn't listen! :(
i have two gouldian finch birds and i really want to tame they, and after watching your videos. i will try all you are saying. i really want to let them fly aroundin my room. but, i need to put my hand inside their cage when im changing food. my birds is not that tame yet, and im to afraid to let them out free flying beause im to scared that they will not go back inside the cage. did you first tame your bird before you let him out. or did you let him free flight after some weeks? i have had my birds for 3 months soon. so they should be safe there in the room. they are in my bedroom there i spend my day almost all time after work. and they sleep with me and are talking to me and are really curious and talks back when i go to their cage and are talking to the birds. so do you think i can let them freee flight?
Most bird cages come with exterior feeders, which avoid the issue altogether. However if your cage doesn't have them, it's fine to reach in once a day to change feed and water, preferably at the same time every day. It's important to move calmly and not try and touch the bird in any way. Again, exterior feeders/water fountains are to be preferred.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks in planning to buy an exterior bath for my finches with glass around so when I change the water I don't scare them
hello, I have a question, I love very much exotic plants ( citruses ) and I also want to buy a bird and leave the bird free in my room, my question is if a bird could rip off the leaves of my plants. one year ago I left the window open so wild birds can come in and eat seeds, the wild birds always ignored my plants, I don`t know about parrot or canary or a bird like your if it could defoliate my plants.
Yes, they could. Especially parrots (including little budgies) like to shred foliage. This is more dangerous for your birds than for your plants, though, especially since many houseplants are toxic (ficus, for example). Citrus plants should be safe because their leaves are too thick for most birds' taste. Canaries and goldfinches generally don't shred plants as much, either. As said, please make sure to remove any toxic plants first before letting your birds out of the cage, and you should be good to go.
I use alot of toxic sprays on my plants to kill the mites, somehow I will try to find this bird not interested about my plants, maybe a lazy bird, I saw one very lazy at pet shop. or will try to teach my bird to ignore my plants. I want a bird but I am also worried about my plants, I care very much about my plants.
Okay how can I put this... one just cannot use toxic sprays in the same room as birds. Birds have incredibly sensitive respiratory systems and can die at trace amounts of toxins in the air, long before they become dangerous to humans. This is why even air freshener sprays carry warnings that they are not to be used in rooms with birds, and why canaries were once used by miners... (click Read More to expand) If you really want a bird (better: two birds), you'll have to either keep them in a different room or remove the plants from the room that they are in. They are living, intelligent beings with a consciousness and there is no way around this. There is no such thing as a "lazy bird", birds at pet shops who look lazy are likely ill and should not be purchased (in fact, pet shops are generally not a good place to buy birds). Point being, even if you've got a bird who doesn't care about plants, all it takes is just one fume from an insecticide spray can or one nibble from a sprayed plant, and the bird might die in agony. You'll never forgive yourself if that happens to you. Please don't do that. Decide what's more important to you, your plant or a bird, because you can't have it both. All pets require certain lifestyle adjustments and birds do, too. Also bear in mind that many birds live between 10-15 years, so please think about whether you'll still want to care for them several hours every single day for a decade or more. They are a serious commitment that should not be taken lightly.
Also, just in case this isn't obvious, a bird cannot be taught to ignore certain plants. This is because birds have an innate need to forage, glean and nibble, and this drive cannot be overridden.
I agree with you, this is why I am not in a hurry to buy a bird. I wait for spring to come for the moment and take a decision. I like white or yellow birds, canary the most. I subscribed to your channel, since you are very cute and you love animals, you should have exotic plants also or plants of any kind. do you know why I chose citruses plants ??? because their needs are very similiar to my needs, they hate winter, I hate winter, they hate cold temperatures, I hate cold temperatures, they hate very hot temperatures, I hate very hot temperature, they love the sun, I love the sun. If I feel I must take an extra t-shirt on me, I know is time to close the window for my plants. I treat my plants with my needs and my plants are very happy.
Hi:) I just discovered u, and I must say u are absolutely amazing! I have 2 questions, perhaps u can help me with, first I would like to know where I can find the cage u have? 2nd I have 2 finches- my first 1 Fini is an orange cheek waxbill male (I have for 1 yr), the 2nd one is a red cheek cordon bleu male I have since March (6 months) Tristan. They are currently caged separately , I would like to cage them together, they both have flight cages Prevue- (same size) they are both waxbills and usually compatible however, Fini I found at my local pet store and then due to the hurricane in puerto rico the supply of finch birds to NY diminished- and basically there were only zebra finches/society which were both larger than my orange cheek and the zebras are more aggressive, so I made the mistake of ordering out of state my cordon bleu who arrived pretty traumatized and very wild. I have kept them caged separately, now that we are at the 6 month mark he is becoming more tame- and I would like to order a different cage and try to house them together / this way they wont fight over territory, Ive heard to put one thing from each cage in the new cage... just wondering your advice on how to go about doing this, I know this is a lengthy comment/ question, but I wanted u to have as much info as possible so u would have a clearer understanding of my situation. The cages are currently about 2 feet apart, they do communicate with one another and copy each others behavior, but sometimes I come home and they are both just sitting there looking at each other, and I feel if they were in the same cage they would be more interactive.
Hey, welcome to the community, and congratulations on your taming progress! To answer your questions: 1) My cage is an old Ferplast model, I got it second-hand off my local version of Craigslist. Second-hand cages are very cost-effective and tend to be spacious, one just has to make sure to clean them very thoroughly before use. 2) To get the birds used to one another, have you tried letting one fly free while the other stays in their cage? You could alternate their free flight sessions this way and you would instantly see whether one starts harassing the other, or whether they try to make contact on a friendly level. If they try to interact with one another through the cage bars, that would definitely be a good sign!
i have a question. my bird is new and whenever i try changing the birds food/ water (can be chsnged from the outside) he goes out of his way to try and bite my fingers
I bought budgies a week ago and I've been doing things wrong. I want now to start a new but I need to clean the cage cz it's a mess. How can I do that without scaring them? And how long should I keep doing this step before going to step (1) in your video list?
Hi there, congratulations on your new friends! The cage can only be cleaned when your birds are outside of it. This is no problem, since birds need at least six hours of free flight every day (more is better). Just make sure your room is bird-safe (no mirrors, uncovered windows, toxic plants, open flames, uncovered water bowls/aquariums etc) and let your birds come out on their own accord. There is a birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you tame your birds bit by bit every day.
Thank you very much for saying this, i have two love birds for quite a long time but they're really scared of everyone. I saw some videos about how to train them, which included putting your hands in the cage for some minutes everyday so the birds gets 'used' to the hand and I did that, then I also picked one with a towel as the people suggested, but the bird was so scared, his hearth was beating really fast and he was trying to get away and bite me even tho I tried to calm him, so I decided to put him in the cage because I know birds can die of stress. I saw your video about how to train birds and now I decided to re-do everything since I destroyed any little hint of trusting I had with them. I have a question tho, after they're not scared around me when they're in the cage, how do I pick them up so he can stay in my hand eccetera?
Thanks so much for your wonderful channel. It has taken me much trial and error to discover some of the same information; many more of your suggestions are new to me and I'll certainly try them. My bird friends are WILD URBAN HOODED CROWS. We have known each other for at least 6 years, and they retain their natural caution, yet we are still often finding new ways to widen our mutual trust. Yesterday for the very first time, the male crow sat right down and indicated that i could stroke him, which i then did for several minutes! I am always deeply impressed with the way he appears to use his intellect to overcome a natural fear when it seems worth trying. You can see a very few of our interactions on my channel.
Get exterior feeders if possible. If not possible because your cage doesn't allow it, change the food bowls while the birds are outside the cage on their daily free flight session.
Interesting. That goes against everything i've read/heard so far on bird taming. All sources mention putting one's hand in the cage as an inevitable step at some point.
Thanks you! Me and my budgie we’re getting closer but when I put my hand in his cage he was breathing hard. Now I just put it outside the cage for 20-30 mins and talk to him but not try to touch him.
I got them kinda of used to my hand by putting their favorite food cup in it on the other side of the cage, far from them , lol and after a while they couldn’t handle being apart from their fav food and they stopped being terrified of me IM PROUD recommend trying it!
Hey, i have a question, would it be okay if i only put my hand a little but inside the cage with food on after almost a month of interacting with the bird and getting it used to my presence and hand? Would it still be wrong? Please reply!
Thank you for this information. I did not know about it before I saw your video. Now I have a problem because my bird's cage was made by my father years ago (not for this specific bird) and there is no way of changing his food or water without me sticking my hands inside. I have moved everything as close to the door as possible to make it less stressful for my bird and whenever I am home I open his cage. He doesn't trust me so I just let him explore and he usually goes inside on his own when he gets bored, but I keep talking to him while he is out and he is approaching me more and more each day. Should I try to get another cage though? I don't want the bird to be scared every time I have to change his food and sometimes he doesn't want to go out, so I can't always change the food and water without him being there.
KSA_GIRLS XOXO You don't TAKE your birds out of your cage, you wait for them to come out on their own. If you make the outside fun for them (by offering them treats, for example), they will come out on their own accord. Just in case the obvious isn't obvious, NEVER GRAB YOUR BIRD. A grabbed bird will think it is about to die and can actually literally die of a heart attack.
Thanks for the video! I have a question. My bird's food and water is inside of her cage which means that if she runs out of food or water, I have to put my hand inside her cage. And, yes, as you said, she goes crazy! Do you know what I should do? Should I keep on doing this or is there any other way to refill her food and water without putting my hand in? Anyway, thanks for the video, I've learnt alot from it. 😊
My pleasure! Yes, food and water must be changed daily. You should use exterior feeders/water dispensers for this purpose. They can be changed without opening the cage door/reaching into the cage at all.
What if the birds don't like leaving the cage? One bird only today finally went for a flight outside the cage and had a tough time finding his way back too(not the smartest if birds). I bough outer feeders and have been cleaning the cage less often to avoid spooking them as the male had never left the cage. They will not jump on my hand and get jumpy when I need to mess with the cage (refill feeders, put up a new toy or clean it especially) and they don't let my hands too near. Previously when I was giving them seed sticks with my hand inside the cage, they would sometimes use my hand to reach it if they were on the hungrier side, at one point even eating the seeds from my hand. They're budgies btw, I'm not sure what is right anymore. These ones I'm watching for a month and a half(soon giving them back to the owner who had them for a few months before having to leave for a while) but we want to get our own budgies soon. Is it harder making friends with them because there's two of them?
Hi there, two birds are just as easy to tame as one. If you feel you're not being successful, that usually means there's a lack of consistency. There's a birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you. It is absolutely vital to train with your birds at least three times for five to ten minutes every single day. Anything less than that will rarely be successful. If a bird doesn't like to leave their cage, it means they are too scared of their surroundings. Give it time. All birds will come out on their own eventually. New impressions are overwhelming, so it might take a while for your bird to find their way back in. This is no reflection of their intelligence; they will learn quite quickly once accustomed to their surroundings. Lastly, budgies are by far the easiest bird species to tame. If you go at it with consistence, patience and respect for the animals, you WILL succeed; there is no way around it.
@@leporellothegoldfinch Thanks for responding. I think him crawling past the door may have something to do with the alpha female sitting by it, looking snappy. She is kind of bossy and chases him away from food and often toys too despite them having 2 feeders for this reason. I have watched all the videos, but am taking it slow to try to undo the damage I probably did in the beginning. I have been progressively moving the cage closer to our chill out area and there is progress but I still feel like they see my hands as monsters, especially in the first part of the day. I guess they just need more time but I still feel like a failure. But I'm pleased that the boy landed and perched on my head today while flying around, I guess it means he doesn't fear me that much anymore.
@@leporellothegoldfinch Oh, sorry, just for clarification as I think I wasn't clear enough to understand: one of the birds has been flying around occasionally(at least once a day) but would only land on the top of the cage, the other bird left the cage today and although he was a bit scared and bad at flying, he did land on furniture and sit next to me on the bed and on my head too. I'm thrilled he finally came out. The cage is open most of the day for them.
Nice! It sounds as if you're doing quite well. I think it's excellent that you're making an effort, and that your birds are flying free almost all day. You're well on your way. Tip: Keep a taming journal! That way it's much easier to keep track of your progress. And don't worry about your hands - this is always the part that all birds are scared of the most. This is perfectly normal, and it can be overcome. One just needs to condition them slowly and this takes time. You can do it!
@@leporellothegoldfinch I have a week left with these birds till they go back to the owner so likely they won't ever perch on my hands. I will miss them but this birdsitting experience has taught me a lot and now I feel so much more prepared to take on the responsibility of raising our own birds. Thank you for the videos you have put out, they are very helpful.
I have a question: What if i need to clean their cage? And i have a problem: Every one says that i need to get my bird out of the cage every day, but im to scared because when he gets free he fly around the house and he crush into objects and freaks out. How is Leporello so calm?
Make sure your room is bird-proof (don't let your bird fly around the whole house, of course he will panic), and most importantly, build trust with your bird first. There's a bird taming playlist on this channel which will help you.
I'm currently training my birds to step up onto a perch at the moment, but they won't do anything I stick my other hand into their cage with a treat to encourage them to step onto the stick. Do you have any tips for how I can train them without having to put my hand in the cage with the treat?
Yes. Stop putting your hand in their cage. Do your birds reliably eat from your hand when they're outside their cage (daily free flight session)? If no, train that. If yes, it's easy to get them to step up.
Yes, it's the same for all birds! If your bird doesn't seek you out by himself, that's a surefire sign that either 1) he hasn't bonded with you deeply yet or 2) he knows you're going to get him anyway. Sometimes birds train us rather than the other way around, you've got to watch out! :)
Never take your bird out of their cage. They will come out on their own once they are comfortable. There is an entire birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you.
I have a problem that my cage doesn't have feeders I could take from outside, and sometimes I need to stick my hand inside the cage to clean the perches. I also stick my hand only when I offer food to my bird, so he'll associate me with good things. Is that still bad thing to do?
Yes. Also cage cleaning should never be done with the bird inside - 1) it's incredibly stressful for the bird, and 2) there's no way to clean a cage properly with a bird still in it. Best to get a cage with exterior feeders. Used cages are very cheap on sites like Craigslist. Just make sure to clean them properly before use.
@@leporellothegoldfinch I would, but at the moment I can't get a better cage and no matter what, my budgie just refuses to leave its cage. He did leave it Yesterday but that was because something fell on the ground, it scared him and he flew through the cage door. Then, the whole way he didn't know how to get back in. In my country it's much harder to get quality cages, 90% of them are small. And if I'm not supposed to put my hand in there, how do I tame him? I can't stick the spray millet in between the bars, they're not that big enough, and if they were, the bird could hurt itself.
I really did not know this, everywhere else you're always told by doing this the birds will start trusting you.. Now I've built the bird cage myself, and the food is quite far away and getting an exterior feeder is not an option for this one. Can I maybe just find a way around this by letting them out and when they're out and about in my room to fly around that I simply change food and water like that?
What would be the most effective way to train your bird to come to you without putting your hand in the cage? I also have another question As a student i only get free time after 6:00 so is it still possible to give my budgie the attention it needs? Please reply😃
I have a question, how do I get the food out and feed it?
Use exterior feeders and waterers which can be changed from outside the cage. Exterior waterers can be ordered online or found in every pet shop. Exterior feeders are harder to find. I use ones similar to these: amzn.to/2N1Eok0 (affiliate link)
Good afternoon. Good video. How to raise the zeal of goldfinches that they were able to participate in the competition?
Darn I never knew this and I’ve had my parakeets for 5 years now and I put my hand in to hang cuttlebone and treats and food and water. I blew it 🤦🏽♀️
Thank You for the video!
@@leporellothegoldfinch no no, it's a fair question
@@Toltecgrl When I do that I do it at night when my birds are sleeping 😴
I think this also applies to humans, if we consider scale and proportion. If a hand that was twice the size of my body came in through my bedroom door, I think I might experience stress-induced shock...
Haha, but in all seriousness: What an excellently illustrative image!
Yeah for the bird you are a blue whale
What if you need to change water
Not true I would just be happy
@@leporellothegoldfinch I have a bird named rio and he is a canary
There is *one* problem with this channel. And that is, that it is underrated. It needs to be much more popular than what it is now.
Aww! What a kind thing to say. Thank you. You can always spread the love by sharing :) This channel would be nothing without this lovely community.
I think you're right. If a big hand came into my house and said "Be my friend" I would not say no but terrified.
Im starting to understand why even though my neighbours seem nice I sometimes get the impression they dont like me
Better leave the gun at home next time you visit them for coffee ;)
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks I love people with a jovial sense of humor :D Shortly before christmas a friend of mine who breeds canaries gave me a young one. He spends most of his days alone while Im at work so one weekend I decided to let him out of the cage and he seemed pretty happy I guess but later when it came time to put him inside the cage he didnt want to go so I ended up having to chase him for a while. Was this a big mistake? When is the time right for letting him out so he can enjoy a bit more freedom like your finch does without having trouble making him go back to his cage? (cellphones and treats did not work)
Congratulations on your new canary! The trick is to not force an untame bird to go into the cage, but rather to set a time window for when he has to be back inside. Since birds have an insanely fast metabolism, they go back to their cages to eat and drink at least every half hour or so. So, for example, if you want your bird to be in his cage by 4PM, stick around between 3.15 and 3.45 and simply close the door on him when he's inside the cage. Because you are quite right, chasing a bird is never a good idea. - Another hint, many birds get quite panicky about 1 hour before dusk, so it's a lot easier to get them into their cage before that! Even a tame bird like Leporello is almost impossible to get into his cage during this sensitive time.
One final thing, if you spend most of your time at work and can't manage to spend at least 4-5 hours actively interacting with your bird (not judging here, I know life generally is like that!), I strongly suggest you get your canary a canary girlfriend. After all, you have your life, your family, friends and your job, but your bird only has you! A pair of them will actually be easier to tame than a single one, and they will obviously be a lot more fun to watch, too. Hope this helps :)
Ricardo Marques i
Stop sticking your hand through your neighbour's wondows😂
Thank you for truly understanding bird behavior in captivity and for creating as natural an environment an indoor bird can have.
This is such a great tip! I avoid putting my hand in my canaries’ cage as much as possible now. When I give them treats, I put the doors down (they collapse both ways) and offer them treats with my hands outside. While they’re in the cage I only interact with them through the bars, which they seem much more comfortable with! I’m hoping they will soon be able to venture outside the cage
This is extremely informative and helpful. There's always gonna be people that disagree or whatever but in the end, bird owners need to try different methods from people who know what they are talking about until they find something that works. As far as getting pet owners who don't really think about how the bird is feeling THANK YOU.
Thanks, Carissa! It's always nice to see a nuanced opinion :)
What do I do I have already “tamed” my bird that way? They would stand on my hand if it has food in it and they seem to be very used to my hand and my presence, but how do I establish a relationship with them as not a “Functioning robot, bird feeder” but as a friend that they love to be with?
And if you need the information they’re lutino lovebirds aged 6 months old, bought them when they were 4 months old (dont worry I bought them from a good responsible bird breeder that treats his animals like humans and not bricks like chain pet stores), one is male and the other is female.
Also, will I be able to tame them faster and better because they aren’t scared of my hand now? or no?
Have a nice day!
Damn this comment was a year ago and no one responded to you,das sad
Dang a 2 year old comment without answers
that sucks :/
Y
@Lucas birds live longer then 2 years if treated right-
I think u just leave the cage open for them to do whatever! Sorry abt no one responding to you
I have a 15 year old lovebird who has never been tamed, and I thought that putting my hand in her cage could build trust. Thank you for making this video!
My pleasure! There's a birdtaming playlist on this channel which you and your lovebird could find helpful.
So how to clean and change the toys ?? I have many birds and moving them from one cage in the next just to change and clean is just as stressful .
Have you figured it out? ( plz I need help)
I just bought a bird and made the exact apposite as she said..
I put my hand in the cage and i think he was scared because i could see his heart beating so fast..
Now that i see this video im like
Oh no i totaly messed up.
Don't worry, you can undo this! First of all, give your bird three or four days to settle in. Only change food and water, but don't interact with him. This is important because it will subconsciously tell him that his new environment does not pose any danger. After this initial settling-in period, start with this: ua-cam.com/video/dWeoAsBdOFo/v-deo.html
same. he’s scared of me now
True is soooo same like me
Thank you so much i now understand why my canary doesnt trust me thank you
Edit: wrong grammar xD
My absolute pleasure! Glad it helps :)
Ewa ilias
Yeah same. The kind of cage i got for mine makes my hand have to go inside. Ofc he doesnt like it...
What about for moving my bird to another cage, cleaning the cage and changing food and toys around? I have 2 month old baby canaries and had to move them to a bigger cage today which meant i had to handle them. They were really scared and i felt so sad but it had to be done. I have a brother and sister in the same cage and noticed today the brother is bullying the sister so separated them. Then they missed eachother so much and looked miserable so i rejoined them but in a much bigger cage. Its so hard to do anything without putting hand in cage
I clean the cage when my birds are not inside. You should not leave them in the cage all of the time. My cage is open almost 24/7 (I secured my room big time). But I feed them when they are inside and this is what i do: I walk to the cage with the food bowl. As soon as they look at me i show them the food. As soon as they noticed the bowl, I put it inside of the cage slowly and walk away immediatly. It took some time but now they know what is coming and dont get scared anymore. I hope this helps a little =)
Hanna knows her stuff.
Thanks for the very convincing explanation on birds’ psychology. I think, you should show in a video how to deal with practical common problems like: cleaning the cage, replacing food and beverages for example by using the right accessories, and how and wether to fetch a bird, when this is needed. You may have a situation, where the bird insists moving around the cage, while you are cleaning it.
Hi Emanuele, thank you for your feedback. I agree, some of those videos would be nice. Usually birds are very happy to give up the cage when it is being cleaned - which is very necessary, since a thorough clean can only be done in the shower/bathtub, and birds usually shouldn't be anywhere near those things!
My Goldfinch does not like to give up his/her cage or, at least, to move/fly to the other side of the window, while I am simply removing the bottom drawer of the cage. He gets so stressed, that I had to fetch him on a couple of occasions and set him on the top of a piece of furniture, from where he was eventually quietly watching my actions, but, as soon as I was done, he flew back and took possession of his headquarter, and if I am not quick enough, he flies back before I am done and the stress begins again. He seems to forget the stress immediately afterwards and to enjoy his/her cleaned place, but I would like to avoid this stress, without having to move to another room. I would really like to build the trust, you have been capable to build with your Leporello. By the way, Leporello has withish or pale grey moustaches, this is a typical feature for a female. I have t
o renovel my compliments, as you have made an impressive contribution to the understanding of birds’ psychology.
The wisest and the most intelligent way to tame goldfinchs I've ever seen
Thank you. I hope that one day, it will just be the common sense way of taming birds.
You are saving many bird’s lives thank you!!!!
This was a nice and informative video. Thanks for help me understand why my birds are not comfortable in cage
Leporello is such a lovely bird! And his owner is very wise. I came here for bird taming tips but your insights apply to humans as well. There is a fearful little bird inside each of us who must be kept safe, cared for and loved. If the only lesson we learned in life was how to befriend our bird-self, we wouldn't need anything else to be happy. Love your videos! Please keep them coming! Subscribed.
Hi tika, thank you for your kind words. Your analogy with the little bird inside of us is beautiful, and very true!
1:07 [Birds mind] its a bird [wait that's me] its a plane no ITS A HAND!!
I love how you say "nooo" omg, also, I can be your friend, with or without gun.
Hello, can i put a mirror in the goldfiches cage? Thanks
Hello, no, please don't, this causes severe psychological disturbance in birds!
@@leporellothegoldfinch oh thank you so much, so glad i asked first, thanks again ⚘⚘⚘
OMG!!! Thank you so much for this!!! 🙏🙏🙏 I did wrong and I was happy he is eating out of my hand inside the cage but wondering why the second I move he panicks. Great trick, I hope I can still reverse my mistake and correct it so as to build a strong bond based on trust!! 🙏🙏🙏🥰
This channel is, by a great margin, the most useful finch resource on the internet! Pretty much all the advice on this channel also works for goldfinch/canary mules, too (and probably a lot more breeds of birds).
There is one person who has disliked the video - so we can probably assume that there is one imbecile who insists on creating a hellish environment for a bird.
On behalf of all people who love their birds, thank you for another excellent video!
P.S. the "be my friend!" with gun part - I laughed too loud for a public setting. No one in that train carriage is ever going to want to be my friend. Cursed headphones...
Thank you for your kind words! Also, glad you were entertained, haha. I'm surprised at that one disliker too, but contrarily because I thought there would be a lot more of them; it's a rather sensitive topic, after all, seeing as UA-cam has so many videos of people sticking their hands into cages with frightened birds. Thus it makes me all the happier to see that there are also many people with common sense and empathy for their birds! - Thank you again.
Personally, I think that if someone opts to dislike a video such as this one (i.e. a topic that that warns of a potentially fatal outcome), they should at least have the decency to write a comment expressing their reasoning.
All of the comments here are positive, so the disliker has opted to condemn the video without providing any information as a counter.
You have demonstrated your credibility as an outstanding bird trainer, so it is very annoying to see some thoughtless, anonymous person come by and ruin the perfect score of a perfectly made video.
It takes a split second to click the 'thumbs down', and it was just disheartening to see it on a video with such valuable information for bird health.
So I felt that I should comment, in the hope that dislikers might see it and take the time to educate us on the supposed benefits of cage invasion...
Your cause is noble and I agree with your curiosity. Yes, it surely would be interesting to hear their reason. But then again, this is the Internet, and people form opinions on all kinds of factors. Perhaps they didn't like the shaky cam at the beginning, or the voiceover, or this stance on the matter; perhaps they've simply had a bad day, or this cropped up in their newsfeed and they have no interest in birds. Whatever it is, it's all right. That said, I appreciate where your heart is. :)
Thanks so much for recommending me this video when I commented about taming my cockatiel this was very helpful and I won't put my hand in the cage anymore!
My pleasure, glad it helped! Best of success building a bond with your cockatiel outside the cage - if you need anything, feel free to ask.
I think it depends on the situation. My finch likes to stare at me and sing when I change water or food. If you move slowly and try talking or whistling to it, the bird becomes quite calm.
Thank you so much for this! I never thought of it that way but it does make sense... like friendship, its best to not force
Um how do I make Charlie social because he loves me but utterly refused to be near anyone else and it annoying because sometimes I'm sleep ate in the weekend and my sister gets him God knows how but I can tell Charlie is mortified and the minute he sees me he flies to my hand and screams like as though trying to tell me how much he hates my sister never let her near him then my dad calls us to eat breakfast and I have Charlie my dad starts screaming
WHY DO YOU HAVE CHARLIE AND NOT MELANIE
YOU ARE SO SELFISH YOU DO THIS WITH EVERY PET
MELANIE GOT HIM FIRST SHE GETS TO HOLD HIM
SHE IS ONLY HERE TWICE A MONTH AND SHE WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM
I get so mad I yell
WOW YEAH JUST TREAT CHARLIE LIKE HES AN OBJECT AND NOT A LIVING CREATURE WITH STRONGER EMOTIONS THAN YOU COULD DREAM OF
Then I put charie in his cage and yell
THERE NOW MELANIE CAN BE THE BIRD EXPERT HOW ABOUT THAT SHE DOES NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT HIS DIET SHOULD BE BUT DO I CARE NOPE LET HER STICK HER HAND IN THE CAGE GRAB HIM DO WHATEVER SHE WANT BECAUSE APPARENTLY TO ALL OF YOU HE IS JUST A TOY
And just so you know he flew to me it was his choice
Please help if he does not become social properly my dad is going to make me more sad than I already constantly am
And I don't know the proper way to do it
You cannot make a bird "social" by your definition. Explain to your father and your sister that if they want to interact with the bird, they will have to go through the same taming steps as you. Give them this example: Just because you have a good friend at school/work, does that mean you'll be friends with every random stranger off the street because he's human, too? The answer is a clear "no", and the same goes for a bird's mind: They trust people on an individual basis, not generally. Every stranger (= everyone who doesn't interact with the bird on a DAILY basis) is perceived as a threat by a bird, and leaving a bird with such a stranger is very stressful for the bird. I repeat, your sister would have to interact with Charlie daily for Charlie to be comfortable around her. If she only has time for him twice a month, the best she can do is feed him the occasional treats and thus built a positive base of interaction for the bird. But she will have to accept that he will be a lot less comfortable around her than he is around you. This is ingrained in the biological nature of birds, there is nothing that can be done about it except for your sister taking it very, very slow and taming him herself with the gentlest method possible.
Also, I know it is hard particularly when you're speaking to people who know less about birds than you do, but remember that everybody can be educated and taught about them. Instead of yelling, try taking a few deep breaths and explain the needs of your bird with as calm and rational a voice as possible. Don't yell back at people even if they yell at you. If you manage to state the facts calmly and clearly (even if you have to repeat them for a couple of weeks), other people will come to their senses eventually. As an owner, it's your duty to protect Charlie from harmful scenarios, and keeping calm will go a long way.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks thanks and yup I have been explaining they have to do the same process and no they still rush it 😐 guess I have to watch Charlie like a hawk (friendly of course 😂)
Crazy_parrot _person Do whatever you want but pls don’t scream while he’s hearing you he will be scared. (He=your parrot)
I just deleted a few bookmarks that suggested this, I have subscribed, great stuff, I am thinking of getting a Finch or two, I am trying to learn how to keep them properly, thank you!
Thank you so much please continue making videos about birds 🐦
I am learning so much ❤️
Hello, thanks for the information. Just purchased my first bird today… it’s a Yellow Canary. I named her “Lovely” I also got my daughter a couple of birds. Hers are Society Finch. My son went a different route, he got a Bearded Dragon! Those were our new additions today… we already have a dog, and some fish.
Hi there, congratulations on your new family members! Since Lovely is your first bird, may I suggest getting a second? Canaries are difficult to tame, and they are more likely to be sociable with humans (and also more healthy, more relaxed...) if they have a companion of their own kind. They are incredibly intelligent birds, too -- newest research shows they have the intelligence of a two-year-old human toddler! They need a quiet place to rest (rectangular cage with at least two sides + the top covered) and lots of mental stimulation (paper toys, a feathered companion, lots of bird-safe fresh veggies, NO avocados and no mirrors though!). Hope this helps!
*Hello beautiful people, sorry for the long break - a new video is coming this April 15th! If you have any requests, feel free to leave them in the comments. Stay tuned :)
Edit: Trying to make it a good one - date updated! Can't wait to share!*
Great.. would like to see you guys again. How about correct perches for birds as a informative vid.
+Blazemalta Thank you, that's an excellent idea! Happy to see you around, hope all is well with you and Gigi :)
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks
upload more vids so that i can learn how to tame my gold finch .thanks for the tips
what about changing water or food dishes etc?
I'm getting budgies soon and definitely agree. But I'm also worried about the first weeks. Food and water containers are all accessible from the outside of the cage, and I also checked for a way to attach millet without reaching into the cage. But for example I will have to reach into the cage to remove the transport cages after they got out and settled into the cage. The cage is rather big and has big doors so the best option for letting them out seems to be putting the transport cages into the cage and opening them.
Hey Jasmin, well done for researching so thoroughly before getting birds! Don't worry about reaching in once to remove the transport boxes - that's just a one-time action and birds are very forgiving about those (and your budgies will be very nervous the first day, anyway, regardless of what you do). This video is more about _constantly_ putting one's hand in the cage, as some people do. Best of success with your budgies!
Thanks for your very helpful videos. I have a canary that I'm trying to tame. I didn't know this thing about not putting your hands in the cage. I usually do it very gently exclusively to give and change fresh fruit and vegetables. I've been following your advice for a week or so and today the canary ate from the hand behind bars. Do you think it's still possible to win his trust anyway? (obviously not doing it anymore)
Well done! I think you are on the right track :) Birds are really good in recognising changed behaviour, so all should be well if you keep up the great work!
@@leporellothegoldfinch Thank you so much :)
This makes a lot of sense! I just got a green cheek conure almost a week ago. He's very shy and I thought maybe putting my hand in slowly would get him used to the idea of my trying to touch him. I had no ill intentions but now I unde rstand why he would avoid my hand at all costs. Great video btw!
1:41 yo he FLIPPING me off lol
Love this video I'm looking at getting a finch so these are helpful
If my canary flies away around the room...how do I get him back to his cage?
Hello, thank you a lot for this video, but how can I do to cut my bird's nails ? I should put my hand in the cage, I have no choise. Please can you advise me ?
I adopted my boy at about 2 or 3 years old. He is wild. I can’t give him medicine or clip his nails if i do not reach in to his cage. He’s been with me for 4 years, he lets me put my head next to him and stand close and sing to him (outside of the cage). I get what you are saying. No one should ever crowd or force interaction, because it can kill them, frightens them, etc. A bird is not a toy, its a wild creature. But I also think maybe it underestimates a bird’s understanding that if he’s lived with you for years, he doesn’t see you as a huge threat. I think they are wild and demand to be independent ( I have a grass keet, so a small one like a finch, not a big parrot), and they deserve to be respected and treated with care. I’ve handled my bird for about a dozen times over 4 years. I can see that he knows I’m not a big threat, but nevertheless he demands autonomy.
You can train your bird to “consent” and allow you to grab and hold them. Go to flock talks channel she has a whole video about it I think the title is something like “grabbing my birds wing”
So, can I use the little doors on the walls, for feeding and giving fresh water? Because they don’t freak out when I do that.
Yes, excellent idea!
What a fantastic channel, I’ve just got two finches and it’s been a great help!!! Thank you ♥️
My pleasure, happy to help :)
Hi, I got a diamond dove 4 days ago and I've broken the rule of putting my hand in my birds cage when i shouldn't because I didn't know any better. I've never had a bird but I've been diligently researching how to care for them when i came across your video. I can coo at her and she sings back to me but she's still quite timid when i get too close to her. I bought a larger cage for her that i will set up with all the right things including the feeders you linked in the description so that i dont have to stick my hand in anymore when i change her water and give her fresh food. I'm hoping i can start over with her with this new cage so that our relationship is less forced for her. I've let her out the cage on her own accord a few times and it was hard getting her back in since coaxing her with treats doesn't work so my mum has had to get her to hop on a perch and hold it in her cage until she hops off. Looking up information for diamond doves as pets is hard since most of the search results either pulls up mourning doves or conures. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right. Do you think that starting over with a new cage (which I was going to get anyways since her current one is just a starter size) and building trust with the correct feeing methods will work? ALso at night since i stay up late in my room, We put her cage in a quieter room which requires me picking the cage up with the carrier handles. She's a bit used to that but the new cage i ordered is big with wheels. I was wondering if putting a blanket over her cage at night while i use earbuds for devices would help her get good sleep or would rolling her cage in the room she normally is put it at night would be equally acceptable? I used multiple devices at night so it might keep her up even if i use earbuds for one device which is why i'm asking if rolling her in the other room would be ok to do at night.
That gold finch is so cute
What if my budgie is half-tamed and likes eatind from the hand? Is it okay?
No! See the explanation in the video. A bird's cage must be their safe space where nothing and nobody can follow them.
A while back I had a goldfinch in a breeding cage in a shed and some how one of the feeders fell off and he got out . The shed was bird proof and I was in a rush the gold finch was not tame .So I left him until I came back there was food and water in the shed as I kept Young canaries free in the shed .when I came back the goldfinch was back in his cage .I found it amazing that he was so devoted to his canary .that he came back to her.
Nice story! Yes, birds have an incredible capability for bonding with other birds (or indeed, their owners). Some bird breeders in North Africa/the Middle East will let their finches fly free outside, knowing that as long as the birds' partner is around as an "anchor bird", the finches will not fly away, but always stay in the proximity of the anchor bird's cage. (Don't try this at home, though!)
How to clean or maintain the cage in this case?
NEVER when the bird is in it. First, the stress from the hand plus the cleaning supplies is huge. What's even worse, birds have incredibly sensitive respiratory systems, so any cleaning fumes are toxic for them (even natural essential oils!). Most cages can be separated into a top and bottom half. Cage cleaning should always be done during a bird's free flight session. Usually the top half only needs a quick wiping down with a wet cloth, anyway. (Again, this is not be done if the bird is inside the cage, but most birds will be quite happy perching on top of it, watching you work.) - One then takes the bottom have and leaves the top (wire) half in the room, so that the bird can perch on his cage if he wants to. Outside, you can then clean the bottom half properly: empty the bedding, wash and scrub it thoroughly under the shower with hot water and a mild dish soap, rinse, dry thoroughly with a towel and then refill with clean bedding. After this, you take the bottom half back to the room and put the wire half back on top. That's it.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks
Thank you for the answer. It will be interesting to told us some tips about free flight.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks I have a pair of lovebirds that are wild and when let out they fly in panic and fly into lights, etc.. I am working on building a trusting relationship but they have never been handled or tamed properly. So far they are not interested in companionship as the male and female pair are strongly bonded to one another. How do I clean the cage in this case without having to grab them and transfer them to a mini cage? Any advice helps.
Thank you for the valuable information. Your lessons are the best I've seen thus far.
Thank you, glad to be of help :)
How do I clean its cage ?
Question, how do you clean a cage with a bird inside?! Answer: You can't. Cages are cleaned on a bird's daily free flight session. I will upload a video on cage cleaning in about a week.
How should I change my bird's food bowls in the early days of his sytay in my house then?
Oh and this apply to budgies also?
Always use exterior feeders and water dispensers. Not only are they less stressful for the bird, they also allow for a stranger to care for your bird (when you're on holiday) and they are much hygienic because the bird cannot soil them with droppings.
Our new blue and gold will just fly out and crash into a window or wall... what do I do
There's a birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you.
Good afternoon from the uk and Zoro my wild rescued goldfinch you might remember. I have a question you might be able to help with. I give him vitamin supplement for his vitamin D mainly but he’s not keen on it in his water. He’s now wants to take more baths outside his enclose so he drinks then (cheeky fello) and he’s taken to pecking away on his daily cucumber chunk to make drinking well! It would be easier I could give him his vit supplement on a treat as I seem to recall on one of your vids, but what treat? What does leporello like and how do you get him his vit d (zoro won’t eat egg!)
I hope you keep posting your vids.
Hi there, I suppose you could always put some droplets on his slice of cucumber? I generally just put a droplet of multivitamin on a hemp seed and feed it directly. Note that Zoro might not like this at first - it definitely takes them a while to get used to it! If it's only his vitamin D levels you're looking to crank up, a better alternative would be to move his cage closer to a window (must be draught-proofed) or install a flicker-free bird lamp (they are available on Amazon, for example). Natural UV-light (again, if coming from a lamp, MUST be a bird lamp will ramp up your bird's vitamin D production naturally, as it is a vitamin that is synthesised by the body. Same thing goes for humans, by the way!
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks
Thanks the lamp looks like the answer. Zoro is next to floor to ceiling windows but the glass means no Vitamin D3. I’ll check out the lamp it might be nice for me too! He won’t eat hemp seeds and stubbornly sticks to tiny seeds like nyjer with some linseed and also millet and he’s just taken to liking sesame (a lot). He likes strawberry’s for the seeds he picks out. His enclosure always has about 15 food based items and he naturally forages most of the day. The vitamin D3 has been my only nutritional problem.
Looking forward to more of your posts.
Thanks again J.
Sounds like you're giving Zoro an amazing life!! It always makes me happy to read comments like yours. It just occured to me that one could hook up the bird lamp to a timer, so that it switches on automatically half an hour after sunrise and switches off again half an hour before sunset. Then all one would have to do would be to adjust the time every week or so to reflect the seasonal change.
And yes, goldfinches that have been separated from their parents at a young age often refuse to eat larger seeds. This is because large seeds such as white sunflower or milk thistle have to be chiselled open with the beak, an acquired technique young finches normally learn from their parents. But who knows - perhaps Zoro will start nibbling on hemp seeds after all! It took Leporello a couple of years (!!! yeah I know) to figure out milk thistle seeds. They are clever little buggers, after all!
Leporello the Goldfinch
Good afternoon, lamp on order. I think here is is the only way I can post you a link to meet Zoro?
ua-cam.com/video/r7GqmG9W8c8/v-deo.html
Not to keen on public posts!
Smashing! OMG I can't say how much love I have for your post! Zoro looks happy and healthy, in a really nice enclosure - and what an ingenious idea to use water dispensers as a way to keep greenery fresh and handy!!! I'll definitely be adopting your brilliant idea! Would you be OK with being mentioned as the inventor in one of the upcoming videos?
Hey Hannah thank you for your response. My babies are now 4 months old :) they are getting used to my hand. I will be letting them fly around very soon :) they have big cages so plenty of space but yes ı agree not to keep them in cages all the time. I am struggling with mite spray too as ı dont want to handle them...any advice on spraying them without scaring them? :)
I don't know who Hannah is, but CAUTION, mite spray should NEVER be used on birds, it is toxic to their airways!!! If you have a mite problem, adopt a rigorous cleaning routine (cleaning the cage daily with hot water and dish soap), and sprinkle the cage floor and corners with diatomaceous earth, as this will kill mites effectively. - If your birds don't have mites, you don't have to do anything!
@@leporellothegoldfinch hannah was one of the commentors :) ...
Thank you for your response :) I use a natural spray called KG which guarantees not to contain chemicals...one of my birds is itchy as she was the runt of the litter and spent more time in the nest than the others and ı worry about her the most. There is so much different information everywhere its confusing knowing whats best. Id find it difficult to deepclean all 3 cages everyday especially as my birds are not usedto me yet and im not ready to let them out as the room needs further organisation with perches etc. They had a little flight but it didnt go too well so ı will be solving the problem of why :) ...vets say they need to be sprayed as no bird can be without mites...ı just dont know whats best for the birds as in the wild they could roll around in dust etc but at home they rely on me
@@leporellothegoldfinch ım looking into the product you suggested as we speak :) ♡
Hellooo Again :)
Great vid.. and it makes a lot of sense. A cage for a bird is its castle.. if it doesn't feel safe there it will always feel stressed.
I have the opposite problem with Gigi.. He likes his cage to much as I told you last time when he is out of his cage (whichever the room), even when he flies around the room he always lands back on his cage. I must admit it is more of a good thing then a bad thing.. I have control of him that way.
But that inhibits him from landing somewhere else like for example my hand.
I do put my hand in his cage because I give him his treats in an internal feeder and he doesnt mind now that he knows he is soon going to eat something good the second after my hand is back out. Have I ever told you that Gigi is a cross between a Goldfinch, a monkey, and a pig?
Time is the trick here.. you cannot do something that takes months in days.. A bird is so many thousands of times smaller then us so who blames them for the long process of taming.. and some never get tame.
Thanks and hope you have a great year ahead :)
Heeeey! So many great points in your comment.
Haha, the not wanting to land anywhere else but the cage seems to be a goldfinch thing - Leporello only lands on his cage too, except when I'm in another part of the room, then he'll follow me, but he generally wouldn't fly there on his own. And even the following part took several months to years for him to do... goldfinches are smart, and part of that intelligence is increased caution, I suppose. Don't worry, Gigi will get there eventually, you two already have an excellent bond :)
Getting Gigi to land on your hand can take some time, but the easiest way to start is to get him to hop on your hand by showing him a treat, rewarding him, and then gradually increasing the distance day by day. I understand that you and Gigi are already doing this - like when you show him a bowl of egg food - which is great! That's already a sign of Gigi's great and growing trust. Perhaps you could start luring him with smaller and smaller treats. That said, these little guys do have their own heads, so they might not deem it worth the effort to fly over to you if you're not waving a treat to them (even Leporello doesn't always, and that's okay). Eventually, as time goes by, Gigi will start seeking out your company on his own accord, whether you're holding a treat or not. This can take months or even years, but when it happens at last, how sweet that is! :)
Even Gigi.. he is like Leporello following me. He can't stand it when I am leaving the room he is in. If he is in his cage he whistles loudly, and if he is out of his cage he takes flight and tries to follow me.. Its as if im his flock leader.
Sometimes my wife tries to feed him with a treat when he is in his cage, but he rarely takes it even though she loves him like I do and never shown aggression towards him or shouted at him.
With me on the other hand he takes food from my mouth with no hesitation. There certainly is a bond between us..
Another thing is that he rarely sings when I'm in the same room. On the contrary he sings when he is on his own or my wife is in the same room, but not when I am. I think it is because he feels that once I am near him he has his companion and there is no need to sing to attract anyone else. Maybe it sounds silly but that's how it is.
I have high hopes that he will be like yours one day.. since there is the bond.
Fingers crossed and we'll see.
From what I can tell by your anecdotes, you really couldn't be doing any better. Congratulations. You and Gigi are already a fine example of a true bird-human friendship, and I have no doubt you'll grow even closer as time goes by. Well done you :)
I have da same prblm
Hi I have a parrotlet I re homed. Do you think a canary or goldfinch would make a good companion. I'm thinking canaries have been breed to be less social and maybe it's singing would entertain the parrotlet while I'm not home. I would let them both fly around the room while I'm home. Do you think this would work?
Hi there, no!!! This absolutely won't work. Parrots/parrotlets and finches are completely different animals! That would be like an alien putting you in a room with a lion with the argument that you are both mammals. Parrotlets are incredibly social and need another parrotlet to survive. Canaries on the other hand can be incredibly territorial and aggressive. These two species do not go together. If you get another bird, I strongly suggest getting another parrotlet. They are easier to tame in a pair and surprisingly, also quieter.
Hi there, I hope you are doing well and thank you for the problem you are raising this time that many people don't give attention, however i always put my hand inside the cage to fill the feeders. Is that a problem? Thanks
Hi there, it's better to have a cage with exterior feeders, however if that's not an option, changing food/water must obviously be done by reaching into the cage. It is not ideal, but you can make it easier on your bird(s) by 1) moving calmly and 2) doing it around the same time every day, so they at least get used to the routine.
How are you not famous?
Because as an introvert, that would be the worst thing ever! But I appreciate your thought :)
I tamed my gouldian finches so I sat in front of the cage for 15 minutes and slowly approached each time and finally put my hand in a cage and the birds slowly started to come to my arms. I did it because every time I cleaned the cage they would fly. They would make a mess but now they stand in place while Im clean. I did not have to transfer them to a smaller cage (sorry for bad English)
I really love your goldfinch 🕊💕
Hi i need to ask an important question! I moved my cockatiels into a new bigger cages but they flew away from me and i had to catch them and threw a shirt over one of the two because i couldnt catch him and i feel like hes scared of me more than before but theyre both in a better cage and how can i build their trust from here on ? Must i give them a lot of time?
Not necessarily. I recommend you start with the first video on the birdtaming playlist on this channel and work your way up.
@@leporellothegoldfinch thanks so much i watched them earlier thank goodness and i started already!
@@leporellothegoldfinch they both kind of hit the wall because they tried to fly away ..i feel like they got really stressed out but now theyre okay in their new cage and i gave them a honey treat stick
@@leporellothegoldfinch so now they have both eaten some milet i stuck through the gate but they are hesitant but will eventually have a little bit and leave ..i have treats as well but putting my hand in the cage with the treats isnt a good idea is it
I have put my hand in to the cage two times and now my canary scares more at my hand, what should i do?help me!
Maksud Eren Kartal me tooooo... HEEEEELP
Thank you for another superb video! This information makes perfect sense, and I am using your gentle method to tame my canary, after many months of inadvertently sending him mixed signals by putting my hand in his cage, and so far, it's working beautifully! I do have a question, though: once a bird is tame, how do you go about handling him if you need to trim his nails, etc., without traumatizing him and losing his trust? Will he tolerate being held in your hand? Thanks!
Hi Sara, so great to hear that you and your canary are beginning to understand one another! Good question about the nail trimming. The method I prefer is to just very carefully cut the easy-to-reach hind and longest front claws with straight nail scissors when the bird is sitting on an outside perch, sleeping at night (with the lights on, of course, so you can see what you're doing). You can only cut one nail at a time because the bird will wake up from the snapping noise, but it's a very gentle and stress-free way, as you don't have to grab your bird in any way. I've found that as long as the thick hind claws and the longest front nail are kept at a normal length, the other two nails will either wear down on their own or the bird will even trim them himself with his beak. Having natural wood perches of varying diametre in your canary's cage instead of industrial, uniform wooden sticks (and definitely not sandpaper coverings!) aids with natural wear-down, too. Hope this helps!
Excellent-- thank you for your reply! I realize my bird has been extending friendship to me all this time by responding to my voice when I talk to him, (even imitating my whistles and matching pitches with me!), but it turns out I've been the unreasonable friend who wouldn't listen! :(
Aww! Don't worry, it's never too late to start over - it sounds like you and your feathered friend are on the best possible track now! :)
Thank you for the words of encouragement! Pùnkitititi the canary sends his regards!
😱 What an awesome name! Mozartian greetings back!
Thank You Very Much for the valuable information you shared in your videos.Especially this one is crucially important.👍👍💞🐦🐤💞
i have two gouldian finch birds and i really want to tame they, and after watching your videos. i will try all you are saying. i really want to let them fly aroundin my room. but, i need to put my hand inside their cage when im changing food. my birds is not that tame yet, and im to afraid to let them out free flying beause im to scared that they will not go back inside the cage. did you first tame your bird before you let him out. or did you let him free flight after some weeks? i have had my birds for 3 months soon. so they should be safe there in the room. they are in my bedroom there i spend my day almost all time after work. and they sleep with me and are talking to me and are really curious and talks back when i go to their cage and are talking to the birds. so do you think i can let them freee flight?
Very good video but I was just wondering how would you put food into a bowl that is in the birds cage .
Most bird cages come with exterior feeders, which avoid the issue altogether. However if your cage doesn't have them, it's fine to reach in once a day to change feed and water, preferably at the same time every day. It's important to move calmly and not try and touch the bird in any way. Again, exterior feeders/water fountains are to be preferred.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks thanks for the reply
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks in planning to buy an exterior bath for my finches with glass around so when I change the water I don't scare them
hello, I have a question, I love very much exotic plants ( citruses ) and I also want to buy a bird and leave the bird free in my room, my question is if a bird could rip off the leaves of my plants.
one year ago I left the window open so wild birds can come in and eat seeds, the wild birds always ignored my plants, I don`t know about parrot or canary or a bird like your if it could defoliate my plants.
Yes, they could. Especially parrots (including little budgies) like to shred foliage. This is more dangerous for your birds than for your plants, though, especially since many houseplants are toxic (ficus, for example). Citrus plants should be safe because their leaves are too thick for most birds' taste. Canaries and goldfinches generally don't shred plants as much, either. As said, please make sure to remove any toxic plants first before letting your birds out of the cage, and you should be good to go.
I use alot of toxic sprays on my plants to kill the mites, somehow I will try to find this bird not interested about my plants, maybe a lazy bird, I saw one very lazy at pet shop. or will try to teach my bird to ignore my plants. I want a bird but I am also worried about my plants, I care very much about my plants.
Okay how can I put this... one just cannot use toxic sprays in the same room as birds. Birds have incredibly sensitive respiratory systems and can die at trace amounts of toxins in the air, long before they become dangerous to humans. This is why even air freshener sprays carry warnings that they are not to be used in rooms with birds, and why canaries were once used by miners... (click Read More to expand)
If you really want a bird (better: two birds), you'll have to either keep them in a different room or remove the plants from the room that they are in. They are living, intelligent beings with a consciousness and there is no way around this. There is no such thing as a "lazy bird", birds at pet shops who look lazy are likely ill and should not be purchased (in fact, pet shops are generally not a good place to buy birds).
Point being, even if you've got a bird who doesn't care about plants, all it takes is just one fume from an insecticide spray can or one nibble from a sprayed plant, and the bird might die in agony. You'll never forgive yourself if that happens to you. Please don't do that. Decide what's more important to you, your plant or a bird, because you can't have it both. All pets require certain lifestyle adjustments and birds do, too. Also bear in mind that many birds live between 10-15 years, so please think about whether you'll still want to care for them several hours every single day for a decade or more. They are a serious commitment that should not be taken lightly.
Also, just in case this isn't obvious, a bird cannot be taught to ignore certain plants. This is because birds have an innate need to forage, glean and nibble, and this drive cannot be overridden.
I agree with you, this is why I am not in a hurry to buy a bird. I wait for spring to come for the moment and take a decision. I like white or yellow birds, canary the most.
I subscribed to your channel, since you are very cute and you love animals, you should have exotic plants also or plants of any kind. do you know why I chose citruses plants ??? because their needs are very similiar to my needs, they hate winter, I hate winter, they hate cold temperatures, I hate cold temperatures, they hate very hot temperatures, I hate very hot temperature, they love the sun, I love the sun. If I feel I must take an extra t-shirt on me, I know is time to close the window for my plants. I treat my plants with my needs and my plants are very happy.
Hi:) I just discovered u, and I must say u are absolutely amazing! I have 2 questions, perhaps u can help me with, first I would like to know where I can find the cage u have? 2nd I have 2 finches- my first 1 Fini is an orange cheek waxbill male (I have for 1 yr), the 2nd one is a red cheek cordon bleu male I have since March (6 months) Tristan. They are currently caged separately , I would like to cage them together, they both have flight cages Prevue- (same size) they are both waxbills and usually compatible however, Fini I found at my local pet store and then due to the hurricane in puerto rico the supply of finch birds to NY diminished- and basically there were only zebra finches/society which were both larger than my orange cheek and the zebras are more aggressive, so I made the mistake of ordering out of state my cordon bleu who arrived pretty traumatized and very wild. I have kept them caged separately, now that we are at the 6 month mark he is becoming more tame- and I would like to order a different cage and try to house them together / this way they wont fight over territory, Ive heard to put one thing from each cage in the new cage... just wondering your advice on how to go about doing this, I know this is a lengthy comment/ question, but I wanted u to have as much info as possible so u would have a clearer understanding of my situation. The cages are currently about 2 feet apart, they do communicate with one another and copy each others behavior, but sometimes I come home and they are both just sitting there looking at each other, and I feel if they were in the same cage they would be more interactive.
Hey, welcome to the community, and congratulations on your taming progress! To answer your questions:
1) My cage is an old Ferplast model, I got it second-hand off my local version of Craigslist. Second-hand cages are very cost-effective and tend to be spacious, one just has to make sure to clean them very thoroughly before use.
2) To get the birds used to one another, have you tried letting one fly free while the other stays in their cage? You could alternate their free flight sessions this way and you would instantly see whether one starts harassing the other, or whether they try to make contact on a friendly level. If they try to interact with one another through the cage bars, that would definitely be a good sign!
i have a question. my bird is new and whenever i try changing the birds food/ water (can be chsnged from the outside) he goes out of his way to try and bite my fingers
I bought budgies a week ago and I've been doing things wrong. I want now to start a new but I need to clean the cage cz it's a mess. How can I do that without scaring them? And how long should I keep doing this step before going to step (1) in your video list?
Hi there, congratulations on your new friends! The cage can only be cleaned when your birds are outside of it. This is no problem, since birds need at least six hours of free flight every day (more is better). Just make sure your room is bird-safe (no mirrors, uncovered windows, toxic plants, open flames, uncovered water bowls/aquariums etc) and let your birds come out on their own accord. There is a birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you tame your birds bit by bit every day.
can i ask do you got only one male goldfinch ? do you ever breed your goldfinch or never?
I don't breed. This channel is about keeping goldfinches as companion pets.
i know just asking that goldfinch how many years you had and he must breed as any other bird nature ?
sorry to ask for
Thank you very much for saying this, i have two love birds for quite a long time but they're really scared of everyone. I saw some videos about how to train them, which included putting your hands in the cage for some minutes everyday so the birds gets 'used' to the hand and I did that, then I also picked one with a towel as the people suggested, but the bird was so scared, his hearth was beating really fast and he was trying to get away and bite me even tho I tried to calm him, so I decided to put him in the cage because I know birds can die of stress. I saw your video about how to train birds and now I decided to re-do everything since I destroyed any little hint of trusting I had with them. I have a question tho, after they're not scared around me when they're in the cage, how do I pick them up so he can stay in my hand eccetera?
Hi there, well done for starting over! The next step would be to train your birds to eat from your hand: ua-cam.com/video/Edx5XzvOrp4/v-deo.html
Thanks so much for your wonderful channel. It has taken me much trial and error to discover some of the same information; many more of your suggestions are new to me and I'll certainly try them. My bird friends are WILD URBAN HOODED CROWS. We have known each other for at least 6 years, and they retain their natural caution, yet we are still often finding new ways to widen our mutual trust. Yesterday for the very first time, the male crow sat right down and indicated that i could stroke him, which i then did for several minutes! I am always deeply impressed with the way he appears to use his intellect to overcome a natural fear when it seems worth trying. You can see a very few of our interactions on my channel.
I just checked out your videos - amazing! You have great talent with birds.
My bird eats off my head 😂😂
Just one question about not putting your hands in the cage, how do you change the seeds in the feed bowl when that is inside the cage?
Get exterior feeders if possible. If not possible because your cage doesn't allow it, change the food bowls while the birds are outside the cage on their daily free flight session.
Beautiful birds 💖
Interesting. That goes against everything i've read/heard so far on bird taming. All sources mention putting one's hand in the cage as an inevitable step at some point.
Just because something is repeated often doesn't mean it's right.
Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks but how do we know your right
Thanks you! Me and my budgie we’re getting closer but when I put my hand in his cage he was breathing hard. Now I just put it outside the cage for 20-30 mins and talk to him but not try to touch him.
I love your references!
I got them kinda of used to my hand by putting their favorite food cup in it on the other side of the cage, far from them , lol and after a while they couldn’t handle being apart from their fav food and they stopped being terrified of me IM PROUD recommend trying it!
Love your videos ! So helpful
Hey, i have a question, would it be okay if i only put my hand a little but inside the cage with food on after almost a month of interacting with the bird and getting it used to my presence and hand? Would it still be wrong?
Please reply!
Yes. Never means never. No bird likes this.
How do I clean the cage? I sometimes remove one perch at a time to wipe it.
Thank you for this information. I did not know about it before I saw your video. Now I have a problem because my bird's cage was made by my father years ago (not for this specific bird) and there is no way of changing his food or water without me sticking my hands inside. I have moved everything as close to the door as possible to make it less stressful for my bird and whenever I am home I open his cage. He doesn't trust me so I just let him explore and he usually goes inside on his own when he gets bored, but I keep talking to him while he is out and he is approaching me more and more each day.
Should I try to get another cage though? I don't want the bird to be scared every time I have to change his food and sometimes he doesn't want to go out, so I can't always change the food and water without him being there.
Hi there, yes, in this case, getting a new cage seems like a good idea!
How do I put food in the cage without putting my hand in there? I have zebra finches they eat cucumbers
Zebra finches eat cucumbers? Thanks!
Heyy again👋🏻, thanks for this video it did help😝 but when am I supposed to put my hand in the cage cause i want to take my bird out of the cage ?
KSA_GIRLS XOXO You don't TAKE your birds out of your cage, you wait for them to come out on their own. If you make the outside fun for them (by offering them treats, for example), they will come out on their own accord. Just in case the obvious isn't obvious, NEVER GRAB YOUR BIRD. A grabbed bird will think it is about to die and can actually literally die of a heart attack.
great video 😍 my "mango" canary will thank you for this advice 😅
Thanks for the video! I have a question. My bird's food and water is inside of her cage which means that if she runs out of food or water, I have to put my hand inside her cage. And, yes, as you said, she goes crazy! Do you know what I should do? Should I keep on doing this or is there any other way to refill her food and water without putting my hand in? Anyway, thanks for the video, I've learnt alot from it. 😊
My pleasure! Yes, food and water must be changed daily. You should use exterior feeders/water dispensers for this purpose. They can be changed without opening the cage door/reaching into the cage at all.
+Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks Thanks for the reply! I will find outdoor feeders. Thank you!
What if the birds don't like leaving the cage? One bird only today finally went for a flight outside the cage and had a tough time finding his way back too(not the smartest if birds).
I bough outer feeders and have been cleaning the cage less often to avoid spooking them as the male had never left the cage.
They will not jump on my hand and get jumpy when I need to mess with the cage (refill feeders, put up a new toy or clean it especially) and they don't let my hands too near. Previously when I was giving them seed sticks with my hand inside the cage, they would sometimes use my hand to reach it if they were on the hungrier side, at one point even eating the seeds from my hand. They're budgies btw, I'm not sure what is right anymore. These ones I'm watching for a month and a half(soon giving them back to the owner who had them for a few months before having to leave for a while) but we want to get our own budgies soon.
Is it harder making friends with them because there's two of them?
Hi there, two birds are just as easy to tame as one. If you feel you're not being successful, that usually means there's a lack of consistency. There's a birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you. It is absolutely vital to train with your birds at least three times for five to ten minutes every single day. Anything less than that will rarely be successful.
If a bird doesn't like to leave their cage, it means they are too scared of their surroundings. Give it time. All birds will come out on their own eventually. New impressions are overwhelming, so it might take a while for your bird to find their way back in. This is no reflection of their intelligence; they will learn quite quickly once accustomed to their surroundings.
Lastly, budgies are by far the easiest bird species to tame. If you go at it with consistence, patience and respect for the animals, you WILL succeed; there is no way around it.
@@leporellothegoldfinch
Thanks for responding.
I think him crawling past the door may have something to do with the alpha female sitting by it, looking snappy. She is kind of bossy and chases him away from food and often toys too despite them having 2 feeders for this reason.
I have watched all the videos, but am taking it slow to try to undo the damage I probably did in the beginning. I have been progressively moving the cage closer to our chill out area and there is progress but I still feel like they see my hands as monsters, especially in the first part of the day.
I guess they just need more time but I still feel like a failure.
But I'm pleased that the boy landed and perched on my head today while flying around, I guess it means he doesn't fear me that much anymore.
@@leporellothegoldfinch Oh, sorry, just for clarification as I think I wasn't clear enough to understand: one of the birds has been flying around occasionally(at least once a day) but would only land on the top of the cage, the other bird left the cage today and although he was a bit scared and bad at flying, he did land on furniture and sit next to me on the bed and on my head too.
I'm thrilled he finally came out. The cage is open most of the day for them.
Nice! It sounds as if you're doing quite well. I think it's excellent that you're making an effort, and that your birds are flying free almost all day. You're well on your way. Tip: Keep a taming journal! That way it's much easier to keep track of your progress. And don't worry about your hands - this is always the part that all birds are scared of the most. This is perfectly normal, and it can be overcome. One just needs to condition them slowly and this takes time. You can do it!
@@leporellothegoldfinch I have a week left with these birds till they go back to the owner so likely they won't ever perch on my hands.
I will miss them but this birdsitting experience has taught me a lot and now I feel so much more prepared to take on the responsibility of raising our own birds. Thank you for the videos you have put out, they are very helpful.
I have a question: What if i need to clean their cage?
And i have a problem: Every one says that i need to get my bird out of the cage every day, but im to scared because when he gets free he fly around the house and he crush into objects and freaks out. How is Leporello so calm?
Make sure your room is bird-proof (don't let your bird fly around the whole house, of course he will panic), and most importantly, build trust with your bird first. There's a bird taming playlist on this channel which will help you.
I'm currently training my birds to step up onto a perch at the moment, but they won't do anything I stick my other hand into their cage with a treat to encourage them to step onto the stick. Do you have any tips for how I can train them without having to put my hand in the cage with the treat?
Yes. Stop putting your hand in their cage. Do your birds reliably eat from your hand when they're outside their cage (daily free flight session)? If no, train that. If yes, it's easy to get them to step up.
Is this the same for sun conures? Mine has never had a problem with it and prefers me to get him instead of him coming to me.
Yes, it's the same for all birds! If your bird doesn't seek you out by himself, that's a surefire sign that either 1) he hasn't bonded with you deeply yet or 2) he knows you're going to get him anyway. Sometimes birds train us rather than the other way around, you've got to watch out! :)
so how do i tame my bird? should i take it out of the cage? sorry for asking though!
Never take your bird out of their cage. They will come out on their own once they are comfortable. There is an entire birdtaming playlist on this channel which will help you.
Hey but how do you let leprleo out and I have two goldfinch :3
Thank you for sharing, what you said has a lot of sense. I new to your channel and you have a beautiful bird.😃
Hi there and welcome! Nice to meet you, and thank you for your kind words. If you have any questions, feel free to ask :)
I have a problem that my cage doesn't have feeders I could take from outside, and sometimes I need to stick my hand inside the cage to clean the perches. I also stick my hand only when I offer food to my bird, so he'll associate me with good things. Is that still bad thing to do?
Yes. Also cage cleaning should never be done with the bird inside - 1) it's incredibly stressful for the bird, and 2) there's no way to clean a cage properly with a bird still in it.
Best to get a cage with exterior feeders. Used cages are very cheap on sites like Craigslist. Just make sure to clean them properly before use.
@@leporellothegoldfinch I would, but at the moment I can't get a better cage and no matter what, my budgie just refuses to leave its cage. He did leave it Yesterday but that was because something fell on the ground, it scared him and he flew through the cage door. Then, the whole way he didn't know how to get back in. In my country it's much harder to get quality cages, 90% of them are small. And if I'm not supposed to put my hand in there, how do I tame him? I can't stick the spray millet in between the bars, they're not that big enough, and if they were, the bird could hurt itself.
my ringneck is scared from me and is always quiet i dont know why if u have any tips for that plz reply
I really did not know this, everywhere else you're always told by doing this the birds will start trusting you.. Now I've built the bird cage myself, and the food is quite far away and getting an exterior feeder is not an option for this one. Can I maybe just find a way around this by letting them out and when they're out and about in my room to fly around that I simply change food and water like that?
Yes! That would work.
What would be the most effective way to train your bird to come to you without putting your hand in the cage?
I also have another question
As a student i only get free time after 6:00 so is it still possible to give my budgie the attention it needs? Please reply😃
Check out the birdtaming playlist on this channel and also the links in the description box :)
@@leporellothegoldfinch
Thank you soo much! Im getting a budgie tomorrow and just want the best for my bird
I was told the opposite how do I undo the distrust
Start with the birdtaming playlist on this channel. Good luck.
Ok so your saying I shouldn't feed her how else am I supposed to feed her
Nope. Read the pinned comment or the description box.
Oh sorry