- 1). Set a bed time for your bird. Birds need between 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. Cover your bird's cage with bird cover made from a non-toxic poly-cotton fiber material. The cover must allow air circulation but prevent exposure to light. Allowing your bird to get sufficient sleep will aid control over it.
- 2). Allow your bird to get exercise. Ensure that the cage is the adequate size for your bird. The bird's cage should be three times the length of the wingspan on either side to allow the bird room to flap its wings. Larger birds may feel more comfortable in an aviary than a typical bird cage. Consider allowing your bird time outside of his cage. Close all of the windows and doors in the room in which it will fly. Let your bird fly in a room where it cannot perch out of your reach. Set the cage in the room with the gate open so that it can return for food and water when ready.
- 3). Wrap your bird in a towel and hold it at least once a week to engender a sense of comfort from this practice. Occasionally veterinarians need to wrap birds in a towel in order to administer treatment. Practicing the towel hold method will reduce the occurrence of stress at the vet.
- 4). Engage your bird daily by offering your hand or finger as a perch. Carry your bird around the house with you. Introduce your bird to new people and toys. Stroke its head and back with your finger. It may take time for a bird to learn to trust you in this, but over time the bond between you and your bird will increase, leading to better control of your bird generally.
- 5). Offer rewards to an unruly bird every time it behaves in a friendly manner. Extend your finger or a stick as a perch and if he accepts, offer him a reward. Feed treats when it lets you pet it and for returning amicably to its cage. The bird will learn what behavior is recognized and increase that behavior.
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