Spend time sitting in the room with your canary for the first several days. When you enter the room, make a low sound or whistle and then repeat the same sound or whistle every time you enter the room. This will become your “special noise” for your canary, which will signal her of your presence.
At night, cover her cage with a dark cloth so she knows when it’s night and time for bed. Take the covering off in the morning so she can recognize that it is day and time for activity.
Once she stops flitting around and grooming herself, you can begin to make closer contact with her.
Stress can kill canaries so focus on acting calm and soothing around her. Some canary owners create a certain low noise, like a humming or shushing, that they then repeat when they move close to the canary’s cage. The canary will get used to the “special noise” and come to associate it with their owner and with comfort. [7] X Research source
Change up the accessories to allow for variety, but keep only one or two items in the cage at a time. Note how your canary interacts with the toys, especially how she flies from perch to perch. You can also place a shallow water dish in the cage, along with her normal water dish, so she can take the occasional bath. Fill the plastic shallow dish with lukewarm water and place it on the floor of the cage. Be sure to clean it every day, along with your bird’s other dishes.
Slice up vegetables like broccoli, kale, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, and zucchini to offer as a treat. Fruits like apples, blueberries, bananas, grapes, peaches, and melons also work as great treats. Hold the treat lightly between your fingers so it is easy for your canary to pick it up. As you offer her a treat, look for any signs of stress, like panting from the mouth, jerking movements away from you, and if her feathers are lying flat against her body. If you note any of these signs, leave the treat in her cage, and remove your hand. You can try to give her a treat again the next day, but don’t be discouraged if she shows signs of stress. With enough patience and persistence, she will become more comfortable over time and start to respond to your treats. Once your canary starts to feel safe around you, she may tilt her head and squint at you. Some canaries will place one foot on your finger to show they are responsive to your presence in their cage. If your canary seems comfortable placing one foot on your finger for a long period of time, you can start to accelerate her training. [9] X Research source
To hold your canary properly, put your palm on her back and wrap your fingers around her by placing your thumb and forefinger on either side of her head. As you hold her, make the “special noise” and use your fingers to gently stroke down her back and then down the front of the body. This will soothe her and make her comfortable outside of her cage, as well as in your hands. [11] X Research source
You should also have another perch set up close to the cage, such as on branch on a potted tree or a toy perch, to give your canary somewhere to land after she flies. Avoid chasing your bird from her cage as this can spook her and make her fearful of leaving her cage. Even one bad experience can undo all the previous training and bonding you have done with your canary. Take it slow and let her come out of her cage on her own, with the help of a treat.
Once your bird is out of her cage, hold a treat in your hand, between two fingers. Create a perch with your two fingers together and out straight. Call your canary to you, using the “special noise”. If she lands successfully on your two fingers, reward her with a treat. Continue to do this until she seems comfortable landing on your hand. Over time, you can hide the treat until your canary lands on your hand, or in some cases, the top of your head. With enough practice, she should get used to landing on your hand or head when called.
Use fruit treats to encourage your bird to go back into her cage. Hold the treat between your fingers, just inside the cage. Once she is in the cage safely, reward her with the treat. On rare occasions, your bird may not want to go back into her cage, though it may be time for bed or you may be leaving the house. To do this, make the room dark and net her quickly and carefully. Be gentle as you place her back in her cage. Avoid netting your bird, unless absolutely necessary. [13] X Research source
