kiwibarb12 Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Now am the proud slave of a blue budgie, about 9 months old, that is an adoption. A lady contacted me to see if I would take her budgie, that was bought for her granddaughter - who lost interest in it quickly. So I took possesion of him Friday. So far this "free" bird has cost me about $100 in new toys, perches, food, book about budgies, and a table to rest the cage on. I think I have a bigger cage under the house from many years ago that I kept two budgies in , so I shall have to root around and find it. As every one knows with parrots , more room is better!!! So far he is doing well- skittish as all get out, but adapting to having new perches and toys - and chowing down of a spray of millet. Apparently millet is the budgie equivalent of chocolate :laugh: Now, I need advice on how to tame him. Do I just grab him and let him calm down, or be more subtle, and let him get used to me? Advice please from people who have accomplished this feat. thanks, Barbara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Congrats, Barbara on your new addition to your flock, I'm glad you could take it in and give it a home. Nothing is ever free, there is always something that empties the pockets. I don't have any experience with budgies, but Dblhelix or Tari are good ones to give you some pointers on how to tame him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dblhelix Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 To start, spend time right in front of the cage. Talk to the budgie. Read its body language and as it gets comfortable with your presence, your voice, your smell etc slowly place your hand in the cage. Always talk, make eye contact, read its response. This may take hours, days, weeks or months...eventually the little one will not be afraid of your hand and will step onto your hand. Once it is comfortable doing that in the cage you have made tremendous progress! As with anything, there is no set time line, its a matter of how the individual bird accepts new things/people and how much time and dedication you put in to it. Budgies can absolutely be extremely rewarding friends and are worth the effort. I have seen many a budgie not get the time/attention it deserves and people that are not in the know will ignorantly say they are not good pets. On the contrary, many can get vocabs in the 100s of words, have beautiful whisling melodies and be quite tame. They are all individuals of course and some will excel in certain things that others will not etc. Its all a matter of how much time you are willing to commit to the relationship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 kiwibarb12 wrote: Apparently millet is the budgie equivalent of chocolate :laugh: dblheix has given you some great advice, The main thing will be time & patience but you will get there As for the millet you are quite right budgies love it,personally when i was training my two i only used it as a treat,i never fed it to them in their cage,A good trick is to rest your hand in the cage while holding the millet, in time the budgie may well use your arm as a perch so he can get to the millet. Heres a picture of what i mean. good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Monique Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Slow and steady wins the race here. If you can get your budgie to take a tidbit from your hand that is a great way for them to learn that your hands are not for hurting them but that good things come from them. Patience patience patience. I had a budgie when I was a kid and people better stop posting pictures here or I'm going to want another one!! I know my daughter Sabrina would love one. She is too intimidated by the Grey because he's pinched her before. He does pinch a little hard when going to perch ... so I don't blame her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tari Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 I have nothing to add. Great advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Thanks for the great advice Mark & Traci. As you know we recently purchased 2 parakeets, and are working on these very same issues. Now we really have a game plan. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwibarb12 Posted September 2, 2007 Author Share Posted September 2, 2007 Thanks Guys - and that photo was very very cute I can see where it might inspire feelings of Budgie longings. I think he is doing well. Today I put my hand in the cage and offered him a nutriberry. He looked at it, made no motion towards it, so I backed off. I thought the fact that he didn't freak out at my hand was very positive! The millet idea as treats is great. I just put another sprig in his cage - chocolate makes everyone comfortable, so I hope he associates me with giving it to him. And I know he is eating it. Note to self - small steps, small steps!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 kiwibarb12 i would leave your hand in his cage for 5 minutes at a time so he can become familiar with it Keep us posted on your progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Small steps is right, a little at a time, don't want to overwhelm him. I like Tracy's idea of offering the millet on your hand, a very good way to get them used to the presence of the hand, and eventually he will get used to it. Glad to hear it is going along well but slowly, keep us informed of the progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwibarb12 Posted October 7, 2007 Author Share Posted October 7, 2007 I spent a while this morning offering Mickie millet. She actually wasn't too bad, not freaking out, just moving away when she judged my hand was too close. I left her door open, and went and sat at my computer, and when I came back she was out, on the floor. I caught her, and she bit the snot out of me. She must hone her beak on her concret perch! Then I sat down and held her against my chest, and dozed off for a while. She didn't try to get away or make a real effort to bite me - I was stroking her beak and chest. She ended up flying to the floor, so I slowly got up, and lay down about 3 feet from her with a spray of millet, and did a souko or two. She wasn't overly upset, just sat down and chirpped a few times. She even ate some millet. I ended up throwing in the towel - right over her head:P and put her on top of her cage. I sort of expected her to fly right off, but she stayed put, then the next time I looked she was playing inside her cage. Maybe she will eventually tame down. She seems less freaked out today then when I did this last time. so I am hopeful.:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 Sounds like you are making progress, slowly but surely, it takes time so keep at it and I am sure she will be eating out of your hand soon. Thanks for the update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 :laugh: you are getting there, 2 steps forwards & 1 step back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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