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Hello! I would like to start this by saying we have successfully bred and raised two chciks, one in wild blue and one in lemon yellow/ blue Patchwork. I dont know their official names xD Once they were strong enough to stand I started handling the chicks, with clean hands, for short periods. We opted out of hand raising as we all work, despite covid, and didnt have the time to ensure the chicks were fed often enough. Our hen and cock have done great for their first Clutch and at four weeks old the chicks are strong and chatty and getting ready to explore outside the nest box. The problem I have come across is the younger chick, the yellow one, is incredibly tame. Grooms my nose and chin and sits on my shoulder, loves very gentle pets. The older chick however, hides. All the time. Seeks out somewhere enclosed and dark and I can't seem to tame it. I have kept trying, and have been advised to try feeding the chick soft fruit. However it won't even consider eating from my hand. Should I continue trying the food? Or wait until they are wesned and try millet? I am keeping the younger chick and wish to keep the older one, as long as the sexes are the same, but if not the older one will be going to a family friend with a young boy so we are hoping to tame him for the boy.

Hi everyone! I’m new here, but my name is Aleesha So, I recently bought two new baby budgies on Saturday, on the 25th of April. One is 8 weeks old (Skye) and the other is around 5 weeks (Sunny). The breeder told us that they were both male by rubbing their cloaca, but I’m not sure if this is an effective way of sexing (If anyone knows, please let me know). They were both supposedly hand-raised, but when we bought them home, they were terrified, which is understandable. The second or third day we had them, my dad grabbed them out of the cage, and forced them to be held as he said this would make them get used to you. They were both so, so scared. He sort of cornered them in this little box we had and forced them to jump onto his hand. With Sunny, he placed him against his chest and held him there. I think he did this for at least three days, around 10-15 minutes each time til I finally got him to stop. They’re both quite afraid of hands now, but I’ve been sitting outside and they’re a lot calmer now but still quite far from being tame. So, my question is, is it still possible to tame them, at least so they will be able to step-up and aren’t so scared anymore. I’m willing to put in as much effort as is needed, although I can’t afford purchasing a second cage to tame them separately. If it is possible, can you please give me an estimated timeframe if I’m able to spend at least 4hours with them daily? I don't mind if it takes a long time, but we have a holiday coming up in December so I want them to be calm for whoever is caring for them then. Do you also have any tips for taming them?Thank you so much, I can’t wait to read your replies. I hope we can get to know each other lots better as I spend more time here. Also, feel free to ask for more details if my description was unclear.Take care, everyone

Hey! Yesterday I got two budgies, Marvin and Oliver - I like to call them Marv and Ollie. I heard it's quite hard to tame two budgies at once but I'm determined to do it. Anyone who's managed to tame two budgie at once, do you any advice/tips? How soon should I try letting them out of the cage+ how to hand train them? Thanks for any help x ☺️

Hi! I have a new budgie and I have gotten him so far to step up on my finger when I have a treat between my fingers. If, on the other hand, I don't have a treat he does not step up. Most of the time, in this case, I can get my finger just under his belly, but when I try to gently push, he resists. I don't think it would be a good idea to push to hard because he will fall off the perche or escape otherwise, probably leaving him a bad memory with regard to my finger. My question: How can I get him to voluntarily step up on my finger without a treat? His wings are unclipped and he is male and just starting to molt now (so must be around 3 months old, I suppose). Any suggestions? Thanks!

I got my two budgies eleven days ago from a pet store. One, the male, is flighted and I do not wish to clip his wings, and the other, the female, has french molt and lacks the ability to fly. I've had them well over a week, and they will eat, drink, and sometimes climb around the cage. My issue is taming them, because they don't seem to be making any progress. They are fine with me being in the room, but when I talk to them or enter the room they'll tense up. Pierre, the male, has only eaten millet spray from me once, and Luna has never. When I hold millet spray out to them Luna will try to get away and jump off the perch, and Pierre won't move much but doesn't seem interested in the millet. I want to know the best training method, be it tunnel or not. Most places say that they should like millet and come to me that way in as little as a few days, but that doesn't seem to be working for me. Second, I would like them to be out of the cage, but I've been told I need to tame them first and haven't made progress with that. I have a play gym for them out of the cage, but have no way of getting them out. Help, please? Thank you!