Woodie makes "awk awk awk awk awk" sounds when I catch her from making me chase her. I try to soothe her by petting with a finger her back feathers and cooing, "It's only Momma" while she tries to get out of my hands. Scratching and biting them, but not drawing any blood. Every once in a while she quiets down, then starts in a panic--quiets, then panics... UGH! How long does it take to make a panicked bird finally quiet down and relax other than being in its cage?

They have yet to land on me. Finger training...I wish I could do that, but they seem scared of my hands. How do I do that?

 

Cloud doesn't panic nearly as much and he's easier to handle. He doesn't squawk as much as Woodie does, though he has become increasingly aggressive and possessive of a top branch in the cage. The past few nights I've had to separate him from Woodie. Do the males get into moods too? I seem to go into this "ritual" more often when it's night-night time.

 

Help!!! What do I need to change or do better? I haven't had them for seven months yet, though getting closer to it.

Well first of all catching them is making them more fearful, no matter what I have read out there about different taming techinques I have found this one to be the most fearful.

 

When you catch them they are thinking you are a predator and your hands are the jaws to eat them. They don't like to be petted like the bigger birds and nice little itch with your finger but that takes time and trust. Pretty and Merlin won't let me do that.

 

I trained my the eterri way :(Laughing out loud): I say it that way because it comes from her website www.budgietalk.com but it another common way to train.

 

I also use the one that is willing to sit on my finger more and I don't say tamer. I feel Pretty is tamer then Merlin in different aspects but when it comes to sitting nice on my finger Merlin is better at it. I also offer them treat when they are my finger and working daily is a key.

 

I noticed that when I worked with them every 3 days vs every day Pretty was more stinky :(Laughing out loud): as I like to day when I work everyday I started to get kisses again from Pretty something I haven't had since Merlin came.

 

So 4 months later Pretty is starting to settle with his new friend and bring me back into his flock.

 

It takes time and patience.

Lovey,

Thanks for your perspective. I will have to try the eterri way. I don't mean to frighten them or anything. I hope they haven't lost their trust in me completely.

Oh I know you don't mean anything, but I can tell the terror when I hold Merlin he just doesn't like it and Terri has given me some very good tips personally, she knows what she is talking about

yeah i agree with Lovey, i think catching them scares them more. Oscar has a terrible tantrum when i catch him so i only do it for emergencies. When i trained oscar, i just went in every day and spoke to him as i pushed my finger closer to his tummy. I didn't give up - chased him about a lot till he gave up running away. I also found it easier to finger tame outside the cage. good luck!

I tried the bathroom approach. They reverted back to their pre-clipped wings behaviors of sitting on my fingers, nibbling at my face, nose, etc. Though this doesn't happen when they are in the livingroom much anymore because they are flying around and enjoying their freedom. When in the bathroom, with the both of them, they tend to focus more on me. They are familiar with the flat finger and flat hand when getting up.

It's a matter of how to apply this when they are in the livingroom. I've stopped chasing them and they like it better. I guess it takes consistency and practice, though I am going to be busy in the next week or so.

when they are in the bigger living area have treats or veggies only by you offer them something they like but only when they are by you as a reward.

Update on taming:

I alternate between the bathroom training sessions and the livingroom. Seems like millet and the smell of millet on my hands encourages them to come to Momma and go back in the cage a little, or at least fly around and settle.

The bathroom one on one training sessions appear to be working. I still say, "Come to Momma" when I lift a finger for them to get on. Woodie even landed on me today which is a good sign. Of course, they admired themselves in the mirror, flew around, and chirruped on my finger. They both got on the same hand and nearly bickered over me until I had to put Woodie on my other hand! Dang budgie wudgies! (Laughing out loud)

I'm proud of their progress. I do have a teacher-nature, so there is no way I am ever going to stop teaching them as they are wild animals. I do believe they are intelligent birds and can do as trained from the evidence I have seen in videos and on the boards.

 

Till next time!

Thanks to Eterri, you have a real gift with animals.

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