My budgie Opal doesn't like to fly. I let her out multiple times a day and she sits on the top of her cage and plays with toys, she has free range in my room, but she won't fly around.I know she can fly there is nothing physically wrong with her. I'm just worried she is not getting enough exercise. I tried a hamster wheel and she will run on it but not for very long, she gets bored with it. Has anyone experienced this before? Any suggestions?

Some budgies need some encouragement and become little perch potatoes. First, just to rule out physical problems, have you seen her make at least a few flights?

 

She's going to have to have a *reason* to want to fly around your room. Otherwise, her favorite spot is going to be on top of her cage. It could also be an issue with being too scared to fly. Is she pretty tame?

 

The best thing you can do for her is buy or make a playgym and put it across from her cage, well within view. Put her favorite toys and treats on it and take her there a few times on your finger. She'll probably fly back to her cage at first but eventually she'll become interested enough to check it out. Once she's gotten used to that, put ONLY her favorite toys on the playgym and leave her treats, food and water in the cage with the door open. She'll have to fly back and forth when she gets hungry or thirsty.

 

 

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I'm editing this because I just saw your other post with pictures. That kind of changes my advice a little!

 

Opal has obviously been clipped and she may take a while to get used to the fact that she CAN make flights. As her flights grow out, she'll gain confidence. Also, seeing as she is new to your household, fear and nervousness are definitely coming into play here. She isn't going to be brave enough to fly around your room for quite a while. She'll need to get used to you and all the changes first. Take it slow, one thing at a time.

 

Another concern is that since she *does* have some physical problems with her leg(s) she should be seen by an avian vet to rule out any trouble with her wings and to find out what is up with her leg!). Sometimes it's impossible to tell when they're in pain or when something is wrong just by looking at them.

Edited October 5, 200618 yr by eterri

I believe in your other post you said she has a leg injury is that correct? It may not that she can't fly it could be she doesn't want to because of the landing. Correct me if I am wrong

She has been to a vet about her problem and the vet said she is not in any pain. I only heard the story from the vet through a secondary source because she was taken to the vet by the store. The vet said that it was some kind of old back injury that causes the neurons to miss-fire and she has trouble keeping her one leg in the right position. This doesn't affect anything else about her. Just how she perches pretty much. She is quite tame, she sits on my finger and such. she will fly aroundthe room if encouraged, she can fly, her wings are clipped but are growing out quite well, so that doesn't prevent her. Lastly, she is not that new, i have had her since august (i have just been slow to post about her, mainly because i couldn't find a good picture of her).

I go back to my original statement , Just because you can doesn't mean it feels comfortable (and though she may not be in pain) she may not feel comfortable flying about and landing? How is her landing?

Edited October 5, 200618 yr by lovey

she lands somewhat strangely but that could just be because she lands on the roof of her cage and the roof has peaks so there isn't a flat surface....