My budgie is 6 months old and is hand tame. We've never tried holding him though and i was wondering if it's too late to try this as i don't want to give him a heart attack when i grab him. Also, how do i go about getting him to lie on his back and spread his wings? i've read that i should do this in several places but can't find how to do it.

 

Thanks in advance

Why do you want him to lay on his back and spread his wings? Is it a trick you want to train? That would not be a natural position for a budgie to be in, as it leaves them very vulnerable. I don't think they would be comfortable doing it. I'm not sure how you would train them to do that. As far as holding him, the best way is to get him while he is hanging on the side of the cage. Cup your hand over him, and put two fingers on either side of his head and hold him that way. Technically, when he tries to bite you at this point he won't be able to, but mine always find a way. He will probably scream and hold on to the bars for dear life, and you may have to gently pry his little toes from the bars with your other hand. I don't hold mine unless absolutely necessary (i.e. to give them medicine) as they really don't like it. It stresses them out. Plus they hate you for a little while afterwards... Make sure you do not compress his diaphragm when you hold him - a budgies respiratory system is different from peoples and you can prevent him from breathing if you hold him wrong. Try to keep him as upright as possible.

Edited October 17, 200420 yr by Rainbow

(Laughing out loud) i hold chiisai all the time... i always have made sure i could hold them. i do it and talk to them, pet them on the head... its good because then they dont have a problem with it when i have to do meds or clip wings or toenails (cos i do my own since the vet is too far away and too exspensive! but i got them to show me how first)

 

pastel isnt tame enough, so i hold her in a small towel or (clean) rag or something like that.

Thanks for the comments, i wantdd him to hold his wings up because they have looked sore underneath and i wanted to have a closer look.

What do you mean by sore? If you mean there are places under the wings where it looks like there are no feathers, that is normal. If you mean something else, please post it. Does he hold his wings away from his body?

on the underside of both wings near the edge they is a thin strip which is blood red. He doesn't seem in any discomfort and is flying as well as normal. Unfortunately i can't get him to hold his wings up long enough to photograph them.

If you mean on the underside edge where the bend in the wing is, I believe that is normal. Some of my birds have that as well. I think the blood supply must be near the surface there, and it seems in birds that have white or very light colored flights you can see it well. But if you are doubtful please try to post a picture.

Mine has that too, sometimes you can see it and other time you can't as if a feather is sitting over it I believe is just the blood supply like Rainbow said, like the viens you can see in your elbow or wrist.