Hi All,

 

Blinky is our first budgie - she was purchased for our 9 year olld son's birthday approx a month ago - we think she' was about 12 weeks old. And we are desperately trying to tame her (we got her from a pretty good pet shop in our area).

 

I've noticed that she just sits alot - sings crazily whenever she hears lorikeets outside - but other than that she just sits. I've seen her eating (usually in the evening) so that's all okay, and occasionally goes from perch to perch, however NOTHING like the budgies I see in the pet shop. I realise that they have several other companions, but even some of them are sitting looking at the side of the cage, chatting away to nothing.

 

WE've contemplated getting her a companion - but my son really wants to tame her. And that's another issue! Keep reading how it does takes time, but we're not having much luck. She's happy enough when I have my hand in her cage changing the seed, cleaning etc - but when we go to put out our finger (to teach her to sit on it), she goes crazy & flaps away etc.

 

The other day we got her out of the cage (using the perch she was sitting on) by just slowly taking her out through the door, and surprisingly she just climbed up onto her cage .. and just sat. We thought she go crazy and flap around in her new found freedom. (She has had her wings clipped though).

 

So, will she become more "active" and maybe we should get some toys for her to play with (any suggestions of what).. and should we just keep going with the finger taming and one-day we may have luck? (have also read the great articles on this site on taming). Someone suggested holding in your hands gently, and let her climb up through them (like climbing through a tunnel)? - that is was supposed to tame them?! ..

 

Sue (Blinky and Ben)

Hi. Perhaps you could post some pictures of her so we can see if she really was indeed a 12 week old budgie when you bought her as young budgies are easier to tame.

Hi. Perhaps you could post some pictures of her so we can see if she really was indeed a 12 week old budgie when you bought her as young budgies are easier to tame.

 

Hi,

 

Here is a couple of pictures when we first bought her - 5th November 07

 

 

">">

The age looks about right :rip: Some budgies who were fully flighted before wing clipping can get "depressed" about their lack of flight control. Also check her bottom for signs of poopiness

( illness ) and feel her keelbone ( breastbone ) to see if she is well covered or thin. Lack of activity can also be because of illness. Have you wormed her ? Not knowing her origins ( aviary or breeder cage bred bird ) she may have worms from parents or earthfloor aviary before she came to you and that would make her quite unwell.

The age looks about right :rip: Some budgies who were fully flighted before wing clipping can get "depressed" about their lack of flight control. Also check her bottom for signs of poopiness

( illness ) and feel her keelbone ( breastbone ) to see if she is well covered or thin. Lack of activity can also be because of illness. Have you wormed her ? Not knowing her origins ( aviary or breeder cage bred bird ) she may have worms from parents or earthfloor aviary before she came to you and that would make her quite unwell.

 

Hi Kaz,

 

Those photos were taken on the night we brought her home from the pet shop - think the poo stuck around her bottom cleared up pretty quickly - so possibly due to the stress of it all.

 

Here's her latest photo that I took tonight

 

">

 

Maybe she just sits cause of the trauma / frustration of her wing being clipped? But she doesn't even "fossick" around on the floor of her cage etc

 

Sue

Sue, has she spiky feathers coming through, like from a moult ? If she is moulting, it can hit some of them pretty hard and they act sickly or lethargic and depressed due to the moult.

Sue, has she spiky feathers coming through, like from a moult ? If she is moulting, it can hit some of them pretty hard and they act sickly or lethargic and depressed due to the moult.

 

Hi Kaz,

 

All I've noticed is lots of tiny little feathers around her cage - stuck to the bars etc, - haven't noticed spikey ones coming through though.

 

Generally, do budgies on their own move around a lot, sing, fossick in their cages etc? When she just sits, she still seems happy - just not active.

She may be moulting. And maybe time to re arrange her cage and try some new toys ?

My experience with Pretty is he was very quiet and he didn't so much at all to be honest the first 6 months. I think personality plays a great deal on how they act. Some people get this birds that are very active, do they antics and you think why not mine? I used to think that and realize that it was his personality as a lone bird.

 

I have a write up in the FAQ section under Budgie Behavior on how I tamed Pretty and how I introduced him to Merlin that I believe would be a good read for you.

 

Pretty was never handled and though he was 3 months when I got him he wanted nothing to do with me literaly for a very long time. Again his personality on the other hand Merlin has tamed quicker because he was handled at a very very young age and that handling continued until I got him. Many birds from the pet stores are never handled and then they are sold to consumers who don't understand that is a bird is not handled frequently at a young age will have the fear of the human hand and humans.

 

Birds are not domesticated as cats and dogs. Yes we breed them and they are in pet stores but they are like any other wild animal out there if they don't have human handling or contact from the beginning they will be more difficult to tame. They can be tamed, I tamed Pretty and he was a gem.

I find my hens are way less playful and talkative than my boys for sure anyways.

 

My Patty has never played with a toy and usually just sits about or beats up another budgie and she is 4 years old. Could be just personality.

I find my hens are way less playful and talkative than my boys for sure anyways.

 

My Patty has never played with a toy and usually just sits about or beats up another budgie and she is 4 years old. Could be just personality.

 

I'm kind of pleased to read that.. my Maxie (girl) is very very quiet and "sedate", rarely plays and just chirps very softly to her mirror, has a very soft "voice". Not at all interested in getting tamed. Charley (boy) is totally opposite. (they're in separate cages in separate rooms). He is noisy, talks well... and loud, plays almost ALL day, totally tame and also much much bigger and fluffier than Maxie, who to me looks tiny. I thought she was "weird" as I compared her to him, but now I am beginning to discover they are just totally different personalities. They are both happy in their own way. Perhaps Blinky has a similar quiet disposition as Maxie and Patty do.

I find my hens are way less playful and talkative than my boys for sure anyways.

 

My Patty has never played with a toy and usually just sits about or beats up another budgie and she is 4 years old. Could be just personality.

 

I'm kind of pleased to read that.. my Maxie (girl) is very very quiet and "sedate", rarely plays and just chirps very softly to her mirror, has a very soft "voice". Not at all interested in getting tamed. Charley (boy) is totally opposite. (they're in separate cages in separate rooms). He is noisy, talks well... and loud, plays almost ALL day, totally tame and also much much bigger and fluffier than Maxie, who to me looks tiny. I thought she was "weird" as I compared her to him, but now I am beginning to discover they are just totally different personalities. They are both happy in their own way. Perhaps Blinky has a similar quiet disposition as Maxie and Patty do.

 

 

It's very reassuring to read that it may be her personality. I kind of think so too.

 

My next question would be do I get a 2nd bird for her as company .. she looks so lonely in the cage!

I think it comes down the the bird.

 

Harley was really easy to tame, took to it in a few days.

 

Blue gets the concept however just can't seem to focus for long enough to really be tame. He is to busy getting distracted by things.

 

Mozzie is to old to really tame I would just like to get her out of her bitting habbit.

 

Flame is really quiet, such a little lady, she hardly makes a noise and just sits there for most of the day letting the other birds feed her. She does not like to step up but once out of the cage is happy to sit on my finger or shoulder while I work at the computer.

 

So I think it comes down to the bird. I really thought Blue would be just like Harley when it came to taming but nope, Mr ADHD is to busy doing other things to think about being tame!

 

Stick with it. Also I don't really handle my guys when they are going through Molt cause they are all grumpy old men when this is happening.

Beautiful budgie and as, per the experts probably moulting and getting used to things, I am sure that she will come along with time. I have always found my female budgies (both mine and fosters) are more acrobatic and the males are more interactive and more likely to learn to talk.

Beautiful budgie and as, per the experts probably moulting and getting used to things, I am sure that she will come along with time. I have always found my female budgies (both mine and fosters) are more acrobatic and the males are more interactive and more likely to learn to talk.

 

Thanks everyone for the help and advice! Think we just have to be patient! :fear.

 

Final question is .. should we get a second budgie for company? Blinky looks so lonely! I realise she won't "tame" as easily, however I'd prefer her to be happy!

I also felt Maxie was not happy, since she was always so quiet and not at all interested in being tamed ( cant even get my hand close enough to her to know if she would bite!!)

 

So I gave up on the taming aspect and keeping mirrors out of the cage.. and bought two little mirrors.. now she seems happier as she snuggles up to them now and then.. she probably wasnt "unhappy" in the first place, just my justification as to her quietness. She is still always very quiet.. I always say she "whispers" whereas Charley "yells"!!

Beautiful budgie and as, per the experts probably moulting and getting used to things, I am sure that she will come along with time. I have always found my female budgies (both mine and fosters) are more acrobatic and the males are more interactive and more likely to learn to talk.

 

Thanks everyone for the help and advice! Think we just have to be patient! :fear.

 

Final question is .. should we get a second budgie for company? Blinky looks so lonely! I realise she won't "tame" as easily, however I'd prefer her to be happy!

A choice only you can make although as you know and others say, it may be less tame that way. BUT hugely important would be quarantine and introduced disease could be serious for both of them.

Edited December 12, 200717 yr by KAZ

Getting a second budgie is a great decision if you do it for the right reasons of course. You need to ensure you have a big enough cage for 2 budgies, 2 budgies make more noise then 1 (will you be able to handle the non stop chattering), 2 budgies may not get along and if that is the cage you may have to cage them separately (many times this is not the case if introduced properly), 2 birds are messer by far in and out of the cage, will you be completely okay with the fact that you don't have 1 tame bird and you may not have 2 tame birds (2 are much harder to tame). A thought though is to get a another young male/female work with it during the 30 day quarantine on taming.

 

There are so many what if's and but's...

 

I say get the same sexed birds if you are not planning to breed now or in the near future it will ensure you are not having unwanted babies. Most budgies don't breed without a nesting box but some do and why take the chance at all . That is why I ended up with 2 males.

 

A 2nd budgie is fun, great companionship for her yes but you have to be ready to commit to it.

 

I would watch the mirrors she may become even more possive and strike out at you when you put your hand in the cage as to protect her newest "mate" or "flock" member. She doesn't realize it is a fake budgie so though mirrors are like the bandage covering the situation it is not always the best decision as you may find more behavioral problems that you didn't expect.

 

It is everyone's different choice though

:dbb1: Let's see how Blinky goes and don't rush into getting another budgie until Blinky is settled and tame, reevaluate the situation at that time.

With the experience I've had with my budgies, I bought them when they were a little older (all girls). It takes a couple months before they get used to their new surroundings and you. Keep up the hand taming, your budgie will come around. I've used the ladder or tunnel method where i let them crawl through my hands and it seems to work. If you let them do this, it gets them used to your hands and then they will slowly start to sit on your finger. I also reccomend talking and singing or whistling to get her used to your voice, the more interaction the better. Millet is also a good training tool but don't over use it or you will have a fat unhealthy budgie. After you do the inital training with the millet, ease her off of it and your love and praise can be substituted as the treat! I highly suggest to wait to get a new budgie as it will most likely foil your chances of taming the first. It is definately worth waiting to have them tame. The bond that can form between you and your budgie is a very special one.

My Casper had one of those personalities which was content but quiet too.

 

At first it took ages to make any progress in the taming department, then around the four month mark, it was like he had completely come out of his shell (pardon the pun!). For those four months I just persisted with teh finger training, and made a point of changing water adn seeds every day AS WELL AS rearranging his furniture every few days, just so he could get used to me being around, and i guess in the hope that rearranging his house, and introducing new toys etc would help him become a bit more open to change.

 

And in the end it did work really well, and whilst he never became the kind of budgie who would "play" or snuggle with me like some of the others have, he would sit on my shoulder for hours on end, whispering in my ear, nibbling my jewellery and hair, he would sit outside his cage on his playgym adn talk to anyone who walked past (including our two cats!) and he would even sit on strangers' hands. In the end he became really affectionate in his own little way... Patience is the key.