yeah well i've been trying to train my budgie for like 3 months now, he will let me rub his tummy and that's as far as he lets me go, i've read that before trying to have him perch on your finger you should try to do it with a stick or something, well the moment he sees me just taking a stick he flies away, and if i manage to take it up to him and push hum gantly so he has to step up we start this dance where he jumps over it or does complicated steps only comparable to professional dancer's to avoid having to step up :fear anyone have any ideas as to how to make him perch?

oh and if i try it with my finger he does the same thing

thats odd but i suggest you just grab him when hes in a corner and once hes in your hand *** have to go on your finger and maybe once he realizes its safe or something *** do it more often...

iI just wonder if it would be worth your while taking a step backwards and treating him as if he is brand new with finger taming?

Julie

i think maybe millet is the answer! try holding a wooden perch in front of him and push it into his belly slightly to prompt him to step up. and whilst you're doing this hold a peice of millet in the other hand so that he will only be able to reach it if he steps up onto the perch. it may take a few attempts, but this really worked for me.

 

once you get him sitting on a perch eating millet try it with your finger instead.

Edited February 11, 200520 yr by pixie25

Grabbing him will only deepen his mistrust. Patience and time and gentleness are the way forward. Some budgies just dont want to be cuddle-pets and personally I dont think it should ever be forced. The only time i would ever 'grab' one of my birds is if it was in imminent danger, or needed to be caught for a vet visit or something on those lines. Think how easy it would be to break a tiny leg or wing.

I think chirpy might be right maybe he just doesn't want to be handled he's happy sitting next to me and singing to me, i got a baby budgie 2 days ago (unexpected present! ) and he already lets me rub his belly so i guess a lot depends on the bird too, I'll keep trying to tame rovros though!

yeah a lot does depend on the bird, but it won't harm him or 'deepen his mistrust' if he learns to step up. it is the most basic of commands and is very useful for your bird to learn, especially if, for any reason, you need to get them back into the cage quickly and without fuss.

 

my casper has a mind of his own and if he doesnt want to do something he damn well wont do it, but keep persisting, with a favourite treat, you will get somewhere eventually.

yeah thats true, aghh i'll manage to get him to perch if its the last thing i do!

Im sure he will learn step up eventually for you! Pixie is right, it can be a life saver at times (tho hopefully that time never arises, though best prepared) it sounds like he's taming up quite nicely as it is

chirpy, how did you manage to get teapot so tame? has he always been that way? i know some birds take very well to humans whereas others choose to be a little more wild in what they do! its amazing what strong personalities they can have for such little creatures!

Hi Pixie

Teapot was a crazy bird for about a week, maybe a bit less, and he didnt really want to be handled. Then one evening my fosterchild gave a loud sneeze whilst Teapot was on the side of his cage, and in his fright Teapot just flew straight to me and huddled under my chin. That was it, litteraly. From then on he just wanted to be with me all the time. As soon as i offered my hand, he was on it, and up my arm to my shoulder and has stuck to me like glue ever since! I think the fact that I work from home (foster carer) helped a lot with the bonding aswel, he sees so much of me. He's friendly towards everyone and will let anyone hold him, but he always comes back to me after a minute or two

chirpy thats lovely, bless him i am having a lot of trouble with my casper at the moment, i work all day so he only really sees me in the evenings and at the weekends, he has never flyed to me before. but we just got a new budgie and he is quite happy to sit on my shoulder and preen my hair for me im hoping that casper will learn to be tamer by watching what the new budgie does.

 

i dont think he will ever be as tame as teapot though!

Snowy, my little rescue bird isnt overly tame pixie. She's much, much calmer now after being here about 5 months, but although she will very occasionally fly to me, and has preened my hair once, i know deep down she will always be a 'birdy' bird. However, i must say i get sooo much pleasure just watching her fly round, and torment Teapot (and he torments her too :(Laughing out loud): ) I think Teapot is quite exceptionally tame, in the way he talks so much, adores humans, and he comes to me like a well-trained pup when i shout him. (he's fully flighted so its a lovely sight watching his little feet come forward in the 'landing' position just before he plonks himself on my shoulder or outstretched hand! ) I think Teapot is just one on his own, and ive been the lucky one blessed to have him in my life, but, in her own unique little way, Snowy is just as special, not tame, but special

ohhhhh i'm jealoussssss, i'm gonna make my brother start seezing around rovroski's cage see if that does the trick (Laughing out loud)