Roxy is moulting so i understand it changes their personality and they get cranky. Roxy when she is in her cage squarks at you if you put your hand near her and if i tried to scratch her while she is in the cage she squarks and does a biting action but never bites but when she is out of her cage she is alot more placid and likes her neck scratch and gives me kisses. It is like Jekyl and Hyde, why is she one way in her cage and different out of her cage? Up until she started moulting i soon as i opened her cage door she would come to me but now when i open her door she goes to the back perch.

Have a read of this Deb, specifically it is an article about ringnecks but as the it is relevent to all parrot species despite what the authpr says :sadsorry:

 

http://www.indianringneck.com/bluffing/

Edited November 19, 200816 yr by melbournebudgies

I believe that budgies are like that in their cage because they feel like they are being invaded in their own "space" that they call a home. Merlin gets like that but when he is feeling good he will jump on the cage and wants me to put my hand in there so he can flirt with it. I also believe that they remember being caught in their cages so they know this is where they may have that unpleasant experience and if I have caught Merlin to examine in for any reason for about a month he is cranky like that until I can regain his trust factor in the cage. Out of the cage they get more pleasure from you, they are not getting caught, you are talking to them more, they are all over your stuff and it is an adventure who wouldn't be pleasant.

Sometimes Roxy does not want to step up so i pick her up and take her out of her cage , am i better off leaving her in her cage if she will not setup. i do not want to just leave the door open and she come out when she wants to. i want her to learn to come out only when i take her out.

I would leave her that is causing this behavior the grabbing, work with teaching her to step up and try different times of the day like mid morning and later afternoon, noon and afternoon along with evening time you are getting dipping into their nappy and getting ready to sleep time.

Thanks Elly for your advice, it is interesting how much a budgie changes when they are weaned. When i was feeding Roxy i could put my hand in the cage and she loved being pick up and would set up but as soon as she did not need to rely on me anymore for food she has become independent and now i have to train her all over again. moulting is probably not helping either.

it is funny you say that because that is what happens, people get this baby budgie and it is quiet and cuddly and then all of a sudden they change, budgies in retrosept are not meant to be cuddly they are not a dog or cat, they like head scratch but if you watch 2 budgie they sit close but they don't actually cuddle with their wings and such.

You are right Elly they are not cuddly but I just thought that because Roxy was very affectionate when she was a baby being raised by me she would be different but as she has got older and weaned the natural budgie behaviour has kicked in. By having to handraise a budgie by herself i have learnt that if does not make them any taming then one that was parent raised and trained.

With Roxy moulting at the moment whenever i put my hand in the cage to try to get her to step up she squarks at me, would i be better waiting for her to finish her moult before i try to retrain her. Or try using millet?

I wouldn't wait... keep trying and offering her millet sounds good. You might have to sit there with your hand/arm in her cage for awhile while she's a bit 'off', but I'm sure she'll come around.

I think it is better to make them step up onto your hand before taking them out of your hand, at least that way they feel as if they have a choice in coming out. By picking them up they are forced to come outside.

I will only pick my budgies up to put them inside if they are being brats and won't go back in. Because coming out of the cage is supposed to be fun time rather than a chore.

 

In regards to her training, just keep persevering.

Edited November 20, 200816 yr by Sailorwolf

The hardest and upsetting thing is that she was so tame and bonded to me when i was feeding her soft food and as soon as i got her eating seed she changed. Before i weaned her i could pick her up and take her out of her cage and she would snuggle up in my hand to have a sleep.

The hardest and upsetting thing is that she was so tame and bonded to me when i was feeding her soft food and as soon as i got her eating seed she changed. Before i weaned her i could pick her up and take her out of her cage and she would snuggle up in my hand to have a sleep.

 

With the time and dedication you spend with her... I'm sure it will come back mate. She just needs to get over her 'teenage' years (which luckily doesn't take as long as human ones!)

I agree with maesie with time and dedication she is going to turn around, I think what might have happened is that she became scared because you were grabbing her to force her out and that I believe set everything back but it can be reversed quite easily with persistence. I believe she will come back to her tame self personally you just have to regain her trust.

Thanks Elly and Maesie for your help. Last night i put my hand in the cage with millet on it and she would eat the millet from my hand but would not get on my hand but what was interesting was i had my face near the door of her cage quickly talking to her and she would come to the door and give me kisses. It is not me that she is afraid of but my hand. Hubby last night also put his hand near the cage while she was in it and she squarked at him but then he puts his face to talk to her and she came to him and was kissing him through the bars of the cage.

yep very common , they are afraid because they know the hand can grab and they don't like to be grabbed too predatoral for them. Do no grabbing and continue the millet and make her come toward you inch by inch for the millet and one time when she inches toward you slow push your finger up to her breastbone if she back way let it go but you may find that she will put a foot up.