I decided to start a journal to keep track of Bula's training progress.

 

When I first got him he was making some good progress with his training. But a friend came over and grabbed him out of his cage and I believe it has somewhat traumatised him, bringing his training several steps backwards.

So I'm starting with him again I welcome any advice or criticism on what I'm doing

 

*This morning*

 

I took his cage outside (he loves to be outside) and cleaned his cage out. After I finished I put a cube of apple in there. He has a little clip on the side of his cage that is associated only with treats, and I think he knows that.

I kept my hand inside his cage until he calmed down. He would watch my hand curiously, as he doesn't like hands. I slowly moved towards him and he would scurry to the other end of the perch where he would continue to watch my hand curiously. I would move slowly again, getting close enough to almost touch him before he would sidestep the perch again.

So I kept my hand still, below the perch, before his knowledge of the treat clip got the better of him. He would slowly inch towards it before his feathers were touching the apple.

He was still unsure, however, and would refuse to eat while my hand was so close to him. But I was patient, and after being set back by some car noises and some voices coming from inside the house, he eventually took a little lick. All the time I was talking softly to him, encouraging him. He took some more licks and a nibble and I was satisfied. He's never eaten anything while i was so close to him, let alone with my hand inside his cage

yay

Well done Maddy.... also try a little millett.........not may budgies can say no to that !!!!

Oooh that is so true anne101, it is like candy to them

Very exciting, but I'd be careful about putting your hand in the cage while it's outside. Birds get out of the smallest gaps when startled, and I'd hate for him to fly out and away from you. Great progress though, keep it up!

it is also much easier to tame a bird in the quiet of a room as noise nerves them

your done great to get their and i think will have more luck inside where hes in fermilure surroundings

So today I tried basically the same thing as yesterday. Only this time, he was inside

 

I took out what was left of yesterdays treat (it seems he doesn't like his apple as much as his Pak Choy) and replaced it with a new one. I then kept my hand in the cage and let him get used to it being there. He would scurry to the other end of the perch when I went near him but it didn't seem as frantic. He would let me get a little closer before he would move, and would even put a claw on my outstretched finger in the process of trying to distance himself from it. Eventually he sat on my finger for a whole 5 seconds before jumping back onto his perch

 

I think thats a successful session :hap:

I've decided adding to the journal everyday is pointless as I don't think amazing results are going to happen overnight, it will be gradual.

 

So I've been continuing to give him treats and leave my hand in the cage. He still scurries when I get near him, but like I said before, it's not frantic.

I'm trying to alternate his treats, so that he may get Pak choy one day and millet spray the next. Today, while putting his Pak choy in I decided to have a go at offering it to him. The leaf was probably about 15cm long, so thats how far away he was from my hand while I was offering it to him.

 

Bula absolutely LOVES pak choy so when he saw it coming, he scurried away once (because of my hand entering his home I suspect) but that was it. I moved the tip of the leaf closer to him and he just watched it. A little closer, and he nibbled! I'm so proud of him

 

I have some suspicions that even though he is not a baby bird, nor was he when I got him, that he was handled somewhat when he was. Otherwise he probably wouldn't be making such great progress

YAY!!!!

Very nice progress

Bula's training has taken several steps backwards due to a new cage and a new friend...but I anticipated as much.

Thankfully his new friend, Vinaka, is only a baby and has no fear of humans ingrained into her mind just yet. Hopefully she'll be a good influence on him.

 

I took a video of me trying to get them used to me. I was sneaky and covered my hand with a towel. Because they (mostly Bula, Vinaka just follows) couldn't see the hand, they didn't freak out as much.

But see what happens to Bula's attitude once my hand is revealed...its what I was talking about when i said he was traumatised.

 

But he's not a lost cause :laughter: