Hi everyone

 

Harry and Charlie have been with us for just over 2 months now and are so much fun. However I wondered what to do next with taming them. They are used to my hand in the cage, they will come straight over for millett and step onto my finger to get it, sometimes both at the same time, but generally Charlie goes first and only lets Harry on once he has had enough. I can now move them around the cage on my finger whilst eating millett. However I can't get them to step up to my command, I always say 'step up' as they step on but they always move away if I move towards them. Harry is much more nervous than Charlie, but they both step away.

 

Harry is really wanting to have a good fly, he practices a lot in the cage and is so skilled he almost hovers at times. Charlie hasn't been as great at flying and has now just had a first moult so has lost his flight feathers. I am wondering if we should start getting them out of the cage and holding them, or letting them have a fly - well Harry anyway - and then getting them to step up once they calm down, out of the cage.

 

I am not very good at catching them in thie cage they are just too quick for me, so they do get in a bit of a state when I try and get them out to put them in a different cage to go to another room, so have only done this once.

 

Any advice would be great

 

Thanks

Edited November 6, 201014 yr by UK girl

This is my personal opinion letting a budgie out of its cage that doesn't know the room very well can be injured. They tend to panic fly into walls, mirrors (if not covered) windows if there is no blind to shut. You can start with a smaller room but I find that flighted budgie that are just new to the home will panic and fly to the highest spot and then you have to chase them down to get them back in their cage and they get scared.

 

I would recommend doing a 1 time wing clip (make sure both wings are clipped evenly) and I would work on letting 1 out at a time. I would let the 1 out of the cage step up on your finger and you bring him out and then step up so you can put him back in. I would do this so your bird knows that you are the one that keeps him safe by going in and out. I have done this with Merlin. I was stupid and did it the other way with Pretty and I was lucky he didn't break his neck and I did end up clipping him 1x so I could tame him out of the cage and work with his stepping up and flying back to me.

 

I would always have millet as a treat for a reward and the only time they get it is when they fly to you or step up not any other time. Millet = You = Good Things.

 

I would work with the bird that is more trusting of you and work on him being out ONLY by himself for the first week and then you can reverse it and see how it goes with the other bird. Don't let them out together flighted the one will follow the other, they may freak out and one may get hurt.

 

I know there are many that don't want a bird clipped...I believe it is owners choice and when they are pets it is about the safety of the bird when they are in large aviaries like many of our breeders have then it wouldn't make sense to clip them (either 1x for training or all the time).

 

A flighted bird is not always a happy bird sometimes it can be a dead bird...especially if there are ceiling fans, no screens, doors that open all the time, other pets in the house etc... A clipped bird is not always a happy bird either because they can still gain flight to fly out the door, they can be clipped to far and break their breastbone (so when they are first clipped you do want to let them out in a room that has carpeting)...Common sense = a safe bird.

 

Know the pros and cons.

 

Both my birds were clipped 1x for training and bonding and then left flighted.

 

If you have questions let me know.

 

 

Thanks Elly

 

I think I will try with Charlie as he doesn't have his flight feathers at the moment. He is bolder too! We will head to a budgie proofed bathroom and see how he goes.I have been making sure they only ever get millet if standing on my finger for several weeks now, so I think they have that message. Harry looks like he is just about to start a big moult, so will hold off on the wing clipping to see if he loses them anyway. If it doesn't look like they will go I will think about taking to the specialist vet to be clipped just once.

 

Thanks for your advice, it is hard to know what to do for the best, but want to make sure they are safe as well as able to come out and play. Some people make it sound so easy! Our last Budgie Joey had lots of health problems so was very dependent on us, and really trusted us from an early point and was very tame.

 

These boys are so different we will just take it at their pace and see what happens! They do make us laugh though witht heir playful antics...

Made another step forward today. Before getting Charlie out I realised I wasn't sure he would stay on my finger if I moved at all. I have only ever sat very still with him on my finger, so we had a practice at moving round the cage while he sat and munched on the millett. Harry managed it too, but got off a little quicker. Will not be able to get him out tomorrow as I won't be home until nearly the boys bedtime, but will aim to have a go on Wednesday!