My budgie has been with me for four days, still not chirping or running around. Although he appears to be comfortable in his cage, he is afraid of leaving the cage. I know that is acceptable for a bird only home for four days, but I want to know what to do with him. I want to physically play with my budgie. Whenever I attempt to pet him, he backs away juuuust so slightly, yet he is fine with my hands. I'll put him on top of the cage, and he runs back inside. He eats from my hand, and it doesn't seem that he cares for millet. What is recommended to get him to start:

 

1) chirping

2) being comfortable out of the cage

3) being social

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

-Goldman

Hi Goldman

Does your budgie have clipped wings? How old is he? I would do his training away from his cage so he is focussed more on what is around him and on you, rather than trying to get back to his safe place. Having said that, I think I would spend a few more days getting him used to you before taking that step. He probably wont take treats until he starts to feel comfortable to try new things. Birds that havent had millet before often dont take to it straight away. They will nibble out of curiosity and eventually realise that it is a treat before they see it as such. Has he had any hand taming before or are you the first person to handle him as such. All of these things will count toward your next move in bonding. There is also great training tips and advice in the Budgie FAQs area. Good luck with your training and bonding

Hi Goldman,My budgie has been with me for four days, still not chirping or running around.

Four days isn't very long. When I first found my baby budgie, I left him next to me in the cage for around that long, just to get used to his new home.

 

I want to physically play with my budgie. Whenever I attempt to pet him, he backs away juuuust so slightly, yet he is fine with my hands.

Patience is a virtue with these little birds. You have to remember, it's not really natural for a tiny prey animal to make friends with a big predator. Be patient. And above all, never do anything to betray the trust you are building up. Also, I believe most budgies, though not all, don't like being touched around their head or their wings. Mine is now very tame, but he doesn't like me messing with his head or back. He'll happily preen on my finger, chat away on my shoulder, and he loves getting kisses on his beak. But he doesn't like be stroked much.

I'll put him on top of the cage, and he runs back inside. He eats from my hand, and it doesn't seem that he cares for millet. What is recommended to get him to start:

1) chirping

2) being comfortable out of the cage

3) being social

Just keep teaching him the 'step up' command on your finger, in the cage and out of the cage. Just do it for a few minutes, but regularly during the day. Keep his cage next to wherever you spend most of your time. Talk to him whenever you can.

I think it's a case of gradually building a bond through trust. It just happens, bit by bit, over time.

Later, the next problem you'll probably face, once he gets comfortable out of the cage, is trying to get him down from the curtain rail, and getting him to go back in his cage. Later again, at around 4 months, they go through a biting phase, like little kids in the terrible twos. That too, passes.

Hi Goldman

Does your budgie have clipped wings? How old is he? I would do his training away from his cage so he is focussed more on what is around him and on you, rather than trying to get back to his safe place. Having said that, I think I would spend a few more days getting him used to you before taking that step. He probably wont take treats until he starts to feel comfortable to try new things. Birds that havent had millet before often dont take to it straight away. They will nibble out of curiosity and eventually realise that it is a treat before they see it as such. Has he had any hand taming before or are you the first person to handle him as such. All of these things will count toward your next move in bonding. There is also great training tips and advice in the Budgie FAQs area. Good luck with your training and bonding

 

Clipped, almost 9 weeks old now. If I take him away from the cage completely, he s usually scared. Won't this stress him out so that he'll view me negatively?

Well as Stace said, I would leave it a bit longer for him to get used to his new home, just sitting quietly with your hand in his cage and letting him get confident that "the hand" isnt going to hurt him is good. It's when he gets more confident with you, but is still focussed on his cage that I would change rooms for handling and training. Stace had some very good advice. Spending quiet, undemanding time, with him just sitting on your hand is the best way to start. If he is shrinking away but still lets you touch him, thats not necessarily a good sign, as it shows that he is still scared, too scared to move. When they start getting cheeky and biting your fingers and treating you as a toy, thats when you know the confidence is coming

Just another thing,

Don't think you need to keep things quiet to make the little guy less scared. They prefer a bit of background noise...tv, radio, music, dishwasher, coffee grinder, whatever. Whenever I go out, I put the radio on for mine. Silence makes them anxious, as it means a predator is around and all the animals are on the lookout.

 

You can try playing this to him and see if he likes it. There's a sample track on here of happy wild budgies in the Australian outback.

 

http://www.listeningearth.com/albums/35HappyBudgies/35HappyBudgies_Album_Info.htm

How is it going?

There are also some very helpful tips in our FAQ section link .

Edited May 29, 201113 yr by birdluv

When you are home put the bird in the place where it is likely to see you the most and interact with it heaps. Don't stop talking to it and letting it know you are it's friend. If you really love it and pay it as much attention as you can it won't take long for it to bond to you. As for stepping up don't try too hard and stress the bird out, have patience.

 

And when you are with him leave him in the cage but make sure it is open so he can come and interact when he wants to. Background noise might make him happy but I don't think playing a soundtrack of other birds will make him bond to you, probably the opposite as you want him to love you not other birds. Keep updating your progress and don't forget to read as much information on this site as it's awesome.

How is it going?