Sorry! I've probably pestered you guys 1 million times about taming my budgie, Nikko, but everything I do has the same results:

"Leave me alone!" and he flies back to his cage, or to the nearest perch.

 

okay... so I guess I shall inform you on the current situation.

 

Well, it has been about 3/4 weeks and Nikko is really good at stepping up, he will step up anytime except bedtime, and for anyone who knows how to do it properly. If you don't move, he may sit on it for a minute or two, then he flies back to another perch or his cage. If you try to move, zip back to the cage before you can react.

He isn't scared of my hand at all, unless he doesn't want to step up, then he will just run away and act like it is a game of chase. Unfortunately he knows he can fly to stay away from me. I don't like chasing him though, so I don't, but i've seen it happen to my siblings.

He may be scared, but he seems absolutely alright with my hand coming near him to ask for a step up.

So my main problem is, I can't get him to trust me enough to stay on my finger, and if he does, he looks like it is because he has no other choice, and he doesn't seem to enjoy it.

I've tried bribing him with millet, but he just eats it and still I get the same result of hop and fly.

I've tried other taming techniques like bringing him to the bathroom, which resulted in him perching on the wallpaper, and i've tried this apparently 'fool-proof' technique of holding him up to your chest, and stroking and talking to him... all he did was struggle, and after 10 minutes of struggling I let him go so he could preen himself. I really am out of ideas, and I know it takes patience, but I always read of people who only take a week or so, and a book I read said it shouldn't take more than 3 weeks... I really don't know what to do. Any suggestions for a desperate owner?

oh boy oh boy! little cutie, I have no input on this one, but someone will, i'll keep checking on this post to see what the gang thinks!

Well, I have my birds' wings clipped. I know this is a controversial issue, but it's how taming has worked for me, and I don't want to get into it here. Clipping the wings takes care of the flying away thing, for the most part.

 

Basically, just persistence & patience. And, it has worked best for me if they can't see the cage, at least in the beginning. If they can see the cage, they'll always want to go back to it. Can you take Nikko in another room?

 

Here's a good link:

http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/articles/bird_hand.html

 

She has lots of good info. Good luck!

I belive clipping a birds wings are not a good idea . Later on down the track it can cuase a few problems . If the wing clip is not done right it can mean to lack of blood and many other problems . If god did not want birds to fly then he would have made them without wings

Well I believe in wing clipping while taming. It helps in the beginning. If he's not tame and not wing clipped, what if he escapes his cage and the room? Its hard to catch a bird that can fly. However, once they are tame, let the wings grow out.

It doesnt really matter as long as the cage is out of sight and your in a small room door closed and locked(to avoid getting the bird squished by a person coming in the room).Offer treats and pet him. I have heard of the method you used and your suppose to wait for him to settle down or not your just traumatizing the poor thing. If you did and its not working and nothing else works just do a little bonding. Talk,sing, read, bring her around the house (if the cage is small or on wheels), eventually she will come around. The important thing is not to get to the point where you just bond from afar, be persistant.

I have had Joey since the end of July and he is only just beginning to trust me. He will sit on my hand and he no longer charges around the cage when I put the food in. He will sit on my finger and put his head on one side when I am talking to him. This is all inside the cage at the moment as Joey is quite timid. Just be patient and persistant.

Azale, all those things you read about it only taking a few weeks are the exception, not the norm. And I would bet the budgies had trimmed wings. If you don't want to have Nikko's trimmed for the initial taming process then it will take you a bit longer. 6 months wouldn't surprise me a bit. Your budgie is normal. Just keep being patient, and practice step ups in the cage with millet or some other treat he really likes as a reward. Eventually he should settle down.