About a month ago Hercules my beautiful little girl started to get quite tame really quickly - this was during my exam period so I spent alot of time sitting at my desk talking and playing with her. Now I'm back at uni and in general have been really busy and I don't have a choice but to not spend time with her. I have been getting my mum to talk to her and supervise while she flies around and have made sure that she has plenty of greens every day, but her training is going backwards.

 

At first she was quite content to sit on my hand and nibble my finger or preen, or stretch she even once had a bit of a nap. Now when she's out the cage she just sits on the top of it or she flies around or sits on my head or shoulder (she loves my earings). But whenever I bring my hand near her (and I'm not holding lots of food) she runs away or goes all skinny and scared. She used to be happy to sit on my hand with out having to stuff her face at the same time....

 

I have noticed my little lovely is starting her first molt and those adorable baby bars are starting to dissappear - could this be why she is moody?

 

I would like to get another bird because I think she's lonely but I'd like to get her a bit more trusting before I do because the bond we have is tentative at best.

 

Does any one have any advice???

she might be just going threw a moody fase?

I would continue to spend good quality time with her and that doesn't always mean perched on your hand but just around you , and I am sure the molt is not helping. Just keep faith in her and she will turn around with your consistent time spent with her on a daily basis.

Quin is the same. His taming started with the hand, but now that he's been out of the cage for a while, he prefers heads and shoulders, and only gets intersted in the hand if there is millet or silverbeat involved (and even then, only when he feels like eating). Maybe you could put your hand in Hercules' cage through the little door so she can get used to your hand inside the cage again. I wouldn't worry about it too much, if she sits on your shoulders playing with your earring, she still loves you!

Edited December 20, 200519 yr by Ausmoz

Pardon my ignorance but what is silver beat? Yes they get quite goofy when they start to get older and react to other stimuli but keep involving her in your activities and she will come around. Maybe a companion is in order if you are away a lot.

It's a lot like spinach

Thanks Lin, I figured it must be something green and good for them.

I would think the fact that she's moulting is making her itchy and grumpy aswell, my budgie Blinkie gets a bit moody when he's covered in pin feathers. Hercules is probably also heading into the terrible teens age, which is awful! She should get over it after a few weeks though so just keep working with her as much as you can. :bluebudgie:

thanks for the advice guys. hercules is definately molting - in fact with the amount of feathers lost i'm suprized she still has any left - but with some much on my floor it's got to be over soon!!!

She is still pretty cranky. For now she is just getting fed greens and her seed and water (changing that alot coz it's really hot). I'm trying to spend the time I can with her but i have been really busy so I have "rostered" the other members of my family on so she wont get so lonely.

Blinkie's moulting at the moment too so i know what you mean about the feathers! Last week i was picking them up twice daily but they just kept falling!

there are feathers everywhere!!! While I've had budgies in an avairy for most of my life I've never had one inside go through a molt before. i'm really quite suprized :budgiedance: . I didn't think my lovely little hercules had that many feathers!!

She cheered up a bit today, I spent ages with her and she was quite happy to climb round my shoulders and play on my hands so perhaps her mood is improving a little.

She looks so funny at the moment she has lost some of her baby bars but not all of them yet and she's patchy. I'll see if i can take some photos and post them in a couple of days