Hi all,

 

My partner says that it wouldnt be worth taming my adult/mature budgies. He says that i should wait until they have a baby and hand raise it.

 

Is this true? Has anybody out there tamed an adult budgie? And if so, how difficult was it?

 

Thanks,

 

Simon

well actually most of mine have been well on their way to being mature when we got them - i.e. after the molt. so mine werent hard, but i have nothing to compare it to... if babies are easier, it must be really easy...

i believe 'tame' has many different levels, but with time, patience, and heartfelt comittment there is no reason why an adult budgie cant be tamed. Of course, there are some budgies who seem to cling on to their 'wild' ancestry, be it a baby, or an adult. some birds will simply tolerate you, others will welcome you with open wings. a lot of it is down to the birds nature, personality, regardless of age. Good luck in whichever path you choose, be it a baby, or an adult and always, always remember to show that bird gratitude that it has chosen to let its trust for you over ride its natural wild instincts. I believe it is truly an honour everytime Teapot my budgie flies to me, or shows joy at my appearence, or lets me pick him up at will.

Anne

I think it would always be worth it to tame your budgies, no matter what their age. It will take longer, and since you have two older birds together, it will probably take longer still. Can you get your hand inside the cage without them flapping around, or do they just move to the other side of the perch and watch you?

At the moment I'm attempting to train my new (and first) budgie and apparently he's a mature bird(i didnt know it when i bought him). It's not being really easy I keep reading these posts about how the same night they got the bird they got him to perch on their finger and i get so depressed cause after almost three weeks he still doesnt like me getting to close to me (well yesterday i managed to rub his tummy but he was falling asleep ad after a few second he realized what i was doing and flapped away ), so I know how you feel

I think you should give it a try! cause i dont know about you but i'm really jealous of these people and the way they've bonded with their pets!i want that too!

Same thing is happening to me. Everytime i put my hand in the cage they just flap away!

hmmmm well all mine have come from big pet stores therefore they have all been mature. i dont know where, but i posted something in a recent topic about taking the cage in a small room and taking it apart. basically, you put the bird in an unfamiliar (contained) area and they go to you becuase they recognize that your are familiar.

I've tried that but he just stays in his cage, not a very brave budgie i guess.....

Lil Devil-It is more difficult to tame an older bird but not impossible.The ones you read about with instant bonding will probably be the really young birds virtually straight from the nest who haven't yet learned to beafraid of us.

You do it the same way but it will take longer.

 

Abs Crazy-your first step is to put your hand in the cage(nowhere near the budgie)and leave it till he settles down-totally still. Regularly during the day do just that and nothing more.

Let us know when you can do that and he stops panicking and we can go on from there. Be patient though and don't rush things. You think it will never happen but it does!

 

Julie

I started doing that as soon as i read the msg and when i put my hand in they sat there and they didnt fly away or anything.

Something no one ever tells you when you get your budgie is that realistically it will take months before they are really tame. And that is if you work with them a few times a day. So to everyone who is frustrated because their bird acts mortally afraid of you when you come near...it's normal. It is much easier to tame young birds, but even some of them will be difficult. Just remember to go at the birds pace, not yours. Even if it takes a year to tame them, with proper care they should live a lot longer than that. In the real scheme of things, a few months isn't that bad.

AbsCrazy-Brilliant! Now you do exactly the same thing but put your hand an inch nearer the bird .Again it may take a few times.Leave it there till he settles then slowly take your hand out till next time.(By the way did I warn you get comfy first!)

 

Julie

 

p.s. Forgot you have two. Is it possible to do them separately?

Edited January 3, 200520 yr by Julie

i have had my budgie bout a month and a half. and some times he will allow me to stroke his tummy and others he flaps away at 100 miles an hour. yesterday i let him out because i had 3 hours before i had to go out. and would he go back in his cage it took 40 minutes, which was very stressful to him. any ideas of getting him in the cage in a less stressfull way?

Thanks

ATD

Always a difficult one this. You could try using a stick(the handle of something) for him to step up on to.Or the usual tip of let him out somewhere small and unfamiliar(bathroom)so he sees his cage as security.

Julie

ATD i have had my budgie for 2-3 weeks now and i let him out everyday. if you want him to go back into his cage by himself just put a big piece of millet just inside the cage door.

 

my bird usually will hop back in by himself if i get him on a stick and point him towards the door. this doesnt always work though, as he walks along the stick to avoid going back in (Laughing out loud)! we have had to gently wrap him in a tea-towel before.

I have to bring the cage up to wherever he is so your Majesty hops in.....i'm sure he thinks i'm some sort of slave or something because he actually looks anoyed if after some hours of being out i dont bring his cage...

LOL @ Lil'Devil !!!

I put my hand nearer and they just sit there staring at it and they dont flap away but if i try to get them on my finger they just climb to the top of the cage. When we take them out we have to wrap them around a cloth or something so they dont bite us.