Budgies 4-6 months difficult to tame?

[ashgate]

Is it unlikely to be able to tame budgies that are 4-6 months old? Or is it possible?

Tempted for a clearwing and a greywing I saw at a local pet shop the other day. One is clearly a male blue cere, the other cere is changing it looked like bright aqua blue around nostrils and either purple, or a purple brown underneath... Boy or girl? She said the have been at the store since Aug.

 

[Mr Peepers]

I've tamed a budgie that's almost 3 years old and he's a big hand tame sucky baby.. so nothing is impossible when it comes to training. A young budgie 4-6 months is easy to tame you just have to put the time in everyday a couple of times a day working with the bird.

Good luck on your choice, maybe next time you are near the local pet shop sneak a pic of the birds we'd love to see what the birds look like and we can tell you the sex with a pic.

 

[MorganW]

I just recently tamed my English budgie and he will be a year in December. I definitely think it's possible if you dedicate time to it. I have to work with him every day. He walks around on me now so it was definitely worth it

 

[ashgate]

My conures and lovebirds were handfed, that why I was asking if its difficult or can be done ;-). Thanks, if they are still there tomorrow I'll bring them home & I will update, thanks!

 

[Mr Peepers]

My conures and lovebirds were handfed, that why I was asking if its difficult or can be done ;-). Thanks, if they are still there tomorrow I'll bring them home & I will update, thanks!

Oh, you are going to buy them both? I didn't realize that.

That means it will be a little more difficult to tame them you will have to work with each bird separately and that's not easy to do when they are in the same cage. Just make sure to take your time and don't grab them to force them out of the cage to train them you will need to build up trust with both birds first.

 

[cupoftea]

I think it's possible but it will take a lot of time and patience. I think you should only get them if you don't mind the possibility of having two budgies that aren't hand tame though.

 

[ashgate]

So then all the pictures and videos of people with cages of budgies like 4 or more in a flight cage most likely they are not tame? I Guess its like my conures & lovebirds they all live separately but hang out/play on the stands together but are all still tame, because they each have their own cages?

 

[ronsig]

Budgies can be tamed, even in groups. I saw that at zoos with aviaries. Budgies will climb all over people. Millet helps.
Clickertraining is a good method to use with budgies in groups or single.
I have used that method to train older rescues.

Sigrid

 

[Beanurita]

I rescued 2 boy budgies in Aug both about 4-6m and they are in the same cage.....they both get out time daily eat fresh are comfy enough at this point to step up and not bite....so it's progress in a short time with 2 untamed keets in the same house together. One is sheer than the other while the other one use to be a big time biter! It just takes time and patients....and dedication! But they do come out to play with the other 4 birds (GCC, love bird and 2 tiels) & neither give me issues going back in their house either........it's possible!

 

[Mr Peepers]

I rescued 2 boy budgies in Aug both about 4-6m and they are in the same cage.....they both get out time daily eat fresh are comfy enough at this point to step up and not bite....so it's progress in a short time with 2 untamed keets in the same house together. One is sheer than the other while the other one use to be a big time biter! It just takes time and patients....and dedication! But they do come out to play with the other 4 birds (GCC, love bird and 2 tiels) & neither give me issues going back in their house either........it's possible!

You said it all perfectly in this one line.

Its all about how much time you put into training them every day.

 

[ashgate]

How much is good each day? I don't want to over do it ;-)

 

[Beanurita]

How much is good each day? I don't want to over do it ;-)

I think it depends on the birds really.......meaning if they can handle it and don't seem stressed then spend the time with them. If it's minutes you want that varies but I started with about 5-15 minutes a couple times a day with them. Plus I talked to them when I walk in & out of the room stopping at their house for some sweet nothing's. I make little keets sounds with them when they are chatting to each other. Just go slow and quiet and see what they like/responded too!

 

[ronsig]

Training should stop before the birds get tired of it. You will find out how long their attention span is. Always reward with millet and praise. Several short sessions are better than one long one.
Good luck,
Sigrid

 

[MyAussieFriends]

Those are still babies, and will be super easy to tame

 

[camelotshadow]

Good Luck
Nice Crimson Bellied!

 

[Melissa Marie]

I recently brought a new store-bought budgie into our flock. They weren't sure how old he was, but I would venture around 4 months. I watch him in the store over a couple weeks prior to picking him up and noticed he seemed to have a very sweet disposition. I think that helps a lot!

I can say from my experience it takes a LOT of time and patience, and a LOT of millet. I worked slowly at first, just holding my hand in the cage, gradually resting it closer while he seemed calm, and backing off immediately if he got spooked. He was very skittish over the first couple of months, but I spent about 10 min a day with my hand at first, then sitting and talking or hanging out near the cage whenever I could. Gradually, over another couple of weeks, I would use millet to coax him out to the door, and spent time just letting him nibble and associate treats with our interaction. It took a LOONG time for him to trust enough to step up, and I'm only JUST now, nearly 4 months in, trying to introduce training exercises. He's still a little scared of the clicker, but he now happily comes to the door and chirps for treats and attention when I open it up for play time (he often beats my Linnie, who was hand fed and is deeply bonded to me!).

The trick is taking baby steps every day. Watch their body language and be sensitive to their moods. A few minutes of calm, positive interaction with lots of love, patience and rewards every day will do MUCH more for taming than an hour of forced and stressful attempts at training! It takes a long time to earn a store-bought budgie's trust--even if it's a baby--but the reward is well worth the effort =]

good luck! please be sure to post pics and progress!