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A Packer Update

Lori D Pert

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Awww...now I understand a little more as I was wondering why you would get 2 budgies with a cat in the house. I also understand that your granddaughter was happy and excited to help give you this gift. I also had a little budgie as a child who was my best friend. As far as a budgie getting used to a cat being around, well it depends on the bird. My little girl Sam has been feisty and adventurous from day 1. She took on my daughter's Chocolate Lab by dive bombing him and hovering around him like a hummingbird. There is a fine line between feisty and stupid and I believe Sam might be a few cards short of a deck...lol. Good thing the dog is a big cuddly drool monster or things might have gone very different. Point is that fear is a GOOD thing. I think that all things considered, poor little Packer is doing amazing.
 

Dorcas George

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Yeah, she was so sure they had the perfect birthday surprise for Grandma. Well, I guess we shall see. Packer seems neither feisty nor adventurous. Breeze was the more spunky one. If he just never adjusts I’ll get him a budgie pal, I guess. Might anyway in a while.
 
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Dorcas George

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Just a quick update. Packer's cage is back in dining room. Have opened the door on two different days, and he has remained in his cage. He has come as far as sitting in the door. I tried a little coaxing once, no go, so now I'm just going to open the door when I'm around and wait.
 

Gribouille

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I don’t know why it didn’t dawn on me that the bird would be thinking of the cat even if she is not in sight. Sigh.
Well, we don't know about that, but those are clever small creatures and it would be logical to think the threat is still clear in his mind.
Now it could also be something else, like finding himself alone in the house where they were two before.
My budgie changed behavior when his friend died too. From being totally uninterested in us, he started to come closer to try and get some interaction with us because he felt so lonely. He actually put himself in dangerous situations with my other bird (a tame parrotlet, who didn't want the budgie around) so I ended up adopting another budgie so they have each other. He became his old self again :)
But then it was HIS reaction at being alone, he didn't go through a trauma like Packer did and he never was tame, so Packer's reaction is obviously different and the answer to help him would also be different.
 
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Dorcas George

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From being totally uninterested in us, he started to come closer to try and get some interaction with us because he felt so lonely.
I’m hoping the positive part of having no Breeze around will be wanting to be friendlier. At this point it seems Packer is about at the same level as when Breeze was here. Meaning he will get on my finger only if there is a treat involved, chirps at me if he sees or hears me, etc. I really wanted to have him tame enough before flight time that he’d get on my hand but it took him and Breeze four months to get where he is now, and I was concerned I’d never get him out to fly. I’ll just keep putting the cat elsewhere and opening the cage and talking to him. Poor little guy was shy to begin with so none of this helped!
 

Lori D Pert

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That is the thing about budgies, each one has it's own distinct personality. The fact that Packer had his little lady friend who was a bit more outgoing than him meant he really didn't have to interact much with the humans. That has all changed now and the poor guy has been stressed. I do think that now he is on his own he will come to depend on you (have heard of this happening many times) and will accept you as part of his flock. He will, however, do that at his own pace. He is the shy one, so doing exactly what you are doing is the absolute best way to go. I think that him sitting at the door of his cage is a great sign, so don't give up! Any day now he may surprise the heck out of you and fly right to you.:)
 

Dorcas George

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@Lori D Pert @Gribouille I would probably cry for joy if he flew right to me. Much sadness in my life, and then this chirpy little pair of birds (that I would never have brought home because of the cat) that really did bring cheer—and then poor little Breeze—and feeling sorry for Packer. Whew. I’ll be SO thrilled to have the little guy trust me. Seriously.
 

Gribouille

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@Lori D Pert @Gribouille I would probably cry for joy if he flew right to me. Much sadness in my life, and then this chirpy little pair of birds (that I would never have brought home because of the cat) that really did bring cheer—and then poor little Breeze—and feeling sorry for Packer. Whew. I’ll be SO thrilled to have the little guy trust me. Seriously.
It might happen one day. Seeing you sit by his cage day after day, he's bound to know you are trustworthy. You could maybe read to him, or sing. Put your hand on the cage so he gets used to seeing it..
 

Dorcas George

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I feed him a treat every day, and he's okay with that, and he no longer freaks out if my hand is in the cage moving a toy or something, but I will put my hand on the cage too. I guess the more he sees my hand the better. I do sing to him a lot. Often a song about birds, such as "Lets All Sing Like the Birdies Do" or "Rockin' Robin" not because he'll care, but it makes me smile. :smuggrin: I do read a lot, so I'll try that too, though I might have to figure out a way to put a more comfy chair near the cage!
If he flies right to me, I will celebrate :fairy2:and you all we be among the first to know!

:budgie8:
 

Lori D Pert

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Try to repeat one phrase over and over. He may startle you and actually repeat it back to you. Does he chatter? If so you might try youtube videos of other budgies talking. This is how Sam learned, even though I repeated the phrases over and over it was the Disco the Parakeet videos on youtube that calmed her down and ultimately had her saying "baby bird" and "sleepy bird...crom chew, crom chew, crom chew" which is her making the snoring sounds. My son had a little boy budgie years ago that took quite awhile to tame and was actually speaking before he let us come near him. A shy one just like Packer. He was about 8 months before he became tame.
 
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Dorcas George

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@Lori D Pert @Gribouille I wanted to say that this afternoon I came home to a very quiet bird. Gribouille, I was thinking about your comment about singing. I do sing to him, but usually in the morning. The only reaction has been mild cheeping. He prefers rock or polka! LOL! Anyway, this evening I sang to a quiet bird and he suddenly started twittering madly! Of course, he twitters but this was different. It was hilarious! I stopped and he stopped. I started singing and he instantly started twittering like I’ve never heard! As for repeating phrases, I’ve done that for a while now. My husband does too. Packer used to chatter but mostly after Breeze started chattering and he’d follow suit. Mostly now he chirps or twitters. I have played budgie sounds from you tube, which he loves, but hadn’t seen the Disco videos. WOW! That little guy is something else! I’ll have to see what Packer’s reaction is! What a hoot!
 

Lori D Pert

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LOL...they DO have their prefered style of music. There are a few songs on the radio which send Sam into an angry screeching Diva. Then there is the TV which she tries to natter louder than. Yep, especially males, they must be louder than everyone else. This is apparently how they impress the ladies. Good sign that he is doing this. Yes Disco is somewhat of a legend. I had a budgie as a child that talked amazingly well but nothing like Disco. Sam would sit in front of my laptop and just listen, then suddenly at about 3 1/2 to 4 months she started saying "baby bird"...then "sleepy bird' both quite clearly. I know it was those videos that spurred her on. She now has a few phrases, although not all clear like those two. Thank you and RIP Disco...
 

fashionfobie

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Just saw this thread. Nice work with Packer @Dorcas George ! I will tell you what when your little bird chooses to fly to you it is SUPER rewarding. My parrotlets were never clipped. The confidence that they have is real. They can decide when they are ready for things or what they want to do. I think it is hands down the best way to build a trusting relationship. As a side effect we have incredibly comfortable and confident little birds.

The one down side with confident little acrobats is that they will walk around the floor and may not fly off when a human walks up to them. This has the potential to be an accident. Luckily I have a pretty peaceful household, just my partner and the birdies. We are ever vigilant. Make sure you always know where Packer is to prevent any accidents. I almost stepped on Pi the other day. He is my slightly taller parrot, he loves floor time. I was cooking and he walked into the kitchen right next to me and I turned and bumped him with my foot. Thank goodness I didn't step. Once they trust us this much, we can't afford to make any mistakes..not only accidents, but I feel like I would be betraying them if I did anything to break this trust.


I read to my birdies. It was a fun way to get them used to my voice when they were getting to know me. It is also a nice way to read out loud :p
 

Gribouille

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Merlin's favorite song is Proud Mary by Tina Turner, and Don't stop me now by Queen. He also had a period thinking he was a tenor, singing to Bocelli!
And you know he isn't tame, and Nova has never been tame -I didn't even try. I've had Merlin for over 3 years, Nova for one. They both landed on me today, Nova for the first time, Merlin's done it a few rare times before. Patience is the key... and maybe, having a tame bird on you might help too ;)
 
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