Can my budgie be afraid of hands if he still hand feeds?

[Saya]

I feel like my budgie might be afraid of hands but he still lets me hand feed him in, on, and off his cage. He won't let me get near him in or on his cage without food, but away from the cage he's completely fine. What's going on here?

 

[Donna turner]

Did you just get him or have you had him awhile? Does he run away or just move over? He may never have been on a hand or finger and will have to be trained to step up.

 

[Saya]

Did you just get him or have you had him awhile? Does he run away or just move over? He may never have been on a hand or finger and will have to be trained to step up.

I've had him for 4 months, he was hand raised but he was returned twice for being a "shizz head". He moves over. and if he's not in or on his cage he'll step up just fine

 

[Birdlovesme]

This happened with my budgie too. All I did is to use food to get her to step up and praised him when she did. It will take time to get him used to you, just keep working with him, and praise him with his favorite treats when he does something you like. Sorry if I wasn't much help. My birdie wanted to say hi by the way.

 

[Lady Jane]

Just because a bird was hand fed does not mean they will like to be touched.

 

[Donna turner]

I think the reply to use food is good.that is how I get my green cheek to go in her cage without a hassle. Maybe he feels more comfortable or safer on his cage tan elsewhere. Just keep working on it and make it nice away from his cage so he will eventually want to go.

 

[TWR]

My Hahns Macaw is still being hand fed and enjoys neck scratches both in and away from her cage. She will not step up onto my hand from her cage though. I have to offer her my forearm or shoulder.

My Velcro adult Sun Conure couldn't get close enough to me - but hands were a no no. If I wanted to scratch his head, I could do so with my chin, nose or any part of my face - but fingers were not allowed. It was almost like he didn't recognise that my hands were part of me. For a very long time (years) he lunged at them when he saw them. At the time he could be sitting on me, snuggling into the crook of my neck, but at the same time my hands were the enemy. He never ever bit though.

This did improve, but hand were never accepted. Also, even though he was re-homed to me at 5 years, I'm confident that I know his history and he was never abused and was a well loved hand raised bird. He just didn't care for hands and sometimes you just have to accept that about your bird.

So my advice is offer your forearm, with a treat as a reward when he steps up.

 

[Saya]

My Hahns Macaw is still being hand fed and enjoys neck scratches away from her cage. She will not step up onto my hand from her cage though. I have to offer her my forearm or shoulder.

My Velcro adult Sun Conure couldn't get close enough to me - but hands were a no no. If I wanted to scratch his head, I could do so with my chin, nose or any part of my face - but fingers were not allowed. It was almost like he didn't recognise that my hands were part of me. For a very long time (years) he lunged at them when he saw them. At the time he could be sitting on me, snuggling into the crook of my neck, but at the same time my hands were the enemy. He never ever bit though.

This did improve, but hand were never accepted. Also, even though he was re-homed to me at 5 years, I'm confident that I know his history and he was never abused and was a well loved hand raised bird. He just didn't care for hands and sometimes you just have to accept that about your bird.

So my advice is offer your forearm, with a treat as a reward when he steps up.

THANK YOU I WILL DEFINITELY TRY THIS

 

[Saya]

This happened with my budgie too. All I did is to use food to get her to step up and praised him when she did. It will take time to get him used to you, just keep working with him, and praise him with his favorite treats when he does something you like. Sorry if I wasn't much help. My birdie wanted to say hi by the way.

oh she's so cute!! Thank you for the advice