Flying?

[Mua]

I just got a budgie yesterday but she already seems very tame and can jump on my finger but not for long.

I worry alot and because this is my first bird I want to make sure she is treated right.

I want to know when I should let her fly around my room or if I even should.

My room is bird-proofed but her wings aren't clipped and she isn't fully trained.

Should I wait until she is comfortable with her surroundings or until she can step up or what?


I'm not trying to rush her adjustment or our bonding I just want advice from experienced bird owners.

 

[Zoepr143]

I would definitely wait until you think she is fully settled in, if you let her fly around when she is not yet used to her cage she won’t want to go back in. It is a good thing that she trusts your hand already!

Thank you for deciding to become an AA member, we will all be here for your questions.


Edit: also a useful tip; don’t force her to get out of the cage once you think it’s time. Just open the cage door and she will come out once she understands the situation. That way she won’t be stressed and will be exploring comfortably.

 

[Amira]

While I am one of those people who believes birds should be allowed to fly, I also think there are a few exceptions. For example Tikki has always been allowed to fly around the room because he/she (trying to figure that out still ) was hand raised and the recall is perfect so I could put him(?) back in the cage without issues whenever it was necessary. When I travelled to study and left him at the care of my boyfriend we decided it was best to trim the wings just a little at first so he would understand that his hand would help him. He was still able to fly a little but not gain height. It was good that we did it because Tikki didn't want anyone to touch him and even catching him on the floor was difficult because he runs so fast I had to talk to him through a couple of video calls so he would calm down and stop biting. It took a few weeks but now they seem best friends Tikki always follows him around the house and loves being on his hand. Started learning to speak Arabic too

Conclusion I'd say it should be decided on a case by case basis. Use your good judgement.

 

[Garet]

I want to know when I should let her fly around my room or if I even should.

My room is bird-proofed but her wings aren't clipped and she isn't fully trained.

Should I wait until she is comfortable with her surroundings or until she can step up or what?

To be honest, I think not clipping her wings is for the best. My budgie's wings were pretty mangled and she had difficulties avoiding walls. On the flip-side, my lovebird has never flown into anything, even on the first day I had him. My tiel was clipped before I got her, and it took her a while to learn how to fly properly. Even now, she's not completely mastered the art of landing on things, and she's been fully flighted since I got her in September.

I'd also wait until she's comfortable with your room to let her fly. Give her at least a few days to settle in, if not weeks or a month. Each bird is different, and each bird needs to adjust on their own time.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Mua, since this is your first bird, I always caution people about the seed dishes appearing full, when they are not. They might seem full, but they are full of hulls, so offer fresh seed every day, and blow out the hulls over your trash can, before adding new seed! Please make sure you close the door off to the room you're allowing sweet birdie to fly in, as I learned this the hard way. My Fergus (approx 7 mos. old) flew out last week, into the kitchen, and behind my stove! Fortunately, I have the kind with the drawer in the bottom, and I opened the drawer gently, and when I shone a flashlight toward him, he flew out. This was SO scary, I will ALWAYS close the door now when I allow him out to fly!

 

[Mua]

Mua, since this is your first bird, I always caution people about the seed dishes appearing full, when they are not. They might seem full, but they are full of hulls, so offer fresh seed every day, and blow out the hulls over your trash can, before adding new seed!

I didnt know about the seed thing until I got her and I feel so dumb about it. Luckily when i had her eat from my hand I saw the hulls and from then i've been cleaning those out ever since.

And about the doors, I always take my dog out of the room and close the door before opening her cage. I have a big house so it would be terriying for her to get loose.

Thanks for your concern though!