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Our Progress

SquawksNibbles

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/4/17
Messages
3,257
Real Name
Kiera
I just thought I'd make a thread where I can share me and my birds' progress and ask questions whenever I have any!


Update on Skittles' Progress:
Many times a day I have been offering seed in my hand. I've been holding my hand in a position that requires Skittles to jump up on my hand to get to the seed. The first couple of times he was determined to find another way, but the more I've done it, the more he just jumps up on my hand right away. Now, whenever he jumps up on my hand, I say, "Step up." By doing all of this above, I am trying to train him to Step Up, and I also feel that this way is getting him more comfortable around my hands.

Update on Nico's Progress:
Currently, I'm just trying to help get Nico used to my hands and just my presence, in general. I've just been offering him seed in my hand. I don't get too close so I don't end up scaring him, and I let him come to me. Several times he has accepted the treat, and has even attempted to jump on my hand to get it (before he lost his balance and got scared and flew away). Even after he finishes eating, he seems much comfortable allowing me to rest my hand by the perch, but he does still like to keep his distance.

Current Problems/Concerns:
As most of you know, Skittles and Nico are a bonded pair, and therefore, share the same cage. Even though their cage is quite large, the two still have their little "arguments." This is especially true when I try to offer them the seed in my hand. If I try to let Nico get some seed from my hand, Skittles will come over and scare Nico away by making himself stand up taller and getting ready to strike with his beak. This, of course, works and Nico leaves and goes somewhere else, while Skittles starts chomping on the seed that he scared poor Nico away from. This makes it so that Nico doesn't get much of a chance to eat any from my hand. I would just like to point out, however, that this does not happen over food in their food bowl. They're fine eating side by side out of the food bowl, it just happens when it's seed in my hand. Any help on this would be appreciated.


So, there you have it! The updated progress my birds and I are making, and the questions and concerns I have. This thread will be updated whenever we make even more progress and/or I run into a problem and have a question.
 

SquawksNibbles

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/4/17
Messages
3,257
Real Name
Kiera
Okay, something really weird just happened. I put my hand up to Skittles wanting him to step up. I didn't have seed in my hand, because I decided to reward him with the was seed AFTER he steps up, rather than leaving the seee in my hand the whole time. So, with no seed in much hand, I offered my hand and when he stepped up said, "step up." I was already surprised he did this on his own; I wasn't expecting him to. Anyways, after he did this, I dropped some seed on my palm and expected him to immediately start eating, but he didn't. He was too busy nibbling on my fingers (he didn't even care when I pet him. If I had done this any other time, there would've been a major squawling fit!). He was also moving his body in a weird way. He continued to ignore the seed, and a strange thought occurred to me. Perhaps he was liking me a little too much. In fact, in order to get him down, I had to force him off my hand. I removed my hand from and cage and a couple minutes later put my hand back in. He came back running over, stepped up, and continued what he had been doing before.

Is he trying to do what I think he's trying to do (mate with me)? I'm not an expert on mating behavior in Budgies, but I just cannot think of what else it is. Unless he just start to love my hands suddenly in a day? If it is what I think it is, is there a way to stop it? I love to see him willingly hop up on my hand, but you know...

If it's not mating behavior, what else could it be?
 

SquawksNibbles

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/4/17
Messages
3,257
Real Name
Kiera
Okay, I think this is most definitely mating behavior. He started almost rubbing his butt on my hand. Now, just how do I stop it?
 

Tara81

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/27/16
Messages
1,533
Real Name
Tara
Hmm lol. When it comes to feeding them seed from your hand at the same time, position your hand between them so they can't fight, or use two hands with seeds for each :)

As for mating behaviour, try just offering your finger only to step on then feed him from a millet stick til he stops being hormonal. If that doesn't work, you can try giving him more rest at night (12-14hours for 2 weeks) , rearrange his cage swap some toys, and hopefully he will get out of breeding season and try again in two weeks :) they dont stay hormonal all year I don't think.
 

Jas

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
11/9/17
Messages
1,612
Location
UK
Real Name
Jasmine
Yeah like @Tara81 says complete darkness for 12-14 hours at night (blackout curtains are a life saver) no potential nest sites or nesting material. Don't touch your birds back as you'll give the wrong impression only head and neck Scritches.

My birds tend to want to mate around late summer early autumn and then they calm down.

Though these are natural behaviours and the bird is trying to have babies as this is what it's body is telling it to do.
 
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