Im not advocating this method to new budgie owners, this was quite accidental, but a major break through.
Where I'm living is a true bird house. I had 2 budgies when I was young, but had cats, dogs, ferrets most of my adult life. I fell in love with the birds in my new home. I wanted a cockatiel, but couldn't afford one at the time. I expressed an interest in getting a parakeet to my roommate, and he gave me a cage and encouraged me to get one.
I got Wynter, my first bird the first of November 2017. A true bird novice, I made several mistakes trying to bond with her. I finally got Wylla, as a cage mate hoping it would help. I tried working with them, devouring the internet to find ways to train and bond with them. Nothing was working so I accepted it would just take time.
I loved my birds, even if they didn't seem to care for me. I ended up with 4 parakeets, when I fell in love with Wylde at the store, and had to have him. As I waited for the clerk to assist me, I noticed Wylde couldnt be away from a yellow parakeet even for a moment. The yellow bird hopped to another perch, Wylde hopped too. They seemed very attached to each other. My roommate said I had to get both, and bought the yellow parakeet, Wythe, for me as an early Christmas gift.
A few days later, my roommate gave me a HUGE corner cage for my birds. Long story short, I soon ended up with 8 parakeets over the next month as my love for birds grew. All of them were very young. No cere colors to tell sexes, and all untamed.
Over the next couple of months I tried to tame all 8 in a group session. I was able to get some of them to step up on a dowel rod, but not constantly and none very willingly. Again, I resigned myself to giving it time, and just being patient and enjoying their company.
This past March, I began making chop and feeding my birds chop each morning. I had hung spinach, lettuce, parsley etc in the cage long before, and tried getting them to eat sprouts, but it mostly scared the birds. Only Wylla liked her greens. At night, I would give the birds seed mix to make sure they ate enough.
2-3 days into doing this, I decided to offer the nightly seed from my hand. I took a handful of seed mix and opened the cage door. 8 parakeets quickly jumped on my hand and ate until it was gone.
I continued doing this for a week or so. Now the chop is preferred by my birds, and they eat so much more. I still feed some seeds, and nuts at night, but not always from my hand. But I am now able to get the birds to step up on my finger any time, they fly to me now, and finally trust me. That's the moral to my long story here I guess.
I had just about given up hope that they would ever tame, and accepted the flock mentality that there were more of them than there was of me....but now, I'm just part of the flock.
Where I'm living is a true bird house. I had 2 budgies when I was young, but had cats, dogs, ferrets most of my adult life. I fell in love with the birds in my new home. I wanted a cockatiel, but couldn't afford one at the time. I expressed an interest in getting a parakeet to my roommate, and he gave me a cage and encouraged me to get one.
I got Wynter, my first bird the first of November 2017. A true bird novice, I made several mistakes trying to bond with her. I finally got Wylla, as a cage mate hoping it would help. I tried working with them, devouring the internet to find ways to train and bond with them. Nothing was working so I accepted it would just take time.
I loved my birds, even if they didn't seem to care for me. I ended up with 4 parakeets, when I fell in love with Wylde at the store, and had to have him. As I waited for the clerk to assist me, I noticed Wylde couldnt be away from a yellow parakeet even for a moment. The yellow bird hopped to another perch, Wylde hopped too. They seemed very attached to each other. My roommate said I had to get both, and bought the yellow parakeet, Wythe, for me as an early Christmas gift.
A few days later, my roommate gave me a HUGE corner cage for my birds. Long story short, I soon ended up with 8 parakeets over the next month as my love for birds grew. All of them were very young. No cere colors to tell sexes, and all untamed.
Over the next couple of months I tried to tame all 8 in a group session. I was able to get some of them to step up on a dowel rod, but not constantly and none very willingly. Again, I resigned myself to giving it time, and just being patient and enjoying their company.
This past March, I began making chop and feeding my birds chop each morning. I had hung spinach, lettuce, parsley etc in the cage long before, and tried getting them to eat sprouts, but it mostly scared the birds. Only Wylla liked her greens. At night, I would give the birds seed mix to make sure they ate enough.
2-3 days into doing this, I decided to offer the nightly seed from my hand. I took a handful of seed mix and opened the cage door. 8 parakeets quickly jumped on my hand and ate until it was gone.
I continued doing this for a week or so. Now the chop is preferred by my birds, and they eat so much more. I still feed some seeds, and nuts at night, but not always from my hand. But I am now able to get the birds to step up on my finger any time, they fly to me now, and finally trust me. That's the moral to my long story here I guess.
I had just about given up hope that they would ever tame, and accepted the flock mentality that there were more of them than there was of me....but now, I'm just part of the flock.
but I like to spoil him and can't wait to get more of a set up like yours.
