Socializing budgies?

[Featheredfuffs]

Hi,

I've been helping an elderly man care for his budgies for a few months now, and although the budgies seem quite content out of the cage, we've been having a hard time getting them a little more used to people (they came from a pet store). Does anyone have any ideas?

Here are some pictures of them (just for fun);

 

[CeciliaZ]

Very pretty budgies! I'm new to budgies also - will be watching this thread

 

[expressmailtome]

If they are afraid of people, whenever you walk by their cage, drop a small treat into their food bowl. They will come to learn that you being near their cage results in something good for them. To keep them from becoming afraid of you, bribe them to get them back into their cage as opposed to chasing them. You could put a piece of millet spray in their cage, and see if they go back into the cage for it. I recommended millet spray as most budgies love it. If you are going to do this, save millet spray for just this purpose. When you are around them, talk in a calm voice so that they do not become startled.

 

[Lady Jane]

Good advice. Budgies work for millet. Try holding some millet seeds in the palm of your hand. Idea being to eat out of your hand. If one budgie does this they all will. Will some of them sit on your shoulder yet?

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Good advice. Budgies work for millet. Try holding some millet seeds in the palm of your hand. Idea being to eat out of your hand. If one budgie does this they all will. Will some of them sit on your shoulder yet?

They will, but rarely, and only if I ask them to step up and put them there. They are to shy to eat out of my hand, but they will hop up on my finger if offered (but only if I'm the best method of transportation at the moment!).

One of the things I've found hardest is putting them back in the cage, as I'm only there for an hour and they still want to stay out. The result is me chasing them around for a few minutes, and although they're being more sassy than scared, I can't see it helping!

I have been using millet to gradually get them closer to me over time, and it seems to be working! They still won't go that close to me, though...


Charlie (the blue guy) is such sassy little fluff! It's quite adorable. Fran is a little aggressive with Charlie, it's kind of making me worried. What should I look out for? She/he will literally perch on Charlie's back and tail, and will open his/her beak in warning if Charlie gets too close to him/her. Is this just asserting dominance? Mating behavior?

Charlie's cere is just starting to turn pinkish tan, so she's a girl, but Fran's hasn't changed color yet.

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[Lady Jane]

Chasing them around to go back in the cage is not a way to help them be comfortable with you. Instead work on perch training them. Put a small perch in your hand along with a bit of millet at the same time. You can start the perch training while they are inside the cage. Anything you do repeatedly they will learn. Especially if you reward them with a treat. Safety is another reason to get them used to stepping up on a perch held in your hand. Put a perch on the inside of the cage door and after they are stepping up on a perch outside of the cage carry them back to the cage perch on the door and then from there swing the door closed. If you have the type of cage that does not have a door that opens and closes then it may be a good idea to get that type of flight cage.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

I thought I'd give a little update:
The budgies are hilarious! Ray (the owner) ended up changing their names to suit their personalities more.
The little green guy became Charlie, because she started responding to it! It's quite cute. Ray will call "Charlie!" And she'll look at him and chirp in response. It's only for Ray, and only the word Charlie, so we decided that was her name. The other gal, formerly Charlie, became Wright because he loves to flap her wings and fly (her wings are clipped, but it won't be long now).

As for taming, Wright is much more tame now and is okay with hanging out on my shoulder. I've also found it much easier to put them back in when the time comes, as Wright will happily step up on my finger and allows herself to get put in the cage, and Charlie will jump up on my finger to follow her in.


Charlie's pretty skittish of hands, but that's okay because she really has a wonderful relationship with Ray anyway. One of her favorite places to hang out is on the shoes he's wearing, so she can play with his shoelaces!


Thanks for the help, and I'm going to work on perch training next

 

[Lady Jane]

Appreciate updates, especially good ones.

 

[Monica]

If the cage is small enough, you could always take the cage to them instead.


Keep working on the millet with the girls!