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Budgies not getting back in their cage

sapphires.

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I need help!
I have 3 untamed budgies that whenever I let out, they always fly up to my curtain rod.
This usually isn't a problem, but today I couldn't get them back in their cage.
I've been trying for at least an hour to get them in, but they've always flew back and forth on the rod. I used a broom and swung it in their direction, but never directly at them so as to not hurt them.
I tried turning out the lights and throwing a towel over them, but still couldn't get them.
They refuse to eat anything other than seed, and I tried feeding them an apple to get them on my finger but they just ignored it.
They're slightly tamed, by that I mean I can get them on my finger but only when they're in my cage.
I've had these birds for months now.

I'm really tired and I can't find any possible way to get them back in.
 

Shezbug

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There won’t be many members on for a few more hours.
Is it late where you are? Like your birds bed time?
 

Miss_sj

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Do you have some millet? Can you entice them in by holding seed in your hand?

What are they doing? Are they playing, or are they sleepy?

Little monkeys.
 

Vittror

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I would suggest not swinging a broom in their direction or doing anything to 'pester' them, they might get afraid and don't want to leave that spot at all anymore, since it's high (= more safe for them).

I don't know how much time you have to wait it out but they should go back to their cage when they're hungry.
 

sapphires.

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Do you have some millet? Can you entice them in by holding seed in your hand?

What are they doing? Are they playing, or are they sleepy?

Little monkeys.
I don't have any millet, and they never really come to my hand whenever I hold seed
 

sapphires.

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I would suggest not swinging a broom in their direction or doing anything to 'pester' them, they might get afraid and don't want to leave that spot at all anymore, since it's high (= more safe for them).

I don't know how much time you have to wait it out but they should go back to their cage when they're hungry.
It took around 2-3 hours for them to get back in their cage all by their own. I left them alone for a while
 

Khizz

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When I made the thread it was 12:34 pm
A lot of the members here are from the US. There aren't very many Europeans (if that's where you are from).

It took around 2-3 hours for them to get back in their cage all by their own. I left them alone for a while
This is usually what works for me, placing millet in the cage, changing their food bowls and leaving the room. Otherwise I get stressed out and the birds feel that energy too. Towelling them and waving a stick at them will make it harder in the long run as they will end up fearing you.

After a few times you do get familiar with their habits and can work out how to get them in :)
 

Gribouille

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You have to consider that the birds don't know what you want from them, and they get scared when they see you act "aggressively" toward them like waving a broom in their direction. Staying high and out of reach will be their safest response to such a threat.
Even if they are not tame -especially if they are not tame...- you have to train them to go back to their cage on certain signals. You could teach them to step up on a stick if they refuse to step up on your finger. I did that with mine, they would step up, and I'd move them back to the cage while they are sitting on it. Of course, they would fly away multiple times, or fly out of the cage while I tried to get the second one inside, so yes it took many hours at the beginning, until they understood what I was trying to do. In the end the first one would step up and get himself carried to the cage while the other flew after, or they would both fly in when they saw the stick/ heard that it was time to go in. Takes time and they don't always agree, but it works, mainly.

One of my guys died and I got a female later on. She didn't know about the stick, and my male followed her lead so he refused to go inside too... So I had to start from scratch with them, but now they got it again and fly in when I reach for them with the stick and say they must go inside. It also helps to reduce the lights (they have a little light in their cage so they see where they have to go) but I live in the North and soon Summer will be back with no dark time, so I can't rely on that trick to get them in. But they are cool and mostly do what I tell them, since they know what I want from them.

You just have to put in the time and effort to explain them. Once they know they should oblige - most of the time!
 
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