Looking for tips to help fearful budgies

[Kassiani]

As I'm sitting here typing this, I'm in my kitchen with my two budgies. They are in their cage, the door is open. We have just finished up some recall work in which I'm training them to "come" and "go home" (to the cage). They are happy to fly to me for a treat during training. I can even sometimes have them step onto the top of their cage.

Unfortunately, they still won't come out of their cage on their own to explore or play, although they do occasionally take a few flying laps of the kitchen. I have a play gym for them in the kitchen. I can target them to it, but once that is finished, they fly back to their cage. They don't fly to me out of curiosity when I'm working or actively seek my companionship. I know most of this is my fault, and I accept that blame fully.

They are 4 yo males. I have been too afraid to have them out of the cage until recently (3 months ago). I began target/clicker training them through the bars of the cage. They have made amazing progress lately, and I don't want to push them or make them uncomfortable. I just hope that there are other things I can be doing to make them feel more comfortable and free to explore and play outside of their cage.

 

[finchly]

Is there a perch on the outside of the cage? I like to put a perch there, and lay a tiny treat on it or click/treat when they land on it. (I also put a word to it, "perch" so they go there on command)

I find that mine enjoy climbing out to their outer perch even if they don't fly around.

Honestly - keep doing what you're doing! They'll keep making the amazing progress.

 

[Mybluebird]

In my experience it just takes time. My guys did the same initially. I'd open the cage door and they wouldn't come out. Then they came out but flew close to their cage. Gradually they started flying further out in the room and staying out of their cage to play more on it. They haven't gone to their playgym yet which is beside their cage or any of the other play things I have near their cage. They have gotten friendlier with me. Sometimes they land on my head. I will hold up my arm and Buddy will come come over and kiss and play on my hand. Tweetie occasionally also comes to my hand when I don't have millet. I have not done target training with them. I've been working with them for about 6 months, just to give you an idea.

Hopefully others will offer their training/taming experiences.

 

[Karen]

Can you incorporate some perches and feeder stations that are attached to the outside of their cage and target to there while they are becoming accustomed to going further.

 

[JewellBird]

I agree with what others said about putting a perch right outside the cage door, I have adjustable rope perches right outside each of my birds cages, and when I first got the budgies I used to bring one end of the adjustable rope perch into the cage when their door was open and attach it and have the other end on the outside so they could easily get out and sit there. Also, you might want to put one of their favorite toys by the perch on the outside, or somehow attach a little feeding cup to the outside perch. (There is some on Amazon that just clip onto the perch that I use on my birds play stands.) Moving their play gym closer may help get them out too, since they might feel more comfortable being able to still be close to the cage, while on the play gym. Everything you're already doing is great, and I'm sure with time and just continuing to spend time sitting near them they will eventually get curious, or bored enough to adventure out more, even if it takes a long time!

 

[budgieluv3]

Maybe put millet in different places in the room to let them know that they can come out and fly?

 

[Kassiani]

So far, I have one rope perch attached just below the opening of the upper cage door. They seem to like that for our recall training. I have put toys near it, but they haven't been interested so far. I roll their cage into the kitchen and connect their cage and play gym with a wood and rope ladder. The play gym has feed cups at the top, and I put pellets and a bit of millet in those cups

I do need to attach other perches for them to use on the outside of the cage, and I haven't put feed cups on the outside, so I'll definitely try that!

I thought about getting a separate t-stand perch, but haven't found one that I thought would work yet.

Thank you all so much! And yes, I need to keep reminding myself to have patience

 

[scrape]

As I'm sitting here typing this, I'm in my kitchen with my two budgies. They are in their cage, the door is open. We have just finished up some recall work in which I'm training them to "come" and "go home" (to the cage). They are happy to fly to me for a treat during training. I can even sometimes have them step onto the top of their cage.

Unfortunately, they still won't come out of their cage on their own to explore or play, although they do occasionally take a few flying laps of the kitchen. I have a play gym for them in the kitchen. I can target them to it, but once that is finished, they fly back to their cage. They don't fly to me out of curiosity when I'm working or actively seek my companionship. I know most of this is my fault, and I accept that blame fully.

They are 4 yo males. I have been too afraid to have them out of the cage until recently (3 months ago). I began target/clicker training them through the bars of the cage. They have made amazing progress lately, and I don't want to push them or make them uncomfortable. I just hope that there are other things I can be doing to make them feel more comfortable and free to explore and play outside of their cage.

Millet and favorite toys outside the cage can help. And leaving the door open for a good long while. If you want, you could also feed most of their meals outside the cage. When I got Parker he didn't come out at all, even when Mark went out. Took him awhile to realize outside of the cage time was fun.

 

[Ulis_Beast]

Just brainstorming here.. but.. maybe they don't feel safe enough on the playstand where it currently sits?
When I moved Lokis from somewhat from the middle of the room into a corner it became the bees knees !
Maybe a different location of the playstand would work for your guys too?

 

[clarousel]

I agree with what the others said! More perches in areas they will feel comfortable in and I think time will also help. 3 months isn't very long so I'm sure they'll warm up to being outside of their safe space

I recently had my room extended so the entire room is different to how Preeno remembered it. My toilet is currently his favourite space as he's frequented it all this while during construction He's slowly figuring out a few spots in my room, so I'm sure your budgies will too!

 

[Kassiani]

Unfortunately, they don't like corners in rooms, much. I think for them, it feels like they are trapped and have no way to escape. I have far more luck with things in the center of the room so that they can more freely in any direction. I would hope to eventually locate the play stand in front of a window.

 

[Kassiani]

Sprouted seeds and peas for a little out-of-cage snack! I know they won’t stay once they’re done, but still....

Ha! As I’m typing this, they just took a couple of flying laps around their cage!

 

[JewellBird]

Aww, every little bit is progress!

 

[MC_Hahn's]

As several others have said, perches outside of the cages are very useful. Sometimes you can place a favorite toy next to the perch to help lure them out. I've noticed that foraging toys work best for that purpose, as a piece of millet or oat spray usually does the trick.
My parakeets mostly spend their time hanging out on the curtain rods (which I've hung several toys from). I have chairs positioned nearby already, so they are comfortable watching me from their "thrones". If your birds are comfortable with your presence, you may want to move a chair a bit closer to their favorite locations.
As for playstands, my budgies enjoyed a ceiling one that I had several years ago. I hung it from a hook in the ceiling and had lots of toys and a tray that could be filled with paper scraps and toys for them to play with. I had to throw it out due to it breaking. Attaching a hanging rope toy may help--My budgies love running around them.
You can create a sort of scavenger hunt for your birds with treats too. Sometimes I'll set out a bowl of snacks for the budgies and cockatiel to eat if they're brave enough to go to them. After a few minutes of eyeing up the food, Percy shoves Peridot in that direction as if to say, "You go first." Once Peridot is happily eating, Percy follows. If the treat has a high enough value, Colby comes to investigate.
Anyways, I hope that some of the other community members can help you out. In my personal experience, having multiple budgies is almost always a guarantee that they'll choose hanging out with their feathered friends over people. After all, if you lived with friendly feathered giants and fellow humans, you'd likely hang out with the other people instead of a completely different species that may be unpredictable and hard to communicate with.
Good luck with your budgies! You've made a lot of progress already

 

[Kassiani]

Oh, I don't expect them to prefer me to each other at this point. I just want them to play, explore, get some exercise and mental stimulation. They have taken to buzzing past the back of my head while I am preparing their dinner! I can feel the breeze stir my hair when they whip past! Maybe one of them will have the courage to land on my head one of these days, lol!

 

[Kassiani]

Breakfast on top of the gym this morning! Such a happy bird Mom!!

 

[Mybluebird]

I really like those feed cups. Are they glass? Where did you get them?

 

[Kassiani]

I really like those feed cups. Are they glass? Where did you get them?

Yes, they are glass! They are just Anchor Hocking custard cups that happen to fit the feed cup rings on the stand.

 

[Kassiani]

The boys have made great progress playing on their gym, flying around the kitchen and even sometimes into the adjacent living room!

But...

In order for me to adopt the conure I've been working with at a parrot rescue, I have to have proof of a negative psittacosis test for the boys. This means travel carrier and vet. We had an appointment to go this morning, but I had to reschedule due to construction happening on my street.

I'm a firm believer in permission-based training. I don't like to force them to do something that they do not want to do voluntarily. However, they will not go into their travel carrier voluntarily. They are target trained, but they won't target to the carrier. I've been working on recall training and even working with them to recognize their names to come to me one at a time. But, once on my finger, they will fly away when I try to put them in the carrier.

I'm really disheartened. I know I shouldn't be. Not really. But I am. Every time we make progress, something happens, and I lose what little trust we had begun to build. I know that no matter how much time I spend training between now and my appointment Tuesday morning, I'm going to have to catch them and place them in their carrier.

I'm really heartbroken about all of it tonight and wonder if we will ever improve our friendship. I'm even doubting whether I should adopt the conure if doing so means I will lose the boys' trust--again.

 

[ParrotNuts]