New budgie owner, stressed budgie Help

[LilyPoll12]

I’ve recently brought a new budgie, I have always loved birds and owned 2 different pairs of budgies in the past. This one is on his own as I didn’t have much luck taming the others in pairs, he’s been fine, completely normal new budgie behaviour, not eating, drinking, moving, but I’m quite worried, he keeps trying to escape his cage, squeezing his head through the bars until eventually he cut his nose, me being me as soon as I saw the little one bleeding I freaked out and started desperately trying to get him to stop. Covering the cage makes it better but I need some advice on how to handle this… as freaking out might scare him away from me forever.

 

[LilyPoll12]

I’ve had my little guy for 3 days now, showing normal new budgie behaviour, I’ve had budgies in the past in pairs but never had much luck getting them to be my friends so I thought taming a lone budgie would be a better shot, today is his 3rd day and he’s checking out his cage but he keeps desperately trying to escape, squeezing his head through the bars, I tired to just ignore him and let him figure it out but he eventually cut his nose and that made me panic, I started tapping the cage, putting my hand near him to scare him off nothing was deterring him, eventually covering the cage and making the room dark got him back to his perch but I don’t know how to go about this can anyone give me some advice on how to deal with this without making my budgie see me as a threat?

 

[MommyBird]

He should be in a cage with 1/2 inch bar spacing. If he's getting his head thru it is too large of spacing or poorly made with gaps.
Some birds are very interested in being on the front of the cage. Attach a perch to the front face and put some toys there.
Tapping to scare him and covering the cage all day are two things never to be done.
If he's fearful give him a hiding space in the back top corner behind a lot of toys or just cover the back and one side of the cage.
If he's looking for company sit yourself down by the cage and sing, talk, read to him. But don't try to scare him!
Get some millet spray and start letting him eat some thru the bars while you hold it. Make him follow it to different places.
Look up clicker training.

 

[sunnysmom]

if he's squeezing his cage through the bars, you need get a different cage asap with smaller bar spacing. I know of a budgie who recently died that way. If you've only had him 3 days it's not been that long. Take things slowly as @MommyBird suggested.

 

[LilyPoll12]

if he's squeezing his cage through the bars, you need get a different cage asap with smaller bar spacing. I know of a budgie who recently died that way. If you've only had him 3 days it's not been that long. Take things slowly as @MommyBird suggested.

Only his beak can fit through really that’s how he made it bleed I just don’t know how to get him to stop

 

[sunnysmom]

Only his beak can fit through really that’s how he made it bleed I just don’t know how to get him to stop

Does he have toys to play with?

 

[LilyPoll12]

He has a few but doesn’t seem very interested, but good news I think he doesn’t like being in his cage I’m thinking maybe a bigger one? I let him out and let him have a fly he’s been landing on my arm, eating from my palm and now he’s sat on top of his cage grinding his beak. He trusts me a little too he’s a lovely little thing.

 

[Shezbug]

Nearly every time I hear of a budgie trying desperately to escape a newer enclosure I have discovered the cage is generally a rather small one or has been positioned in a place the bird feels totally threatened causing it to try to move to a place it feels comfortable.

Is your cage a suitable size? Is your cage offering some security like a wall behind one side or preferably a wall either side (corner)?

 

[LilyPoll12]

I think maybe I may have over crowded him with toys and swings, I was worried he was going to get bored as a lone bird and brought a good few toys but maybe they’re overcrowding him, I’ll try taking some out, and his cage is in a corner, but yesterday after his little flying session after he had something to eat he flew right onto his cage and went to sleep, does this mean he’s getting used to his cage or..?

 

[Scorpi0]

Sounds like he wants his freedom lol.
My budgies have their cage open all day so theyre free to fly around whenever they want, but they still spend most of their time on top, or inside of the cage.
But if he is sitting on your arm and eating from your hand then he really trusts you. You can’t leave his cage open during the day?

 

[LilyPoll12]

His cage is in my room and I have a very busy house with 2 dogs so I let him out for about an hour when I’m in there chilling with him but I wouldn’t wanna leave him out unattended, but yeah i think he has some trust for me I’ve spent a lot of time making sure I’m not a threat he is still pretty skittish but confident enough to be around me!