Taming issues

[Mollylc]

Hi
I have two budgie. I started off with one budgie but after a months she started showing signs of loneliness so we got another budgie for her. My first budgie is comfortable around hands and is happy to step up and be held however my second budgie is very scared around hands and will not let me go near him. I’ve done a lot of research on taming and I understand taming two budgies is harder than one. After a few months of trying to tame my other budgie I don’t seem to be making any progress. Also I have noticed my other budgie is started to become weary of hands. I have also noticed they have no interest in toys they do have toys in their cage and I have tried to introduce them to toys but they have no interest. When they do come out they fly around the room, sit on the curtain pole and then fly back to their cage. I have had a budgie before but she was very comfortable with me she would happily sit on me and play with toys.

 

[Mybluebird]

I am by no means an expert but my situation is similar. I got a budgie from a large pet store. He was (still is somewhat) very skittish, at first flying away from my hand, then running way and now just stepping away. I got him to the point where he'd sit on a perch and eat millet that I held up to him. He would play with his toys and happily chirp but would not come out of the cage and was afraid of fresh foods and only ate seeds. Then I got a second budgie that was hand tame. He taught the 1st budgie to eat fresh foods. For a little more than a month, neither one played with toys and they'd stay close to each other. Now both play with toys. They still stay close to each other most of the time. Both will come out of the cage to fly around and both will now hop on my hand. I think you need to give it more time. They need to get over the newness of being together and settle into a routine. I think then, you'll see them playing with their toys. @Ripshod may have better insight because he has introduced new birds many times.

 

[Conure101]

Hi @Mollylc and welcome to the Avenue! At first my Budgies wouldn’t play with toys, now they love to play with their toys! What kinds of toys did you give them? Have you tried to offer them some seed from your hand? That helps you bond with them because eating is a flock activity. Give them millet or another treat they like from your hands try to get them to step up and then give them millet on your finger. Another thing to remember is to be patient. I got my one budgie Blizzard from a pet store seven months ago. He still isn’t comfortable around me. I have tried to tame him many times, but the pet store I got him from gave him a very bad fear of hands. He comes out of the cage to fly around and play with my other Budgies though. Remember be patient, it will take awhile but hopefully he will warm up to you. @Lori D Pert @Mybluebird @Monica @Mizzely.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Molly, were their wings clipped when you brought either budgie home from the store, or breeder?

 

[Ripshod]

There is no one single method that's guaranteed so you have to try them all. Don't expect results in a few days, I measure it in months now. Whilst I've had lots of budgies stay with me they haven't been fully tamed but we were making good progress. Of course I met a few really friendly budgies but only one that wanted to be with me.
Now I have my final flock I'm doing it differently. Rather than using direct training I've become part of their flock. I'm working from home right now so we have the luxury of spending roughly 10hrs a day just hanging out chatting. Yes they're not fully tame and I don't want them to be. I have 2 M-F pairs and want them to enjoy their lives. By becoming part of their lives I've built up trust not by training but by just being there showing I'm no threat.
Now I have a flock of four that think nothing of me being there and accepting food if I offer it. I even get to share their toys now and then. Tug-of-war with a budgie is such fun, never got to do that with any previous bird.

 

[Lori D Pert]

Hi @Mollylc and welcome to the Avenue. Taming budgies is always a challenge and yes 2 budgies are harder to tame than one. Not impossible however and I think to be honest that we may just try too hard. Firstly, budgies are always wary of hands. Your face is accepted more readily. Start by just entering the room speaking softly with no sudden movements. Chatter away while you are in the room about anything. Just do not be nervous. Come a little closer if they seem to be listening but keep your hands away. Just practice sharing your space with them. If they will fly out of their cage and find their way back that's a great start. Give them places to land while they are out. Just be there speaking softly while they are out. Let them become used to you being there. Talk non stop...mimic their sounds...eventually they will see you as more than just part of the scenery..they will think of you as part of their flock. A big, weird looking, flightless budgie that poses no threat...lol. That's how to start.

 

[Lady Jane]

@Ripshod your life sounds so rich and rewarding. Enjoyed reading your post.

 

[Monica]

Try working with 5 adult, flighted budgies!

An Experiment with Budgies

I used to own 5 adult, flighted budgies. Four females, one male. None tame. The male and two females (given to me as males) were second hand birds, where-as the other two hens had come from a breeder, but both were older birds (perhaps 1+ years old?) March of 2007 (when the flock was...

forums.avianavenue.com

Monkey see, monkey do.... I've found it can be easier working with a group of birds as long as at least one is willing to do a behavior! The others will follow! Maybe not right away, but they will! Just takes time!

 

[Mollylc]

Molly, were their wings clipped when you brought either budgie home from the store, or breeder?

Their wings aren’t clipped and I bought them both from a store

 

[Mollylc]

Hi @Mollylc and welcome to the Avenue! At first my Budgies wouldn’t play with toys, now they love to play with their toys! What kinds of toys did you give them? Have you tried to offer them some seed from your hand? That helps you bond with them because eating is a flock activity. Give them millet or another treat they like from your hands try to get them to step up and then give them millet on your finger. Another thing to remember is to be patient. I got my one budgie Blizzard from a pet store seven months ago. He still isn’t comfortable around me. I have tried to tame him many times, but the pet store I got him from gave him a very bad fear of hands. He comes out of the cage to fly around and play with my other Budgies though. Remember be patient, it will take awhile but hopefully he will warm up to you. @Lori D Pert @Mybluebird @Monica @Mizzely.

Hi he has started eating millet from me until he notices that it is me feeding so I guess that’s a started. I bought them both from a pet store as well. Thank you for you’re help.

 

[Mollylc]

There is no one single method that's guaranteed so you have to try them all. Don't expect results in a few days, I measure it in months now. Whilst I've had lots of budgies stay with me they haven't been fully tamed but we were making good progress. Of course I met a few really friendly budgies but only one that wanted to be with me.
Now I have my final flock I'm doing it differently. Rather than using direct training I've become part of their flock. I'm working from home right now so we have the luxury of spending roughly 10hrs a day just hanging out chatting. Yes they're not fully tame and I don't want them to be. I have 2 M-F pairs and want them to enjoy their lives. By becoming part of their lives I've built up trust not by training but by just being there showing I'm no threat.
Now I have a flock of four that think nothing of me being there and accepting food if I offer it. I even get to share their toys now and then. Tug-of-war with a budgie is such fun, never got to do that with any previous bird.

Thank you for you’re help I have never heard of becoming apart of their flock so I will give that a go and see how I get on.

 

[Conure101]

Thank you for you’re help.

No problem. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

 

[Fergus Mom]

@Mollylc
I always try to remember to tell new bird owners that budgies/parakeets hull their seeds, and the seed dish can look full when it is only empty hulls in there. Just a cautionary note to add fresh seed and water daily.

Rather than using direct training I've become part of their flock. I'm working from home right now so we have the luxury of spending roughly 10hrs a day just hanging out chatting. Yes they're not fully tame and I don't want them to be. I have 2 M-F pairs and want them to enjoy their lives. By becoming part of their lives I've built up trust not by training but by just being there showing I'm no threat.

What a wonderful way of explaining this! I have often had this thought subconsciously, but never put it to words! I so love the 'becoming part of their lives'!

Their wings aren’t clipped and I bought them both from a store

Good deal! I was going to say, if you got them with clipped wings, this would explain how the one became 'weary of hands', as you said. Clipped wings make it 'seem' like budgies are tamer, but it is really a way of forcing them to do (or not do) things, since they cannot fly and get away from us. There are many hazards associated with clipping as well. When I got Fergus, I was darn sorry that I asked for a slight wing trim, and I would never do that again.