Help!

[Navu]

My budgie is scared of EVERYTHING!!:eek: i don't know what to do!! Ive already had him for 8 months now. Hes used to the house and everything but unlike other budgies he doesnt like to explore things. I got him one of those bird tent things the other day the only way he goes in there is if he sees millet spray. He also doesnt use his cuttlebone! I love my budgie a lot but i want him to enjoy life!:)




:budgie: ~Navu~ :budgie:

[Donna]

Hello Navu,

First of all I want to say, "WELCOME" to the forum and I hope that you enjoy yourself.

I was also wondering, just how much time you are able to spend with your Budgie? Are you able to put your hand in the cage slowly and just let it rest there so he can get used to being near you? If not, maybe you could start with that and just slowly move your hand towards him after you see that he isn't going to run. Put your hand inside the cage slowly and move his toys around, or clean the cage, or whatever it takes to get him used to your movements without being scared.

My Budgies used to RUN and go nuts when I would keep them in the cage while I cleaned it. Now they just stand there on the perch and watch me. My newest Budgie just recently stood there on the perch as I scrubbed it with an old toothbrush. The funny part is, when I accidentally bumped one of his little feet, he just looked at me as though he were saying, "Hey, watch where you're going with that thing?" He didn't even move, ha! :D

I agree that 8 months is a long time to have your Budgie still scared of everything. I just thought if you didn't spend much time around him, you might try doing that a little more. Try leaving some music on at a low volume for him to listen to and that will not only keep him company, it will probably make him less scared of the sounds around him.

If nothing you do seems to work, why not buy one more Budgie to keep him company? I can't believe the way my new Budgie came out of her quietness and fearfulness when I let her play with my other 2 Budgies. Now she's the most curious of all 3 of my Budgies and she tries everything. It's neat to see her personality develop and her mind always at work.

You may not want a 2nd Budgie but it really would make a big difference for your current Budgie to have a friend. He will not only have a playmate, but the 2nd Budgie will keep him company during the times that you can't be there.

I hope that something I've shared with you will help. Let us know how it goes!

Donna

[redgirl]

What a lovely reply Donna, no wonder you are a Moderator..you are so calming and soothing....Donnas advice is exactly what I would have gave you too, hope it works xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[clifff123]

Good Advise Donna, added to reputation

[Navu]

Thanks Donna for the good advice. But u see he's already used to everything! He nows the house by heart and he loves everyone in it but the thing is hes just scared of the toys i buy him. Other than that he loves everything! I always give him a few weeks to get used to the toy but still he doesnt play with it. Hes a very playful budgie with all other things tho.

THANKS A BUNCH!

:budgie: ~Navu~:budgie:

[Navu]

oh and i do spend a lot of time actually out of everyone inthe house i spend the most time with him!!:D

THANKS AGIAN!
:budgie: ~Navu~:budgie:

[Donna]

Hi Navu,

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I thought you said your Budgie was scared of everything. I didn't realize you meant that he was only scared of the toys you've been providing. I guess if he is well adjusted and does well with his surroundings and the people around him, I wouldn't be overly concerned. I know that it's a disappointment that he won't play with anything you've given him to play with but at least he plays, otherwise.

Something I have found with my Budgies is that they love to play with simple things you have around the house or something that is familiar to their natural instincts.

I have taken a piece of plain white card stock (used for printing on) and trimmed off a thin short strip of that and tossed it on the floor and my Budgies just love to grab that and chew on it or carry it around the room. It's so funny to watch them. Sometimes, all 3 of my Budgies will fight over the same strip of paper so I usually end up throwing a few more strips out, just to keep them from fighting. I have even used white copy paper instead of card stock but it is thinner and it gets nibbled on too quickly and doesn't last as long.

Sometimes I've cut a length of heavy twine or craft rope and they love to chew on that and carry it around.

I have tied Raffia together (a craft substance that is like long strands of hay) and they love to nibble and play with that. I've even tied it to tree branches I use for perches and they chew and pull on it in their cage. The thing about the raffia and the card stock and copy paper is that they can nibble on it or swallow it and it won't hurt them. I use things that are dye-free.

I have taken some of the larger beads that one uses to make kids bracelets and placed a few of them in a dish on the floor. They love to pick them up with their beak and drop them on the floor, one by one.

Even a couple of metal house keys on a key ring is something my Budgies love to play with. I have dangled them through a hole I've drilled through my wooden dowel perches and they peck at the keys and ring or I've taken those same keys on a key ring and placed them in a glass bowl on the floor, along with the other play things. They love to pull the keys out and drop them on the floor, also. Really, the possibilites are endless when it comes to providing simple little things for your Budgie to play with and my Budgies like those types of toys better than anything I could ever buy at the store. I have even seen my Budgies pecking at an empty cardboard box that I've had sitting on the floor. They love the hollow sound that comes from the box.

Hopefully you can try some of these ideas (or come up with your own) and see if they work. Again, someone on the forum had a Budgie that wouldn't play and when she bought a 2nd Budgie, the quiet un-playful Budgie then started playing and doing all kinds of things. Lots of times, one of my Budgies will teach the other ones how to play and try new things.

You sound like you have been doing all of the right things, Navu. It's great that you spend lots of time with your little guy! Keep up the good work.

Good Luck!

Donna

[Navu]

Thanks Donna:) Ill keep your helpful tips in mind.:D

THANKS A BUNCH!!:p

:budgie: ~Navu~:budgie:

[clifff123]

Hey Donna, I coming to your house it sounds like allot of fun there:D

[Donna]

Hahaha, you're funny Cliff123!!!! :D

Sure, come right on over! But don't forget to bring your Budgies along, too. Our kids could all play and have a great time together.

We just finished having a "POOL PARTY" and Sunny and Niblet are soaked! Beaker just stood on the side lines and watched because the other two kept assalting him. :( I guess I should have named Beaker "Rudolph" because they won't let him join in any reindeer-Budgie games.

And just to clear things up, our POOL PARTY was actually bath time. I filled a saucer with warm water and Sunny and Niblet went BONKERS in it while I held the container. I knew they were probably wanting to bathe because Sunny was trying to climb in his drinking water container. That is usually my first clue that it's bath time.

Donna

[Bea]

I wouldn't worry that you're budgie is scared of new toys, that's pretty normal. What you can do is put them near the cage first for a few days before putting them in the cage, that will be less terrifying for him.

[clifff123]

Lol sounds like your babies have it made. They really do change our life's.