2ifbysea11
01-09-2011, 11:07 AM
I've decided to start tracking my progress with my little ones!
Scout is around 6 months old, Boo is between 4 - 6 months old. When I first got them, Scout was the easier one to handle, but since they've settled in, that's switched completely with Boo being the tamer one, and Scout being skittish.
I started getting them to eat millet from my hand, which they took to almost immediately. They were already pretty used to my hands coming in the cage to change their water, food, etc. at this point. Now we have graduated from an entire spray to just one little ball off of the millet. Scout eventually came around to this as well after he watched Boo chowing down a few times.
Boo will sometimes even eat seed from my open hand, and he will step up onto my finger, but he doesn't always stay.
Scout never stays if I can even manage to get him up there, but I'm hoping as Boo continues to make progress, then maybe Scout will follow suit like he did with the millet.
Today I managed to get Boo halfway up my arm (and out of the cage) before he decided to fly away. My goal is eventually comfortably get him to my shoulder.
I also managed to get him back into his cage without having to do it myself. Scout didn't come out at this time, but I'm sure eventually I can get them both to recognize that when the cage door is open (it opens like a drawbridge which gives them a great place to perch), that's an invitation out, and that's where they return to as well.
I've only had them since December 23rd, so I try to keep things in perspective and remind myself that they're doing really great for being a pair, not being hand-fed babies, and with me such a short time. I'm hoping I can get them both to step up by the time I start classes again at the end of January, but I'm staying patient. If it takes 6 months for them to be tame, it takes 6 months! What's 6 months compared to years spent with loving (and loved!) little budgies!
Scout is around 6 months old, Boo is between 4 - 6 months old. When I first got them, Scout was the easier one to handle, but since they've settled in, that's switched completely with Boo being the tamer one, and Scout being skittish.
I started getting them to eat millet from my hand, which they took to almost immediately. They were already pretty used to my hands coming in the cage to change their water, food, etc. at this point. Now we have graduated from an entire spray to just one little ball off of the millet. Scout eventually came around to this as well after he watched Boo chowing down a few times.
Boo will sometimes even eat seed from my open hand, and he will step up onto my finger, but he doesn't always stay.
Scout never stays if I can even manage to get him up there, but I'm hoping as Boo continues to make progress, then maybe Scout will follow suit like he did with the millet.
Today I managed to get Boo halfway up my arm (and out of the cage) before he decided to fly away. My goal is eventually comfortably get him to my shoulder.
I also managed to get him back into his cage without having to do it myself. Scout didn't come out at this time, but I'm sure eventually I can get them both to recognize that when the cage door is open (it opens like a drawbridge which gives them a great place to perch), that's an invitation out, and that's where they return to as well.
I've only had them since December 23rd, so I try to keep things in perspective and remind myself that they're doing really great for being a pair, not being hand-fed babies, and with me such a short time. I'm hoping I can get them both to step up by the time I start classes again at the end of January, but I'm staying patient. If it takes 6 months for them to be tame, it takes 6 months! What's 6 months compared to years spent with loving (and loved!) little budgies!