Simply Sunny!

[FaeryBee]

Today is Sunny's third day here in his new home. He is still very quiet, having chirped and sang only once yesterday afternoon. Although he is not active, he is very alert and likes to watch what is going on in the room. I'm still playing the Morning Songbirds tape for him periodically. I definitely am going to need to order the Happy Budgie CD and the Budgie Country CD soon!

Today, I put my hand in the cage for awhile and Sunny was fine. After a bit I moved it slowly closer to him, but when I was almost touching him he became frightened and started flying around in the cage. Much to my surprise (and his) he need up landing on my arm! We stayed like that for awhile with me talking to him and reassuring him. After a while, when my arm got too tired, I moved him closer to one of his branch perches and he hopped off.

A while later, I decided to try again. I really couldn't figure out quite how to hold the millet and still have my finger extended, so I had to give up on the millet enticement idea. However, by moving very slowly and talking to him, I did manage to get Sunny to step-up from the perch onto my finger and he sat there calmly for several minutes until I put him onto his swing.

We'll have another session later on in the early evening.

I think Sunny had a successful first session today. I'm hoping he'll become a bit more active and vocal as he becomes acclimated to his new surroundings.

I still haven't attempted to take any pictures. I'll either have to wait until we progress to out-of-cage sessions or I'll need to move Sunny's cage closer to a window for natural light during the photo session. As the cage is rather too large for me to move it easily, I'm reluctant to do so as I prefer not to terrify him in the process!

I will provide updates (and photos) as we continue Sunny's training.

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[Budgiekin]

It sounds like things are going very well for you and Sunny so far. I think it's great that you are using his body language to tell you what he is comfortable with; it will bode well for you and your relationship with the little sweety. ;)

When I hold millet for my budgies and I want them to step up, I hold it between my thumb and middle finger so that my index finger can be extended out for them to step up onto. I'm not sure if that might work for you, but I have to say a little millet can go a long way to "bribing" our budgie buds. :P

I look forward to seeing pictures of Sunny! :)

[FaeryBee]

Thanks for the hint, I'll definitely give that a try! Can't believe I'm so uncoordinated that I couldn't figure that out...:rolleyes:

[FaeryBee]

Sunny's doing great! Poor little guy has started his first molt and it must itch... He is loving his CDs and chirps happily when I play them for him. He can fly around the room now and usually lands back on top of his cage or on the edge of the cage door opening and then hops right back in. He loves his swing! Doesn't like millet and so far I haven't had any luck getting him to try greens. He will step up onto my finger. Sometimes, I'll just open the cage door and sit and talk to him and he's content to stay in the cage. He is definitely adorable and much loved!

[louara]

Sunny is so cute :) I am pleased to hear your bonding sessions are going so well. Keep trying with the greens :)
He loves the swing? I wish my budgie would swing, I have tried 3 different types and she won't go on them. Can a bird be scared of heights?! :p
Keep up the good work and have fun :D

[FaeryBee]

Ah, but your little one is darling, too! I think I need to get one of the rope perches like you have. That looks like something Sunny might like. He has the natural wood perches, a sand perch a calcium shell perch and his two swings. I might switch a couple out for the rope perch from time to time. I haven't figured out how to get a picture of him flying:rolleyes:. He's either too quick or I'm just too slow;). Thanks for your message!

[FaeryBee]

I haven't posted for awhile, but Sunny has done great in his first three weeks here with me. Both yesterday and today he stepped-up onto my finger when in his cage and let me bring him all the way out of the cage. Initially, we'd do step-ups either when he was in (or out of) the cage but he only went in and out of the cage of his own volition. He doesn't seem to like millet, and has refused to eat all fruits and veggies so far. As such, there have been no "bribes" for him when doing the training sessions! The only reward he receives is praise since he doesn't seem to be interested in any treats. As of today, he has finally started to play with the some of his multiple cage toys. I guess for Sunny, the three week mark was when he finally felt comfortable enough to start enjoying himself. He has been climbing around on the cage bars, both inside and outside of the cage, biting on his shell swing, playing with the beads and heart toy which has a bell he now seems to like very much, and once grabbed one of the hanging loops toy and sent it swinging! He loves his sand-perch swing and sleeps on it every night.
It will be great in a few weeks when he and the new guy (yet to be named) are able to play and pal around together!