# Progress: advice wanted!



## Vixenfur (Nov 28, 2021)

Hello! I'm new here and am asking for some advice and feedback on the taming process with my budgie, Momo.

I grew up with budgies all my life who seemed super bonded to me from the get-go, but I was a child and I really don't remember how long it actually took to get to that bonded point. I could not own a budgie for 10 years and now I have one again.

I have had Momo for almost 2 months now and things have been going great. He is probably around 7 months old judging by appearance. He is a brave, sweet little bird who sings and chirps all day long. He is full of energy, very smart and comfortable with me. I followed advice very closely on how to tame him and he has nearly mastered 'step up' by now, I say nearly because sometimes he hesitates but on other days, like today, he did it 3-4 times at different distances. I finally got a wing-flap out of him as he jumped to my hand so we're close to getting to the flying stage.

About a month ago was the first time he came out of his cage and he was definitely shocked and spooked, for it was likely his first time flying outside of a cage. He was bumping into walls and whenever he landed he was frozen. This lasted about an hour, but I could tell he was very shocked and it would take more than 1 trip outside the cage to realize flying around is a thing he can do. I got him to step up, even in his terrified state, and got him back into his cage. He didn't come out again for days even with the door wide open, and I was worried for a while he would not come out again. I have a little playground type thing for him to perch on when he's out, but even having that outside of his open door with millet wasn't enough to bribe him back out.

Eventually it did work; we practiced step up more and more, with me widening the distance between him and my finger, until we were right at the edge of the open door. I'd bring my hand out slowly until he was fully out of the cage, and each time he'd chill for a bit before hopping back inside. Finally, the magic of my phone was the key, for he saw me messing with it and impulsively flew out to start licking my screen 😂

Ever since, the phone has been key to getting him out. I set it up against the playground so that he gets used to perching on it when he comes out. He has flown around my room a few times since then, with increasingly better results, less panic and more curious chirps, more content body language rather than shock, etc. and when he gets stuck I lure him back to his cage with step up and/or my supposedly tempting phone screen.

That's about where we are right now, except the other day while he played with my phone he went very still at one point and wouldn't budge. I pet his belly very gently since he allowed it, but I quickly became worried by how still he was so I backed away, gave him space, and eventually he loosened up and went back into his cage on his own accord. Makes me wonder if I was a little too close too soon and I frightened him? He didn't lose trust in me though because he continues to show all signs of comfort around me when in the cage and when I am close to the cage, or even when my hand is inside the cage (relaxed posture, singing, LOOOOTS of fluffy-cheeked beak grinding, eating, preening, etc) and he did step-up just fine about an hour later.

I am wondering if what I'm doing is working and if this is normal/good pacing for the taming process. I bought some free-standing perches and things for him to land on in my room to assist with landing since he really had a hard time finding anywhere to land. He's addicted to millet but really is stubborn when it comes to trying new food; he is still on a seed diet, I've tried integrating pellets but he just eats around them. I don't know how long is ok to have him on a seed diet; he's only been here for just under 2 months and doesn't understand what the fruits and veggies are that I show him.

All the budgie taming guides appear to sort of end after step-up is learned so I'm wondering what now. Considering our pacing and progress I was hoping for some tips for moving forward. Thanks so much!! 🥰









(PS, yes that's a millet holder in the background, but not to worry as I know he shouldn't be eating so much millet. He barely has figured out how to reach in there to get the snack out and the same spray has been in there for 2 months,, it was meant to be a welcoming gift and he's only just now realizing there's millet inside. 😂 I'll be removing it so he doesn't overeat/rely on the millet too much)


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## bur (Nov 7, 2021)

That sounds wonderful. 

I think you might like clicker/target training. You can use a clicker to train Momo to touch a target (a chop stick for example). His addiction to millet will be quite useful doing that. Once he knows he gets his fix if he touches the target, you can teach him all sorts of things including recall.


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## Vixenfur (Nov 28, 2021)

bur said:


> That sounds wonderful.
> 
> I think you might like clicker/target training. You can use a clicker to train Momo to touch a target (a chop stick for example). His addiction to millet will be quite useful doing that. Once he knows he gets his fix if he touches the target, you can teach him all sorts of things including recall.


That's a great idea! I was just looking at the posts about clicker training and I think he'd work with that really well. He learned step up very quickly, I think I began introducing my hand after a week or two inside the cage and he was ready to move along fast. I'm guessing I can find a clicker like that online easily.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I agree with @bur regarding clicker training. It sounds as though Momo is a prime candidate for it and will catch on very quickly!*


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## Vixenfur (Nov 28, 2021)

Thank you! I'll invest in a clicker soon! Right now we're still getting used to out-of-cage time, but it is a good time to invest for sure.
It is difficult to tempt Momo to come out of his cage. On occasion, he will come out on his own even without the sight of the phone and perch on his playground, stare at me, and expect some sort of entertainment! It's adorable LOL but all he does is tap on the phone for a bit before deciding he's had enough and goes back inside his cage to preen.
Now if I play budgie noises on my phone, he will fly towards wherever I am holding the phone, but does not always land on me. Usually this results in him flying around the room instead. I bought some T-stand perches and he landed on one today, got cozy, and chattered up a storm for a good half-hour before I approached him to practice step-up outside of the cage. He did Not understand what I wanted from him this time, so I backed off to give him some space. A little while after that, he took it upon himself to go back inside his cage, and I rewarded him with millet for doing so, but he did not step up. I then moved the cage back to where it usually is (I need to put him in my room when we have out-of-cage time due to the dog) and when back in that familiar environment where his cage usually is, he stepped up multiple times.
I have no doubt the unfamiliar environment of my room is part of why he is not so keen on coming out immediately, but he is used to the ritual of me taking his cage off the stand and carrying it into my room, and even gets excited for when I open the cage door because he knows it's playtime. Due to his eager body language I feel like he knows what's going on, but still doesn't take the first step to fly on his own quite yet. That, and he's still not realized he can land on me (he landed on my arm a few times but it feels like more of an accident than something intentional LOL).
So I think at this stage we need to just keep practicing step-up and increase the distance between him and my finger so that he starts to learn to _fly_ to me. But if anyone has other tips it would be helpful.
Might I add Momo is one of those budgies who does not seem to know how to play with his toys. He talks to and pecks at the sparkly thing I have in there on occasion when he gets REALLY worked up, and he seems to like nibbling on wooden toys, but I never see him on them. He prefers perching and chatting nonstop, and eating of course. I'll need to read up on how to encourage Momo to try new things.. from toys to food!


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## bur (Nov 7, 2021)

It is not necessary to invest in a clicker. You can use a ballpoint pen to make the clicking sound as well.

Look up Birdtricks on youtube. They have videos about clicker training a budgie, including a video on how to train a bird to play.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Please take a look at the stickies regarding Clicker Training that are available in our Taming and Bonding Section of the forum. 
Three are several very good ones!









Taming and Bonding


Taming and Bonding is all about helping your budgie learn to TRUST you. This requires time and patience and does not happen overnight.




www.talkbudgies.com




*


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## Vixenfur (Nov 28, 2021)

bur said:


> It is not necessary to invest in a clicker. You can use a ballpoint pen to make the clicking sound as well.
> 
> Look up Birdtricks on youtube. They have videos about clicker training a budgie, including a video on how to train a bird to play.





FaeryBee said:


> *Please take a look at the stickies regarding Clicker Training that are available in our Taming and Bonding Section of the forum.
> Three are several very good ones!
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you both! A pen— duh! Why didn't I think of that.. LOL. Thanks for the YouTube rec and helpful links. We'll get started!


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