# Need Help Bonding with Budgies



## SnowmoonHowl (Mar 20, 2017)

So, I am very new to this budgie mommy life. I first got Woodstock :yellow plet: a couple of months ago. When I first got her, she just hung around her cage and wasn't too against me or my fiancé holding her. Especially when I let her out of her cage for some play time or if I had to clean her cage. After about a month, I decided she needed a friend. So I went back to the pet store and got Rio :cobalt: . I expected Rio to be more afraid of us since he was already starting out with Woodstock in the cage with him. He is also way more active than Woodstock and actually runs away from me and isn't afraid to jump out of his cage if the door is left open. However, now Woodstock seems to hate us. She bites us if we try to get her on our finger, squawks at us, and runs away when she feels that its the last resort. I understand I should probably not try to hold them and just work on building trust, but on days that I need to clean their cage I need to get them out. I also want them to get their out of cage time. I talk to them every chance I get while they are in their cage (which is located in our living room). They are molting now so their temper is probably thin, but some days seem good but there days its like we are going two steps back. Any ideas?


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## justmoira (Aug 29, 2014)

Hello! Bonding with your budgie can take some time, especially if there are two or more. There's a good few stickie treads you can read on taming budgies, make sure you read them all. 

I'm not surprised your Woodstock suddenly started being less friendly once you got Rio. Birds tend to prefer bird relationships over human relationship unless there is a very strong relationship prior to the introduction of the second bird. I suggest starting from the beginning when it comes to training and expect it to take some time. 

Having a set routine can help with bonding I find. It comforts the budgies and lets them know exactly what to expect from you and from their day. Try to give them a set bedtime, wake up time, breakfast, and dinner. 

Please remember also that each bird is an individual like every human is; I've two budgies and my boy, who came from a very bad rescue situation, bonded with me within two weeks when my pet shop girl who I've had since she was a baby took over a year before she truly trusted me, and even so it's very much on her terms even though she's never known me to be anything but good to her and my boy budgie.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi! :welcome: to Talk Budgies

I see you joined the site back in March.
Did you read about Quarantine before getting the second bird and follow it when you brought Rio home?

Please take the time to utilize the resources available throughout the forum.

http://talkbudgies.com/articles-gen...ship-differences-dynamics-between-flocks.html

Taming and Bonding is all about TRUST.
It takes time and patience and you'll often make one step forward and then two steps back.
Working on a regular and consistent basis with your budgies is necessary.

You need to start from the beginning with the two budgies and work to build their trust.

Your birds need to know you are not going to grab them, or force them to be touched or to get on your finger when they aren't amenable to doing so.

To build your birds' trust, sit by their cage and read, talk or sing quietly to them for a period of at least 10-15 minutes, 3 or 4 times day. After about a week, rest your hand on the outside of the cage when you talk to them so they will learn that your hand is safe and will not hurt them.

After a week of resting your hand on the outside of the cage, rest your hand inside the cage when you talk. 
Don't make sudden moves, don't try to touch them. 
Let their get used to the idea that the hand is now in their safe place and not harming them.

After 2 weeks, begin moving your hand slowly toward your bird. If they become agitated, stop moving your hand and just hold very still until they calm down. When they are comfortable with your hand near them, you can offer them a bit of millet or a few seeds.

Always work at your birds' pace. 
Move slowly and talk reassuringly and calmly to their whenever you interact with them.

Please read the information in the stickies at the top of the Taming and Bonding Section of the forum.

Additionally, please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, all of the How To Guides, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and the stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.

Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.

These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.

Site Guidelines
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/333106-posting-forums.html
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/388145-lets-talk-budgies.html
How-To Guides
FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
Budgie Articles
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295001-list-stickies.html
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295033-prepared-veterinary-care-expense.html
Avian First Aid
Why Quarantine?

http://talkbudgies.com/articles-general-budgie-info/227841-50-common-budgie-dangers-watch-out.html

http://talkbudgies.com/budgie-breeding/327881-heartfelt-plea-forum-members-new-old.html

http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/24411-cage-sizes.html
http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/31719-essentials-great-cage.html
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/339826-resource-directory.html

When you upload pictures as thumbnail attachments directly from your computer, tablet or phone, the forum automatically defaults to landscape.

To upload full-sized pictures with the proper orientation, please use a photo-sharing service such as PhotoBucket and follow the steps in these instructions:
http://talkbudgies.com/how-guides/175818-how-post-pictures-photobucket.html

For gender and/or mutation help - Lighting and Angle DOES matter

By the way, all photos entered in any of our forum contests must be a full-size photo and not a thumbnail attachment so it's good to know how to upload them! 

If you have any questions after reading through everything, please be sure to ask!

Glad you decided to join us and looking forward to seeing you around the forums.

:wave:*


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and :welcome: to Talk Budgies!

I'm glad you were able to adopt your two parakeets, they are very cute 

With regards to bonding and earning their trust, you've received the best advice from FaeryBee. It's very important to take things slowly and have patience with them, and over time they will both learn to trust you. 

Be sure to look through the links provided above, which include the forum's many Budgie Articles and "stickies" (threads "stuck" to the top of each subform for easy reference) to stay up to date on all the best practices for caring for budgies. If you have any questions after reading through everything, be sure to ask as we'd love to help!  

I look forward to seeing more of your darling birds soon! hoto:

Cheers! :wave:


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