# Does your budgie plays on the floor?



## Volnistik (Mar 28, 2017)

its been 3 month since I brought Gigi home . We are slowly working on taming/bonding and we reached pretty good results. 
She will step up on a finger; she accepts kisses and will kiss gently back ; will sit on a shoulder if i put her there . But she won't come by herself, will not fly to me by herself and if i take her out and she is more likely to fly back to the cage in a few seconds unless cage is out of sight. I see. Udgies playing balls on the floor or just walking around which is very cute. If i manage to put Gigi down , she will let immediately will look for her cage to take off. How do i teach her it's ok to be low? I tried to put seds on the floor, but seems she is to tense to eat then . Another note: she is clipped, but very little, she still flies pretty well , which im happy about. Looking forward for advices.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Budgies prefer to be up high.

I would recommend you put a playground on a table rather than expecting her to play on the floor.
The floor is the lowest point in your home. From Gigi's perspective, everything is huge and looming above her when you put her on the floor. 
It's no wonder she feels afraid and wants to go back to her "safe" place.
Additionally, it really isn't safe to put her on the floor.
It would only take one accidental misstep by you or another family member and she could be badly injured or even killed.*


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

I agree, it's safer for them to be higher up. You can set it up so that they can do everything you want to see them do, only not on the ground. On a table for instance. They are so tiny that it's dangerous for them to be on the ground. Even toy breed dogs get stepped on by some careless owners, and that's a lot bigger than a budgie. A budgie is near invisible on the ground if someone is oblivious that they are there. 

One of my parrots insisted to be on the ground last year so I let him. One day I was rushing around not paying attention, and I stepped on his head and dislocated his beak. This was an emergency trip to the vet, and took some time for recovery. We were very lucky he survived and had no long term damage. Now in another room he doesn't try to go on the ground often, but when he does he gets a time out in his cage immediately. No exceptions!


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