# My Progress with Lemon and Skittles(not my sister's)



## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

Hi again guys,
It has been more than a month with lemon(my male budgie) and skittles(my female budgie)
My sis has hand tamed lemon whereas skittles is still adjusting with us. Lemon is very comfy with my sis's hand and the good news is that both of them mimic kissing sounds.
Now I am thinking of letting lemon out from cage(not skittles because she still isn't hand tamed) so any advice please. I have set-up a few natural perches on a plastic pole and am planning to add a few toys to them.So please advice me how to let them out because a few days ago while adding millets i was taking out the container in which they were and i thought that lemon will get scared and remain in his cage but he came out. I shut the door quickly and after he had a good stretch he sat on my book rack. My sis freaked out and grabbed him back to the cage because his coming out was something totally unexpected. So i want a more relaxed way in which he can come out.
Thanks in advance


and also i forgot to add that lemon doesn't scream or move when grabbed,actually he acts quite comfy and it seems that he enjoys it


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## ChickWas (May 6, 2021)

Why are you grabbing them? Or are you not using the right word? Don't grab budgies, man.

And what is your question? Taming budgies takes time, but if you keep grabbing them, it'll take longer. The secret to taming budgies quickly is to just spend a lot of time around them so they can realise you're not a bad thing. Stop grabbing them, even if they seem to be okay with it. They could be very stressed but just submitting because they can't escape.


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

Maybe i used the wrong word i guess coz it isn't exactly grabbing.Lemon just likes to stay on my sis's palm.We have tamed him successfully but actually aren't sure how he should behave out of the cage.Like he just flies and flies and flies and them till the time he stops we are all freaked out


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*If Lemon is landing on your sister's hand then she isn't "grabbing" him... is that correct?

You can't get "freaked out" if Lemon is flying around the room. That is why he's out of the cage - so he can exercise.
It is important to remain calm and relaxed. Budgies pick up on your emotions and energy so if you are freaked out, scared and worried then the bird is going to react to those emotions.
Make sure all windows and mirrors are covered and that the door is securely shut. The room needs to be bird-safe before allowing out-of-cage time.

I have untamed budgies that go back in their cage because I've used positive reinforcement training to teach them they will get a reward when they do so. 
Initially, when I was ready for them to go back in the cage I would first dim the lights and pull down the shades in the room. If the radio or TV was on, I turned it off.
Then I would stand by their cage and ringing the bell on one of their toys while telling them, "It's time to go in your cage now!"
Once they went back into the cage, they were given a small bit of millet. 
This method worked well and they now go in the cage when asked to do so without the lights being dimmed or the blinds lowered and the TV or radio can stay on. 
Getting the millet reward is the best part of "going back home" 

*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

My budgies can take out kissing noice so, wht should I teach them the next?


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Start with something easy: "Pretty bird" is always a good choice
Say it to them multiple times throughout the day using the same tone of voice and inflection each time.
Once they learn that then you can move on to the next phrase such as "Kisses!" and then the kissing noise.
You just keep building on what they know and what they learn.*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

ok ty


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

Hi all
My sis and mom finally agreed to take lemon out from the cage.Lemon likes to walk out from the cage when grass is kept out.We left their cage out in the balcony and didn't notice that it was raining and they are actually bathing.They were really wet so we got them in the room and then we took lemon out from the cage.He sat above it all wet,trying to dry himself.Mom was getting him grass and he flew straight to her and hopped on her playing with her.After 10-15 minutes he went back to his cage.
I apologise for the fact that we didn't notice that they were out in the rain but i guess that i can take a wet lemon out more often then a lemon with dry wings.
Please suggest 😅😅😅
And yeah i guess he is growing up coz his all black eye now isn't all black.Their is some grey grey part in it as well.And also the cere color of skittles it turning into pinkish brown


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Your budgies' cage should never be left out on the balcony unsupervised. It simply isn't safe.

Since Skittles is coming into condition, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you do everything necessary to prevent breeding.

Rearranging their cage frequently will help tremendously. 
Please be sure you never put a nest box or anything that could be used as a nesting site in their cage.
Limit the light they get to 8 hours a day. 
When they come into condition, limit the amount of protein in their diet at that time.*

*A heartfelt plea to forum members new and old*
*Tips For Discouraging Breeding*
*Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies*
*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
*
Allowing Lemon out of the cage in a BIRD SAFE room with all the doors and windows closed is fine.
Just make sure you don't grab him to put him back into his cage.
Does he step up and allow you to move him?
If not, allow him to go back into the cage when he is ready to do so.

I have untamed budgies that go back in their cage because I've used positive reinforcement training to teach them they will get a reward when they do so.
Initially, when I was ready for them to go back in the cage I would first dim the lights and pull down the shades in the room. If the radio or TV was on, I turned it off.
Then I would stand by their cage and ringing the bell on one of their toys while telling them, "It's time to go in your cage now!"
Once they went back into the cage, they were given a small bit of millet. 
This method worked well and they now go in the cage when asked to do so without the lights being dimmed or the blinds lowered and the TV or radio can stay on. 
Getting the millet reward is the best part of "going back home"*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

Actually lemon is quite comfy with hands and steps up on command really nicely. And about the balcony they are left there when my mum and dad sit and chat in early morning and when they sit and chat in evenings.We leave them in a shady area in the balcony an yeah yesterday idk who left a cage door open and they came out.The doors were open and we weren't expecting them to come out.Luckily they didn't notice and by the time they landed my mum and sis had closed the doors and gosh we were so relieved.We put them back with help of wet towels.
Thanks to god they were saved.I am now planning on a super strictly supervised out of the cage time


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

today lemon bathed and was super wet and then i took him out for 10 minutes.Yesterday they were out for 3-4 minutes and i am guessing that on Monday we are letting them out for 20-25 minutes(that's my will) but it totally depends on my sister and my mother


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Strictly supervised out of cage time and ensuring ALL doors and windows are closed BEFORE opening your budgies' cage door is very important as you've now learned.
I'm very glad that neither of the budgies managed to escape - you were very fortunate.*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

yes i am also really happy but something peculiar happened yesterday.I met this man in my tower running downstairs with a white cage.When asked where was he going he told that his budgie has this habit of escaping from home again and again and comes back to his cage when he sings the buddgie's favourite song and calls his name.
So my basic question is that is this much training possible ??


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*NO! This is not recommended at all.
Budgies are not generally amenable to being trained for re-call. 
That individual should learn to keep his doors and windows closed when he has his budgie our for free-flight.
It's amazing that the bird has returned and yet the guy keeps allowing it to escape.
Very sad state of affairs!*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

Well guys we have been ordering only pears from the last few days and that's what lemon and skittles are also getting.I have noticed that after having pear there are yellow kindda coloor that comes out on skittles face.I am attaching the photo


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*No photo attached. Do NOT give too much fruit as it is very high in sugar content and too much is not good for your birds.*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

yes i only give fruits twice or once a week


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

Guys i had my pre-terms going and wasn't much active since last few days.Now that they are over and my Term 1 exams are coming I have some gap in between and i am using this "gap" for taming and bonding Lemon and Skittles.So they are eating from my hand even when I don't let them hungry(some people take out their food dishes so that the budgie would feed from hand) and not exactly hand but finger.And then Lemon sits on the finger and he stayed there for pretty long and Skittles is a old shy budgie so she only eats from my hand but never sits on anyone's hand(not even my sister's).
My mom and sister are completely against out-of-the-cage time for lemon and skittles and me and my dad are doing our best to make them understand.They don't have a large cage and we can't afford one and we don't want to have one.But there is one more issue that both of them are showing courtship behaviour and to prevent mating and eggs and babies I ensure they get least amount of privacy and that the stuff in the cage keeps changing


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm glad to hear that Lemon and Skittles are making progress with the taming and bonding.
It is VERY important that your budgies have a LARGE flight cage -- especially if they are not going to be allowed to have out-of-cage time.

Make sure you continue to do everything to discourage breeding!*
*A heartfelt plea to forum members new and old*
*Tips For Discouraging Breeding*
*Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies*
*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*

*Rearranging their cage frequently will help tremendously.
Limit the light they get to no more than 8 hours a day
Please be sure you never put a nest box or anything that could be used as a nesting site in their cage.
When they come into condition (as they are now from what you are saying) then limit the amount of protein in their diet at that time.
*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

yes i am ensiring the following stepsmentioned above to avoid breeding but there is one concern.I give then rosemary and grass every day and then they just won't eat millets until the grass and rosemary are over.Is it okay??


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm not understanding your question. The budgies are eating the rosemary and grass before their seed? That is fine.

They need a full healthy diet though.*
*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
*Safe Foods for Budgies*
*The Truth about GRIT*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

no like what i meant was that they are not eating a lot of millets like before.So is that normal??


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Vegetables are very healthy for your budgies.
Try to give them vegetables rather than just rosemary and grass.
If they like the vegetables and eat those rather than the seed, that is fine.*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

ok,like i have noticed that they don't eat veggies and only like eating fruits like pears and apples and they love grass(lemon even uses it as a rope)


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You need to encourage them to eat vegetables. 
It can take several weeks (or even months) for budgies to decide to try a new food.
Fruit is high in sugar content so vegetables are actually healthier for your budgies with fruits given only occasionally (once or twice a week)
Look at the stickies at the top of the Diet and Nutrition section of the forum to find different ways to offer vegetables to your birds.

You can also sprout seeds for them.
Sprouting Everything*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

hey all
yesterday after a lot of debates and discussion we opened the cage doors.Lemon even came out from hand.The room was bird-safe and then that silly boy sat on the trunk and my sis as usual forsuper freaked out andput him back.Then i got him out and then we didn't put him back for 30 minutes i guess.He was flying for 10-15 minutes and then most of the time was trying to get back n with skittles coz she wasn't coming out.Then again my sis came and put him back


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*All of your threads regarding taming and bonding have now been merged into this one.
Please keep all updates regarding your progress and/or questions regarding taming and bonding in this thread.*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

ok and thanks


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

guys this saturday lemon and skittles both came out from the cage on their own and had out of the cage time for about five hours.They explored the room(specially the printer and the curtains) and my bookshelf and flew all around and lemon went to the curtains chewing them all the time and then they ate their full and sat on the cage and we had a great time.
Guess things are going great


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Do not allow the budgies to ingest fibers from the curtains as that may cause crop impaction.*


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

no actually he didn't ate any fibres.Those curtains are made of some weird and strong and scrunchy stuff.


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## Mishti Anuurag (Aug 15, 2021)

guys i need some advice to keep lemon and skittles warm coz it's been raining cats and dogs since last few hours and i want to ensure to how to keep my feathered balls warm
ty


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Most basic questions have already been answered in the Budgie Articles and Stickies. 

Here is the link to the pertinent budgie article:*
*Keeping Budgies Warm in Winter*


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