# Questions about taming my Budgies



## Skyrider (May 29, 2018)

Greetings everyone.

As of last week I bought 2 Budgies, which I recently came to understand that it would make the taming a bit harder. 

Thus far, 1 budgie (Blue) is afraid to eat the millet, though doesn't fly away when my hand is near. She merely moves a bit to the side avoiding it. As for my other budgie (Ocean), he really enjoys the millet and usually sees it in a distance when I hold it and getting a bit 'excited'? I think? As he comes closer to the cage randomly, but not always.

But Ocean has no issues eating it from my hand regardless of how I hold it, but he still stays standing on his stick rather than on my hand. He does occasionally follow the millet on multiple sticks in attempts to eat from it. Though randomly Blue appears to distract Ocean by flying/speaking which may make him to stop eating and jump back to his stick. 

Now, I've read somewhere on YouTube that if you use your finger slightly and gently to push just above his paws/on his belly, a budgie may get on your finger eventually. In these 2 days that appears to be the case. Ocean was standing on my index finger multiple times using this method, but still appears to be afraid to jump on my finger(s) on his own free will. 

Should I keep doing this method or is this method not recommended?

As for the mirror in the image, already removed it. Saw on the internet that it isn't always recommended.

Regards,
Skyrider


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Hi there Skyrider, :welcome:

Congratulations on your new budgies! Since you’ve only had them a very short time, what you’re experiencing is completely normal. 

We generally recommend for the first couple weeks, to let your budgies “settle in” to their new environment and routine, and not expect anything from them. 

The fact that they’re not super flighty is great, but in many instances, when a new budgie is still very new and insecure in their new home, they will act more tame then they really are. 

More ambient attention rather than direct attention at this point is what I’d recommend. If the cage seems very open and exposed, they can benefit from a cloth covering a couple sides of the cage for security. 

Move slowly with your hand as you clean the cage and change food/water. Let them become accustomed to you and the presence of your hand first, and always remember to go at the budgie’s pace, without any expectations on how long it might take to tame and train to get where you want it. After the birds are adjusted, it can take weeks to months for some individuals to trust humans enough to sit on you. It takes not only consistency, but time. Then depending on the individual, some may never “want” your companionship and it will be a one sided relationship which can still be enjoyable, while others may choose to bond to a human. It’s definitely too soon to tell at this point. 

Please familiarize yourself with the forum, by taking a look at the Stickies posts at the top section of each forum category, and our Articles section as well. There you’ll find answers to many common questions on healthcare, behavior, taming, and a lot more. If you still have questions after looking through our resources, feel free to ask .

Looking forward to hearing updates and seeing more photos. We recommend using a Photo sharing service such as Imgur to post pics to the forum .


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and :welcome: to the forums!

Julie has given you great advice. It's important to take things slow; budgies can be submissive because they're scared. I would wait a few more weeks before attempting to put your hand in the cage, it's usually recommended to wait at least two before starting taming. 

When you do, as mentioned, be sure to take things slowly with him. He'll be more willing to step onto your hand if you get him used to it first. :thumbsup: 

I look forward to hearing how it goes with Ocean and Blue!

Be sure to also read through the budgie articles and stickies to ensure you're up to date on the very best of budgie care practices. If you have any questions after reading through everything, please be sure to ask as we'd love to help. 

Cheers! :wave:


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## iHeartPieds (Jan 9, 2017)

Just wanted to ask what are the dimensions of your cage? The absolute minimum cage size for two budgies is 30 x 18 x 18 inches.


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## Skyrider (May 29, 2018)

Thanks everyone!

After I made this thread, I found out that Ocean easily jumped on my hand to get the Millet. But I have made a huge mistake. I wanted (as per some taming instructions) to let her fly out of him out of the cage so I assisted him. He flew through the chamber afraid which was to be expected. At the end I was able to get him on my finger so I can put him back in the cage.

But the problem is now that while he does eat the millet in the cage randomly from my finger/hand, he no longer gets on my hand/finger.. When he does at rare moments, he quickly gets back on the stick.

I think he's afraid that I'll be letting him out again. I would assume I can regain his trust?

As for the cage dimensions, not sure by head. But I bought the largest one in the shop but I'll give those details later on once I have them.


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Trust comes slowly and through consistency of routine. I know it’s hard not to want to see changes quickly, but sometimes when we don’t focus so much on how fast he’s progressing or micro-analyzing the situation... before you know it, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve actually come. Keep up the good work .


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## Skyrider (May 29, 2018)

For some strange reason Blue is now also eating from the Millet, yet on standing stick distance. Though Ocean isn't secure yet getting on the hand as frequently as yesterday. 

Do the tutorials/Guides here on the forums mention anything regarding how much you can feed the millet to the Budgies? I've seen on the internet something about 2 to 3x a day trying to use your hand for them to feed the millet with 3 to 5m each. Would not really matter if I would do for example, 1x per hour?

And how long/much you have to walk by to talk to them? And can you even tame them without millet? I assume they would be scared just by jumping on the hand without any lure as they are right now. Usually if I don't offer anything, they just walk sideways or jump away.

EDIT: Please see image, is this normal in the evening? I used the flash to take the image seeing it was dark in the room besides the TV light. They've been hanging there for like an hour. Are they actually attempting to sleep like this? It's the first time they hang there for a long time in the evening. Usually they sleep with either 1 or 2 claws on a stick.


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

It’s clear from the photo, that both Ocean and Blue are stressed out. You’ve only had them a very, very short time. They are still in the time frame where they need to adjust to the new surroundings, and not be tamed or trained at this time. Please stop pushing them to hurry up and get tame right now. 

You can give them ambient attention in the room to get them used to you. Give them attention by talking to them, and getting them used to the presence of your hand as you service the cage. If they’re telling you that you’re getting too close too often, respect that and back off. You can try holding a piece of millet, but don’t keep trying if they seem resistant. Watch their body language closely, and back off when they tell you you’re doing too much. When the time comes that you can gradually start doing a little more with them, you will need to not be so ‘intense’ with them. What I mean is, 1x per hour is beyond a doubt way too much! I know you didn’t say you were doing that, but were asking if it was okay to do it. A couple or no more than a few times per day will be sufficient. Then don’t expect to see improvements in leaps and bounds.. their trust will come over time, in very small increments. It would not be uncommon for them to be stuck on a particular step for a while. 

There is no ‘exact’ magic number of how many times per day, or exactly how much millet, BUT common sense needs to be exercised here. Keep in mind that budgies should have no more than 1 1/2 to 2 tsp of seed per day per budgie (in addition to other healthy foods). There’s no way you’re going to be able to tell literally exactly how much seed one is consuming, so don’t stress about exact amounts. It’s only a guideline. 

As soon as you’re able to do so, I would strongly suggest a larger cage for the two. Consider this cage temporary. Then you can store it as an extra cage for transport, hospital, quarantine, etc. 

Ocean and Blue will benefit from a partial cover on the top and drapes down 1 or 2 sides of the cage for a sense of security and comfort. More toys, a swing, and the addition of natural wood branch perches instead of dowels would be beneficial too. 

All the best .


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## Jesska (Apr 24, 2018)

Everyone here has given you great advice. Learning you read your budgies body language is really rewarding once you begin to recognize the subtle signals they send. It may feel a bit overwhelming at first with all you need to know and remember, but it's well worth it. :> I hope you keep us up to date with how things go! Keeping a taming journal here is a great idea, and can help you see how far you've come!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi! :welcome: to Talk Budgies

I recommend you back off from trying to work with your budgies and start over. 

Budgies need a minimum of two weeks to settle into their new home and you should not be trying to touch or tame them at this time. They are often submissive initially because they are terrified.
You can cover the top and three sides of the cage to help them feel more secure. Play music or the TV for them when you are not around during the day.

To bond with your birds, you need to build their trust in you.
They will have to learn over time that you will not hurt them.

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.

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## Skyrider (May 29, 2018)

Hey everyone!



> It's clear from the photo, that both Ocean and Blue are stressed out. You've only had them a very, very short time. They are still in the time frame where they need to adjust to the new surroundings, and not be tamed or trained at this time. Please stop pushing them to hurry up and get tame right now.


I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on that. This only lasted for a single evening and it's highly possible the TV had something to do with it that they weren't used to yet. After my last post, I noticed it went a lot better. Ocean occasionally came to the cage door and jump on my finger to get the millet quite often without any problems.

I can however use some advice right now, long story coming in!

After it went fine with Ocean jumping on my finger outside the door, I made a small mistake by putting my finger a bit too far which made him fly to my finger but he missed. He flew a few circles and about 15min later I was able to get him on my finger again with some millet to get him back in the cage.

A day later I moved the cage from the corner of the room to the center of the room so our cat is unable to get near the cage (don't worry, budgies aren't afraid of the cat at all and I won't let them getting near when the cage is open). All was fine, and the budgies were eating millet from my finger.

Now 3 to 4 days ago, when I attempted to train them again blue jumped out of the cage and flew off. I thought, no biggy. Would take some time to get her back in again, but I was wrong. Was a sunny/windy day and one of the doors weren't properly shut which caused a windflow that forced the inner and outer doors to go open.

When I figured that out and saw blue taking off I attempted to stop her, of which blue (my other budgie) saw. But it was too late , blue escaped through the open door out the house and I feel terrible about it as it's my mistake. Maybe I should have clipped them?

I noticed that that evening Ocean was a bit restless, but in the past 2 days he's quite energetic but his personality towards me completely changed. I'm not sure if he's holding a huge grudge against me?

From what I can tell, he sings during the day and puffs up at random occasions. He plays with his toys and noticed he enjoys throwing out all the food in his bowl for fun. From what I've seen on the internet, this is puberty as Ocean is around 8/10 weeks old.

*But this is what has changed and hasn't changed.*

He's not afraid of my hand in the cage. He sits still whenever I get in the cage for eg, water/food changes, either looking at my hand to see what I'm doing or just scratching/picking his feathers like he doesn't care.

But I have noticed however that his millet eating habits on my hand has dramatically changed to a negative point. On rare occasions he eats the millet and I am able to lure him on my hand but he either redraws himself quickly back on his own perch or also on rare occasions keeps eating until he's done. He's also less fond of millet now with my hand near, even when I hold it for him to eat from his perch. When I lay the millet through the cage and I'm not near, he's eating from it.

He occasionally now also runs away from my finger, but not always.

It's like, I 'trust' you sometimes, but not always.

I also noticed that ever since he flew out of the cage multiple times (without even being fully hand tamed and doesn't know any commands) he's being more aggressive of wanting to get out. He goes around the cage in a quick manner, biting it and often get to the door. Last week, this was fine as he would jump on my finger. But now he will just fly out and I can't let that happen again since what happened to Blue which I feel terrible about! And because he's not trained yet.

Just today when I blocked the doorway with my hand he started biting me. It didn't really 'hurt', but more of a harder pressure feeling. A lot harder than his usual nibbles he gave. Same bite happens when I put my finger in the cage when he goes all cage eating frenzy all over the place just to get out.

I already know I should take it easy and do bit by bit. But from what I can tell, things went a lot easier (also taming wise) with blue in our lives. While I could get a new budgie, I feel that's too soon and also feels disrespectful.

And yes, I know he's all alone. Hopefully he'll allow me to tame him so I can let him out of the cage. I really hope Blue is doing well, even if it's in the wildlife.

Thank you for reading and I really can't wait to hear from you guys with advice and maybe? Similar experiences.

Kind Regards,
Skyrider


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

You need to look for Blue right away. it's very important that any time you think about letting your budgies out, you ensure that they are enclosed in a safe room with no doors or windows open. I know this was an accident, and you can't change it, but you do need to look for Blue. Pet budgies can't survive long in the wild under most conditions, as they are domesticated pets. Put up posters, call local animal shelters and vets, and play budgie sounds on loud volume outdoors with a small cage with food and water where it can be easily accessed. 

Budgies can be quite submissive before they are comfortable in their surroundings because they are scared. It's important to take it slow with Ocean to ensure you're moving at his pace.


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## Skyrider (May 29, 2018)

StarlingWings said:


> You need to look for Blue right away. it's very important that any time you think about letting your budgies out, you ensure that they are enclosed in a safe room with no doors or windows open. I know this was an accident, and you can't change it, but you do need to look for Blue. Pet budgies can't survive long in the wild under most conditions, as they are domesticated pets. Put up posters, call local animal shelters and vets, and play budgie sounds on loud volume outdoors with a small cage with food and water where it can be easily accessed.
> 
> Budgies can be quite submissive before they are comfortable in their surroundings because they are scared. It's important to take it slow with Ocean to ensure you're moving at his pace.


Thanks for your reply.

I've already done most of those things. Even put a whole millet outside which is easily accessible. But so far, I nor anyone has seen her yet . I lost track of her outside within seconds when she flew out. Stupid trees were in the way.

I would assume because I lost Blue, Ocean is blaming me for it hence his behavior. Of which I can fully understand as well.


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## Blingy (Feb 26, 2018)

I'd just like to say that with Ocean flying crazy and wanting to come out of the cage, my two are the same. They fly around their cage, all excited, chirping loudly at the same time each day.- the time I usually let them out. It's because they love the change of scenery, to play outside their cage and to get some real exercise. Mine aren't tamed either. They're not scared of me but won't step up on command. I just leave their cage door open and they go back in by themselves.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*It is very important that you take things slowly with Ocean and work at his pace.

Ocean is not blaming you nor holding a grudge against you, he is simply being a bird.

The fact that he is going through puberty at this time means he is becoming more hormonal and independent.

I know you don't want to hear this, but the best thing to do is to back off and work to regain his trust. Taming and Bonding really is all about helping a budgie learn to trust you.

Sitting by his cage and singing, talking and reading to him several times a day without trying to touch him will go a long way.
Let him simply get comfortable with your presence for a few days.

If you want to allow Ocean to have out of cage time before he is fully tamed, then please ensure it is only in a bird safe room with no doors or windows open and that he is fully supervised during that time period.
Let him come and go out of his cage as he pleases during that out-of-cage time.

Having the bird's cage in a room where the cats are at any time is not considered by this forum to be a "best practice" and definitely is not recommended. It would be best for Ocean if you have the bird cage in a room where the cats are never allowed.
https://www.talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/329945-cats-dogs-predators-birds-prey.html

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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## Skyrider (May 29, 2018)

Hey everyone.

A small update, hopefully with some advice as well!

So far Ocean is still a bit afraid with my finger near him without any millet. Using millet often gets his attention usually without any problems. And yea, I know this may take a long time so I'm confused at the following.

Since I left him out of the cage last week, I noticed he's hopping onto my fingers without any problems. I open up the cage door, hops on my finger in front of the door and either he sits still for a bit or flies through the room.

Regardless or where he goes to, most of the time I can get him back on my finger by moving my finger near him, he will hop on it most of the time without a single command. Sometimes when he's walking on the ground he can be quite stubborn but eventually he'll hop on my finger. If he's on the lamp or his own cage or anything high up, he'll jump on my fingers without a sweat. He sometimes (rarely) flies on my head, and he walks on my shoulder when I drop him there.

I've attempted to teach him the step up command for a week with him being out of the cage, with millet as reward. But thus far he isn't quite eager to learn it as when I use the command he refuses to listen, so the stepping up is currently on instinct.

So, my question is.. Why is Ocean trusting me outside the cage, but is afraid of my finger inside the cage? Bear in mind he's not afraid of my hand in the cage, and randomly isn't afraid of my finger either. He sometimes ignores it, but when he knows I'm attempting to get him hop on my finger without any millet he'll move away and will claw itself on the bars until my hand is away of which he'll move back on the perch again.

Only with millet in the cage he'll gladly hop on my finger. Until he no longer wants any millet.


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