# Where to start with taming



## flaviuscons (Mar 8, 2021)

Hello, 

I got 2 budgies a week ago (Blu and Tweety). Got them home, in their big cage that and started the taming process or at least what I saw from some YouTube videos. First day I started touching the cage and talking to them, second day I went and got millet and started feeding them millet. They were scared of the millet and flying away but eventually came back and started eating. Blu was and still is more scared than Tweety. 

On the 4th day I started working more with Tweety and managed to get Tweety to climb up on my finger while eating millet. I offered millet and when Tweety was focused on eating I would move my finger next to her and push at the top of the legs saying step up and Tweety would step up on my finger. This would only work if Tweety was in a comfortable location in the cage. Any other location where there is more open space this would not work. However for the last 2 days I stopped doing the step up move as I've read somewhere that when they are eating I should not do anything that they are not comfortable with as I would loose their trust. 

At the moment all I am doing is to offer them millet to eat several times a day. I just grab the millet with my thumb and index finger, open the cage and move my hand slowly close to them. Blu as usual is a little jumpy but eventually comes to millet and Tweety is more calm. However I feel like they lost a little interest in millet, they are not eating as much as when I first offered it. 

My concern now is that I do not know what to do. I do not want to loose their trust and information I am finding online is sometimes conflicting. I see places saying to keep pushing my finger above legs so that the budgie steps on the finger while others say not to force them. Some places say to not have other food in the cage this way they get very excited about the food I give them but I don't want to have them hungry. 

So, should I keep giving millet several times a day this way I can fully earn their trust and not be afraid of my hand? Would offering millet so often make them loose interest in it? 
Should I try to get Tweety back on my finger while eating millet or will that impact the trust I've earned? 
How do I get them to trust my hand and climb on it? 

Thanks,
Appreciate the help.


----------



## AwesomeOwl (Dec 27, 2020)

If Tweety is comfortable with you feeding her millet, try luring her on your hand by holding the millet so that she can only reach it by climbing up on your finger. This way it’s her choice if she wants to step up or not. Keep giving Blu millet with your hand until he’s more comfortable with you. Each budgie moves at their own pace.


----------



## flaviuscons (Mar 8, 2021)

AwesomeOwl said:


> If Tweety is comfortable with you feeding her millet, try luring her on your hand by holding the millet so that she can only reach it by climbing up on your finger. This way it's her choice if she wants to step up or not. Keep giving Blu millet with your hand until he's more comfortable with you. Each budgie moves at their own pace.


Thanks, will keep trying until Tweety comes on my hand. However I think they lost some confidence in my hand. I cleaned their cage yesterday and now I just gave them millet, I moved my finger a little while feeding them and they got very scared. I wonder if me cleaning the cage yesterday bothered them.

Also they are 90% of the time together so would Tweety leave Blu to get to my hand? or Blu's comfort is harder to give up on than the millet?


----------



## flaviuscons (Mar 8, 2021)

Things are going downhill fast and I don't understand why. Now when I get millet and reach in the cage they just run away. Tried it twice and they seem to get as far away from me as possible. All I do is talk to them and offer them millet, grab the millet reach in the cage and let them get close.


----------



## Budgiecat2 (Aug 6, 2020)

I had something like this happen with my two budgies that I'm working with. 
They also get nervous for a few days after their cage is cleaned. You could continue working with them by holding your hand just inside the cage for them and let them come to you and eat out of your hand a few times a day for like 10-15 minutes. After they get comfortable with that point in the cage you could move it further in. If you force it on them they with get scared. Once then are comfortable with that you could try again with luring them on your hand. If Tweety starts eating out of your hand again after a little while Blu could see Tweety is safe eating and slowly earn the courage to also eat. This is what happen with my two birds, one was more trusting then the other and later saw her friend eating, after that she took some time but worked courage to also eat. As AwesomeOwl said each budgie moves at their own pace. There are lots of times where taming could take a step back in progress.


----------



## flaviuscons (Mar 8, 2021)

Budgiecat2 said:


> I had something like this happen with my two budgies that I'm working with.
> They also get nervous for a few days after their cage is cleaned. You could continue working with them by holding your hand just inside the cage for them and let them come to you and eat out of your hand a few times a day for like 10-15 minutes. After they get comfortable with that point in the cage you could move it further in. If you force it on them they with get scared. Once then are comfortable with that you could try again with luring them on your hand. If Tweety starts eating out of your hand again after a little while Blu could see Tweety is safe eating and slowly earn the courage to also eat. This is what happen with my two birds, one was more trusting then the other and later saw her friend eating, after that she took some time but worked courage to also eat. As AwesomeOwl said each budgie moves at their own pace. There are lots of times where taming could take a step back in progress.


Should I continue with holding millet between thumb and index and feed them until they don't get scared at all and after move to having millet in my palm to get them, or at least Tweety, to come on palm hand an eat?


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi, and Welcome to Talk Budgies

At this point, you may need to go back to holding your hand on the outside of the cage for a couple of days while you sit and talk, read or sing to your budgies. They need to be calm before you start putting your hand back in their cage.

When you feel they are ready, put a few millet seeds in the palm of your hand. When you put your hand in the cage, hold it still and let them come to you.

Be sure you aren't giving them too much millet. Millet should be a training assist and/or a treat. Budgies need a Nutritional Diet for their optimal health and well-being

A Healthy Diet for Your Budgies
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
Posting on the Forums
Please do not use Emojis from Phones - use Forum Smilies Only
Let's Talk Budgies
How-To Guides
FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
Budgie Articles
List of Stickies
Be Prepared for Veterinary Expense
Avian First Aid
Why Quarantine?

A Heartfelt Plea to All Members
Guidance regarding Breeding Advice Threads

Recommended Minimum Cage Sizes
Essentials for a Great Cage
Resource Directory

When you upload pictures as attachments directly from your computer, tablet or phone, the forum automatically defaults to landscape. Additionally, the picture appears as what we term a "thumbnail" attachment.

To upload full-sized pictures with the proper orientation, please use a photo-sharing service such as Imgur and follow the steps in these instructions:
How to Post Full Size Pictures from a Photo Sharing Site
You can practice uploading pictures in the site's "Test Forum:
Test Forum

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


----------



## justmoira (Aug 29, 2014)

I think you are moving too fast for them. Remember, they are in a new place and are tiny compared to you and are adjusting. The cage is supposed to be their safe space and should remain such for their entire lives. 

Start at the beginning. Just sit next to their cage doing something else, occasionally talking to them, otherwise just ignoring them. They'll be able to see you and hear you and get more comfortable with you around. Do this for a couple weeks. Don't rush it; remember, they are going to be with you for many years. What's a couple weeks within many years if it makes them happy and better bonded to you, right? 

Now, whenever you clean their cage it will cause a little bit of an uproar, but honestly if they are truly frightened it's okay to clean their cage just once or twice a week. If you post a picture of your birds' cage we can give you a great idea of how to put paper on the bottom so you can change it daily if needed and not disturb them too much.

Once they are comfortable with you in the room, you can move to the next step. For me, it was offering food in the palm of my open hand. Depending on the bird, it could be holding millet, or you holding their food dish while they eat from that, or even just your hand rested beside their food dish. The key is little steps, and keeping at those little steps a day or two longer than you think is necessary. 

Once they are decently comfortable, I highly suggest clicker training, especially for those with more than one bird. 

Lastly, remember each bird is an individual and their own person. I had two for a very long time. My boy was seriously neglected and an adult when I got him, and now he's the sweetest most friendly little guy you could ever meet. He considers everyone his friend. My girl, before she passed, I got when she was a baby and was her only owner. She had known nothing but love and joy. However, it took over a year before she'd really trust me and even that was tentative. She was a firecracker and I miss her. 

You may have other things in life, but these birds only have you. Be patient and take it slow. They will love you for it.


----------



## flaviuscons (Mar 8, 2021)

Thanks for the responses. This morning I went back to just talking to them and holding my hand on the cage. Seems good so far they are not that scared anymore. Blue seems a little scared as in moving left or right from where perched but not flying away anymore. I'll keep doing this for some time as per the suggestion. 

As for the cage I have attached a picture. I have paper at the bottom and it has a tray that can be easily removed. If you have any suggestions in what I need to improve in the cage please let me know.


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I would add a second swing to the cage and I recommend you remove the wooden dowel perch in the cage and replace it with natural wooden perches of varying diameters to help prevent pressure sores.

Pressure Sores

The information in this link will give examples of better options for perches:

Essentials for a Great Cage

Additionally, a couple of shredding toys would be nice for them.

For easier cleaning, I suggest you put the paper on top of the bottom grate rather than underneath it - IF the grate slides out on it's own.*


----------



## flaviuscons (Mar 8, 2021)

Thanks for the response. I ordered some branches and toys for them. 

Also I have a few toys that I didn't add in the cage. In fact I had them in for a little bit but they did not seem interested at all. Will add them back and see if eventually they play with them.


----------

