# Bean's Taming - Ongoing Thread



## Lucydeprez (May 10, 2019)

Hi, I have recently bought a little albino budgie, I got told she's about 4months old. She is very scared..... When I first got her if I put my hand in the cage she would go crazy flapping and flying around. I have slowly gained trust with putting my hand in the cage with one finger out and I can get so close before she flaps off. People have told me to give her treats like millet whilst I have my hand in the cage but she won't eat anything but seeds, I'm trying so hard with different fruits and veggies but she's just not interested, I've even chopped them up tiny and put in her seeds mix but nope still a no go. Please help I would love for her to come out the cage but only when she's tame.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

How recently did you get this bird? It can take months to train a bird and you must go slowly at the bird's pace. It can also take a long time for them to be willing to try any veggies, if all they have ever eaten is seed they do not recognize anything but seed as food. Don't give up, just keep offering and one day she may give it a try.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi! :welcome: to Talk Budgies
What is your budgie's name? She is beautiful.

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.

Taming and Bonding is all about helping your budgie learn to trust you and it takes a great deal of time and patience on your part. 
You should never grab your budgie or force her to be touched. 
To bond with your budgie, you need to build her trust in you.
She will have to learn over time that you will not hurt her, grab her and try to force her to allow you to hold her.

To build your budgie's trust, sit by her cage and read, talk or sing quietly to her for a period of at least 10-15 minutes, 3 or 4 times day. After the 2nd or 3rd day, rest your hand on the outside of the cage when you talk to her so she'll learn that your hand is safe and will not hurt her.

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

After 2 weeks, begin moving your hand slowly toward your budgie. If she becomes agitated, stop moving your hand and just hold very still until she calms down. When she's comfortable with your hand near her, you can offer her a bit of millet or a few seeds. In a few more days, you can begin your taming and bonding sessions.

Always work at your budgie's pace. 
Move slowly and talk reassuringly and calmly to her whenever you interact with her.

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)

Healthy Diet for your Budgies

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## Lucydeprez (May 10, 2019)

I've had BEAN (yes her names bean) for 4 weeks now. In the first 2 weeks I did have to grab her to put her in her new cage (bigger and better cage) whenever I'm not at home I always leave my alexa on a radio station for the dog anyway and this happens to be in the room she's in, she is a very vocal budgie and does love the radio...... I'm just worried she will never eat her veggies.

Struggling on how to upload photos correctly. I can't seem to create albums? I'm on Android


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## jcorbi82 (Sep 4, 2018)

Lucydeprez said:


> Hi, I have recently bought a little albino budgie, I got told she's about 4months old. She is very scared..... When I first got her if I put my hand in the cage she would go crazy flapping and flying around. I have slowly gained trust with putting my hand in the cage with one finger out and I can get so close before she flaps off. People have told me to give her treats like millet whilst I have my hand in the cage but she won't eat anything but seeds, I'm trying so hard with different fruits and veggies but she's just not interested, I've even chopped them up tiny and put in her seeds mix but nope still a no go. Please help I would love for her to come out the cage but only when she's tame.


Welcome, lucydeprez! Your birdie may be getting used to her new home and human. Birdie is by herself?



Lucydeprez said:


> Struggling on how to upload photos correctly. I can't seem to create albums? I'm on Android


If I ever were to post pics, I would use Imgur. You would upload it through the app and after it uploads, you can long press and it will give you an option to get the URL of the pic, which you could then surround with IMG tags and you could show us your birdie! If you wanted to, smileyface lol


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## Lucydeprez (May 10, 2019)

jcorbi82 said:


> Lucydeprez said:
> 
> 
> > Struggling on how to upload photos correctly. I can't seem to create albums? I'm on Android
> ...


https://i.imgur.com/wmkgVg5.jpg

When I do that it does it but doesn't show pic, someone said about changing it to BBC or something but can't figure out how to do it



jcorbi82 said:


> Lucydeprez said:
> 
> 
> > Hi, I have recently bought a little albino budgie, I got told she's about 4months old. She is very scared..... When I first got her if I put my hand in the cage she would go crazy flapping and flying around. I have slowly gained trust with putting my hand in the cage with one finger out and I can get so close before she flaps off. People have told me to give her treats like millet whilst I have my hand in the cage but she won't eat anything but seeds, I'm trying so hard with different fruits and veggies but she's just not interested, I've even chopped them up tiny and put in her seeds mix but nope still a no go. Please help I would love for her to come out the cage but only when she's tame.
> ...


Yes bean is by herself as I heard its easier to tame one than having 2 at a time, plus I don't want to have babies......


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*A solo budgie can be very happy as long as you give her regular interaction on a constant basis.

As I said in my previous post, with regard to learning it eat new foods, it can take several weeks or even months for a budgie to try new foods You have to learn to be patient.

The first vegetable which my budgies that had not been weaned to vegetables tried (and loved) was sweet corn kernels sprinkled with a teeny bit of garlic powder (NOT salt).

Budgies seem to love "spicy" tastes. 
They also adored fresh basil, cilantro, dill, chickweed, zucchini and red pepper. 

Read the stickies at the top of the Diet and Nutrition section of the forum for tips on different ways to present vegetables.

Diet and Nutrition - Talk Budgies Forums

Using Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother)
as a natural pro-biotic is very beneficial to your budgies:

Apple Cider Vinegar

I use Volkman Avian Science Super Seed Mix for my birds. :thumbup:

When I introduced pellets to my budgie, my Avian Vet recommended using Harrison's High Potency Mash and sprinkling it on the budgie's seed mix every day. 
This way, when the budgie hulls the seed it tastes the pellet mash and ingests bits of it as well. 
This helps the budgie identify the taste as a food source. 
It worked for my all of budgies and lovebirds!

Many members seem to find the easiest pellets to use for introducing pellets to their budgies to be the CANARY sized (XS) Zupreem fruity pellets. 
Most budgies like the taste and the "Canary" sized pellets are tiny enough for them to easily eat them. 
Once they've become accustomed to the Fruity Pellets, introducing the smallest "natural" pellets is then an easy step.

Other than when I was using the Harrison's mash, I've never mixed my birds' pellets and seed together.

My birds have Zupreem Fruity Pellets, RoudyBush Mini Natural Pellets, Dried Herb Salad and Miracle Meal available at all times. 
(Yep - I have a lot of food dishes! :laughing

Their seed is rationed to approximately 2 teaspoons of seed per budgie each day. 
I give them seed first thing in the morning right after putting clean packing paper on the bottom grate of the cages. 
I sprinkle their morning ration on the paper so they can forage for the seeds. 
I then do the same thing in the evenings (after replacing the soiled paper with clean) and again allow them to forage for their seed.

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

*


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## Lucydeprez (May 10, 2019)

*Progress*

I'm finally feel like I'm getting somewhere with my little bean.... She's finally started eating millet........ Although I can get my finger near her she won't step onto my finger but its a work in progress now she's eating millet I've been trying to tempt with that now


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm glad to hear little Bean is settling in. :thumbsup:

I've merged your two threads regarding Taming and Bonding and retitled the thread to "Bean's Taming - Ongoing Thread".

Please post any future updates regarding Bean's progress or taming/bonding issues in this thread.

Thanks!*


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## Hunterkat (Mar 29, 2017)

Little Bean is precious! Also, don't worry about not having a friend- it really can cause more problems than benefits if the budgie is used to being by itself and you introduce another one.


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## Lucydeprez (May 10, 2019)

Bean is a little cutie bless her. I don't think she needs a friend to be honest as she's very chirpy and doesn't stop. I've still yet to get her on my finger but I'm still determined, now she's eating millet I'm hoping it's going to get easier......


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