# Geidi is a pig boy!!!!



## 123yyz (10 mo ago)

Okay so I was pretty excited when my bird would eat millet from my hand on his second day with me. I thought he was getting comfortable quickly.

I now realize he is just a giant pig and has a millet addiction that is possibly out of hand.

When I’m home especially in the evenings he will climb all over the walls of his cage trying to find a way out of it and flap his wings till I let him out to have millet. When I feed it to him he grabs it with his feet so that I can’t easily take it away from him. I thought we were bonding when he eats it out of my hand, but now I’m convinced he’s too busy munching millet to even notice he’s in my hand. I could bang a gong while he’s eating millet and he wouldn’t even blink an eye.

He will not go anywhere near me if millet is not involved.

I am thinking it’s becoming more harmful than helpful to the taming process. Should I stop using it, or use it much less?


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

I would stop using it so often. Remember, you're the one enforcing his behavior since he has no way to get millet unless you give it to him. Does he have enough food in his bowl (I'm assuming he does but thought I'd ask)? 

He needs to get used to you without having millet in your hand. Now he's started to associate you with millet, it's likely that every time you approach the cage he's going to jump onto the bars and beg. Don't give in to his antics or it'll be harder to solve in the long run. If he does this, just sit next to his cage and talk to him gently until he calms down. Praise also helps a lot! I wouldn't try to touch him at this point because it would be best to start over re. hand training without millet given that he stresses out when you don't have any. After he stops losing it every time he sees you and has stopped expecting millet when you show up he will be less stressed to start off with hand taming again. Later on, reintroducing millet as a reward once in a while may be ok but for now I'd hold off!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*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 him to be touched.
To bond with your budgie, you need to build his trust in you.
He will have to learn over time that you will not hurt him, grab him and try to force him to allow you to hold him.

To build your budgie’s trust, sit by his cage and read, talk or sing quietly to him 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 him so he will learn that your hand is safe and will not hurt him. 

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

After 2 weeks, begin moving your hand slowly toward your bird. If he becomes agitated, stop moving your hand and just hold very still until he calms down. When he is comfortable with your hand near him, you can offer them a bit of millet or a few seeds.
Millet should only be used as a treat or training aid and only a tiny bit of it given at a time.
Using one (or even 1/2 of one) of the small balls off the millet spray is enough.
Always work at your bird’s pace.
Move slowly and talk reassuringly and calmly to him whenever you interact with him.

Most budgies once they pass the "baby" stage, do not like to be petted or touched. 
If your budgie does like to be petted, you should only ever pet his head, neck or chest area.
Stroking a budgie's back and/or tail stimulates its breeding instinct. 

Bonding means allowing your budgie to choose to be with you.
*


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## 123yyz (10 mo ago)

Thanks for the responses.

Geidi is reasonably comfortable with me inside the cage cleaning, switching out food and water, etc. I’ve started to put just a tiny bit of millet inside foraging toys because doesn’t seem to understand that toys are for him to play with and destroy. Plus I’d like him to sometimes have it inside the cage so that he does not feel like he needs to constantly try (and obviously fail) to escape to have some.

It takes him a while to work for it and discover it inside the cage, and he still eats his pellets. And yes he has access to pellets, some seed, and veggies. Yesterday for the first time he ate all his veggies!!!! I’ve given him fruit too but he doesn’t care about it yet.

EDIT: forgot to add that when he begs to get out/be given millet, I now just sit by his cage and sing to him. He’s probably 100% just begging for treats, but part of me thinks maybe he actually wants interaction with me a little bit. So I want to give him that part without giving him millet. He usually settles down, maybe just because I confuse him haha.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

That sounds like great progress. I’m glad he’s eating his veggies! If he doesn’t take to fruits that’s totally fine. They’re too high in sugar to be offered more than a little bit anyways so as long as he’s eating his veggies that’s good! 👏🏻


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Totally agree with StarlingWings. 
Fruit should only be given as an occasional treat IF the budgie likes it. 
If not -- stick to the healthy vegetables!!*


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## 123yyz (10 mo ago)

Geidi suddenly died. I have no idea why. He was acting totally normal last night and died while I was asleep. 

I found him this morning dead in his food bowl. He showed no signs of sickness. I have no toxins in my house (no cleaning products, no nonstick, etc.)

I was obviously worried about his diet but I only had him for a week and a half so I doubt any diet issues would have killed him, plus he was eating pellets mostly.

His water bowl was full.

I feel guilty and heartbroken and wish I had answers.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

So sorry to hear this, it is possible that there was some underlying illness that had not shown outward symptoms yet. The only way to know what happened would be to have a necropsy done by an avian vet.
Fly high sweet Geidi 🌹


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm so very sorry for your loss. 
Fly high and soar freely darling Geidi; rest peacefully now wee man.*


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