# Can't seem to get my budgie to step up.



## HoliestHeathen (Sep 2, 2021)

Ok so I've had my lil Budgie Nanners for a little about a year and a half now and for the life of my I can not seem to (reliably) get her to step up. She is not afraid of me, she sits on my shoulder, climbs all over me when I'm at my desk, and sits on the rim of my glasses trying to prune my eyebrows almost daily. She seems for all accounts happy and content with me and her life in general but whenever I try to get her to Step of 99% of the time she just will not do it. If I put my finger to her chest she just leans back. She will happily hop on my finger if I have something she's interested playing on my computer (I hold her closer so she can see better). But if I ever want her to step up for any reason outside of her own direct self interest she just will not do it. Is it just her personality? 

P.S Im also trying to train her to let me pet her so far Ive gotten up to being able to give her budgie kisses using my finger and she even mimics a kissing noise back when I do it sometimes! but if I try to go for a head scratchy she freaks out. So any advice would be very appreciated.


----------



## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Some birds just do not like to be touched and you have to respect their boundaries. Have you tried seeing if she will step up onto something other than your finger? My birds are not hand tame but will step up onto a rope perch in my hand.


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being*
*Locating an Avian Veterinarian*

*Most budgies do not enjoy being petted. They are not like dogs and cats so please don't try to touch her in that way as she obviously doesn't enjoy it.
With regard to stepping up -- have you tried presenting the back of your hand with your fingers held together and the hand flat like a platform?
My budgies will step up that way but do not want to step up onto "fingers".*

*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
*Safe Foods for Budgies*
*The Truth about GRIT*

*Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of 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.
(Stickies are threads “stuck” at the top of each forum sub-section)
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*
*Let's Talk Budgies!*
*FAQ*
*Articles*
*Be Prepared for Veterinary Care Expense*
*Avian First Aid*
*Quarantine IS Necessary!*
*A Heartfelt Plea to All Members*
*Tips For Discouraging Breeding*
*Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies*
*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
*Cage sizes.*
*Essentials to a Great Cage*
*Dangers to Pet Birds*
*Resource Directory*


----------



## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hello and welcome to the forums!!

Very good advice above by FaeryBee and Cody, I agree completely. Meanwhile, be sure to read through the links provided above to ensure you’re up to date on the best of budgie care practices. If you have any questions after doing so, please be sure to ask as we’d love to help.

Hope to see you around!! 👏🏻


----------



## HoliestHeathen (Sep 2, 2021)

I appreciate the advice, and no worries I did very thorough research on caring for my budgie before I bought her. I feed her Higgins mix and make sure she always has a (non destroyed) cuttlebone accessible. She gets plenty of out of cage time. I had some trouble getting her to eat fresh fruits and veggies but I found the actual best way to get her to try them was to stop offering her them and eat them myself then she gets interested in what I'm doing and will nibble a little (Never offered her peppers before maybe Ill give that a go). She kind of likes carrots and strawberries but still prefers her Higgins seed/pellet/dried mix. She is a healthy weight and is very active, her favorite toys is basically anything she can safely shred. She has a cage that is more tall than wide which I read was a no-no BUT its a fairly large cage in general and she only spends nights and part of the day (When Im working) in the cage with her toys etc... when ever I am home she basically has free reign of the house unless I'm cooking/cleaning etc... Cause I read that basically any small amount of chemicals or aerosols can harm them (Makes sense since their lungs are the size of raisins). She has three different size perches in her cage because I heard that the exact same perch all the time can give their feet problems. I don't have any sandpaper perches because I heard stories about it also hurting their feet. Also she will perch on my phone almost 100% of the time. I read somewhere that budgies hate their owners being on the phone but mine must just be different cause my phone is one of her favorite things in the whole house. She learned she can peck at the pretty colors and the screen changes and sometimes makes noises.


----------



## HoliestHeathen (Sep 2, 2021)

Just an update, she still doesn't like the stepping up command. But she finally let me pet her and omg it was adorable. I nerded out so hard, she rubbed her head and cheek against my forefinger and was all poofy and happy.


----------



## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Most budgies don't like to be petted, so it's so special she enjoyed the little preening session with you  She sounds so cute!


----------

