# Visitor of Birdie



## Lifer (Apr 24, 2016)

Hi, my friend is out for a while and asked me to take care of his budgie for a few days. I visit them like once a week so the budgie kows me (I hope), I chirp to him and sometimes he gets closer to the bars of the cage a pecks on it.

So today I spent my afternoon in his house, and had music playing around. The bird was quiet for the first few minutes, but got happier with the music and all.

So I made two taming sessions with him. In one I just chirped like I used to, like I'm courting him. He chirped back. This went for 5-10 minutes, then I left him relax and did other stuff in the same room. An hour later I sit near him and read him a chapter of a book, with my hand resting very near the cage. He didn't get near nor he did chirp much, but for a while he went to sleep. 

Is this a good sign? If my hand is touching the bottom of the cage, but not moving, and he's able to relax so much he sleeps, then it's because he trust me a little bit or not?

Thanks


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Hi there,

From your description, it does seem your friend's budgie is comfortable and relaxed enough to take a little nap while you spend time with him.
Is your friend also taking the time in taming this budgie?


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## Lifer (Apr 24, 2016)

Hi there. I'm happy to confirm he was comfortable with me  I hope I can put my hand inside the cage sometime. 

No, my friend is not taming him, he just puts the hand in the cage to change the food and all, but he talks a lot to the bird. But I love that bird (he does too), I wish he could be tamed.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*It does sound as though the friend's bird is becoming comfortable with you.

It would be a good thing for you to ask your friend to join the forum as well so he can learn about the best practices for caring for his budgie, taming and bonding, etc. *


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## Greyjoy (Apr 28, 2016)

Good for you for putting in the time letting him get to know you before just reaching in the bird's cage. It sounds like he really likes you.


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## Lifer (Apr 24, 2016)

Good news?

Today my session lasted for about 40 minutes. I started chirping with the hands outside the cage and slowly putting one of them inside the cage. 
At the middle of the session, approximatey, he changed his perch in the perch I had my thumb laid, but not very close. 

All the session he was puffed, it my be because it's very hot in here, but it also means he wasn't frightened 

He didn't chirp much while I had the hand inside, but when i took it out I continued chirping for 5 minutes (just for him to know "i want to be with you and I don't need to have the hand inside the cage") and he got very happy and singing too. I hope he got the message ahah. He's chirping non-stop since that.

He also showed some interest on my fingers, he looked at them but never moved closer. I don't know if it was fear or interest and if I stayd for more half an hour or an hour he would end up peaking on them, but I was tired and I didn't want to tire him any more either.


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Being puffed doesn't mean your budgie is hot, in fact that's the opposite.
Budgies will puff up in order to conserve heat, they can do so when fighting an illness, when feeling cold as a way to warm up and they can also puff up as they are getting ready to nap or sleep for the night.

When budgies are hot, their body feathers will slim down, their wings will be kept apart from their bodies and they will also pant on occasion when feeling thirsty/hot.

As you become more familiar with the species, you will be able to interpret the body language and behaviours.

How is your own budgie doing? The one who had a broken blood feather a while ago?


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## lbeckman (Jun 26, 2016)

Try holding a sprig of spray millet in your hand. I've had to first leave a sprig in a feeder for the budgie to figure out what it was. After that, if I held my hand still, budgies have been very willing to come and eat from a sprig of millet that I'm holding. Next step has been being willing to pick the seeds up that fall onto my hand. I'm working with two budgies and one of them is more than willing to step onto my hand, the other one won't yet. Some day....


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm more interested in knowing more about your bird rather than your "friend's" budgie. 
What is going on with your budgie?
How old is he now?
Have you been working with him to tame and bond with him?*


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