# Budgies climb on my hand to eat millet. What can I do next?



## SpockSkunk (Jul 8, 2016)

Hey guys!

I have had my budgies :white plet: :yellow plet: for about a week now, and I have been singing to them every day a few times about 10-15 minutes each. I rest my hand on the cage, play music for them, and wiggle my fingers slowly so they can see that my hand moving is not a danger to them.

When I realized they didn't even shy away when I put my hand on the cage, I decided to wait for them to go to their food bowl and hold up a piece of millet for them. I waited all of about 5 minutes before curiosity/hunger won them over and they climbed up and ate from my hand. Today, they both climbed into my open palm to devour another section of millet. It was so amazing having their fluffy warm bodies in my hand! I sang through my entire knowledge of Disney songs as they ate, haha.

*My question is this: What next? *If I hold my hand up to them, they still fly away scared (even though I feel like I am moving my hand incredibly slowly). Am I supposed to wait until I can hold my hand next to them and they ignore it? Should I pester them a little to get them to sit on my finger?

I am really uncomfortable making them scared and fly away from me around the cage because I don't want to distress them too much. How much flying away is normal in bonding with them?

Any advice about this time is appreciated, thank you!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Taming and Bonding with budgies is all about helping them learn to trust you and it sounds like you are off to an excellent start. :thumbsup:

For now, it would be best for you hold your hand still in the cage.
You can hold some millet or seeds in your palm and let the budgies come to you.

After a few days of doing this, you can move your hand slowly toward one of the budgies. If it flies away, simply stop moving until it calms down.
Try again but only do this two or three times. You don't want the budgies to feel as if you are "chasing" them.

Once they become comfortable with your hand coming close to them, you can begin working on the "step-up" command using positive reinforcement.

http://talkbudgies.com/taming-bonding/237105-using-positive-reinforcement-training.html

http://talkbudgies.com/taming-bonding/265337-basics-clicker-training.html*


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## SpockSkunk (Jul 8, 2016)

FaeryBee said:


> *Taming and Bonding with budgies is all about helping them learn to trust you and it sounds like you are off to an excellent start. :thumbsup:
> 
> For now, it would be best for you hold your hand still in the cage.
> You can hold some millet or seeds in your palm and let the budgies come to you.
> ...


Perfect!! 
That's exactly what I was looking for, and now I feel confident moving forward. Time to win the little guys over with treats.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

I completely agree with Deborah's advice  Best of luck with them and it sounds like you're off to a great start! :clap: :urock:


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