# Patience really is the key - Momo's big step!



## Vixenfur (Nov 28, 2021)

I'm so excited, so I wanted to share a little of my good experience with being patient with my new budgie.

I've had my budgie Momo for about 3 months now, coming up on 4, and we've been working together almost every day since I brought him home and he settled in. Our bond has been deepening every day and there have been times were I got slightly upset, not at him, but just at the way things were going. I felt like we weren't making fast enough progress as I have so many memories of my old budgies and how close we were, and how that bond seemed to form immediately. I'm sure it didn't form that fast and my memories are reserved to the good times and not the bad, but I still felt like jeez, this is taking a super long time. When will he perch on my shoulder and hang out with me???

While he still has not gotten to the point of sitting on my shoulder, Momo and I have been working diligently on 'step-up' and building trust along with clicker-training. I am so happy I have not forced him to do anything or take steps faster than he is willing, because today for the first time he stepped up onto my finger from OUTSIDE of his cage and allowed me to put him back in!!!

Before this, whenever he has free-roam time, he usually puts himself back in around the time I need him to go back. Sometimes he doesn't and usually all I have to do is stand near him and tell him repeatedly, 'time to go back! time to go back!' with a click of my pen, promising his treat once he goes back, and he eventually understands what I want him to do. I then reward him with millet. 

However, I recently got him a little gym/playset for him to perch on when he's out and he absolutely loves it, hops all over it, plays with the toys, etc and has been a bit reluctant to get off and go back to his cage. So my former method wasn't working. I thought to myself, he's been very good at step-up inside the cage, and he has learned how to stay on my finger even when I take the millet away AND move my hand around (with him on it), so it's time to try this outside the cage... 

It worked! I was ecstatic as he placed one tentative foot on my finger, then the other, and I rewarded him generously. Then I started to very slowly move towards the cage door. He realized what I was doing and flew back inside. Then I gave him more millet to praise his return. Now, he's perched on one little foot chatting up a storm, clearly very pleased with himself for being such a smart good boy 😂 

I am so happy and proud of Momo, and myself for being so patient with him and not giving into my own impatience/frustration that our bond didn't pop up out of thin air. I know it sounds silly, but it is the first time since I've owned a budgie in over 11 years and I've been so eager to have that inseparable bond with a budgie again. I had forgotten all the hard work and the rewarding feeling I get when I see us progressing together! Momo has come such a far way and so have I. In regards to shoulder perching—he is getting there. He climbed along my forearm the other day for the first time! I'll keep allowing him to explore at his own pace, and eventually offer millet up by my shoulder so that he comes up higher


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

That's great progress, every little step is so exciting, good to hear how well he is progressing.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Great progress, it seems like Momo is doing a great job! I mentioned this in another thread but it took almost nine months for my girl to get to the same place and now that she's nine years old we've had over eight years of a solid bond. Those nine months seem like nothing now! 

Keep it up


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*This is an excellent testament to other members that patience and persistence is very important when it comes to taming and bonding!

I'm so glad to hear you and Momo are making such great progress.

If it helps to hear, it took one of my lovebirds several YEARS before he was willing to sit on my shoulder!
He still will not allow me to touch him with my hand but he is content to come and hang out with me now. *


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