chances of bugdies being tame

drab911 · Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 5:08 pm Post subject: chances of bugdies being tame

Hey everyone, I have 2 cages each with a male and female pair of budgies... the birds are all about a year old a peice well I only really know the sex of 2 of them.. but im predicting the last 2.. anyways I am home quite a bit... and I am always talking to them and putting my hands in the cages etc... I do not let them out of their cages cause they are not clipped and it is just avoiding hazards... anyways as of right now they do not go near my hand... always running away.. though I have seen in the last little while they will stand a little closer sometimes.. I am in no rush at all but do you think if i keep this up someday they might step onto my hand?? or if it has not happened yet it probably wont considering i have 4 birds.. any advice would be appriciated
Thanks

Aqueous · Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 5:20 pm Post subject:

I'm sure it's possible but it'll just take more work, as with multiple budgies they tend to bond with one another more than with you. Just be patient.

4 of my budgies are hand tamed now. I will have had Buster for 3 years this December and it's only been during the last year and a half that he's really become comfortable with being out on his own. Kiwi is more independent and really enjoys being out with me, he's content to sit on my shoulder for as long as I want and nibble on my ear (crazy bird Laughing

). Merlin and Dixie can only stand being out if they're together (I got them at the same time so they're bonded to each other).

I'm still working on Spangle and Mango. I'v only had them for a little over a week and Mango loves to sit on your lap to get her neck rubbed while Spangle will come out but after a short while he starts to get very nervous.

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2248 Location: uk

Never say never any bird can be tamed it just takes longer with a bird that has a partner or cage mates.

A bonded pair are harder to tame but once you get one to come to your finger and sit on it the other soon picks this up and also wants to do it.

Just keep at it and eventually you will see that they have learnt to trust you and will have no problem coming to sit on your finger or sitting on your shoulder.

God luck

Mike

iobre8ks · Member Joined: 19 Sep 2004 Posts: 72

I have had my budgie for one week now. He is not totally tame but the place that my lps gets them from finger trains them before they send them out. I think that he remembered most of it and now is picking it up very fast. I let him out of his cage for the first time last night and he flew away from me three times in about an hour. If he flew off i would go over to him say "up" and push a little on his lower chest and he would step up onto my finger. He set his own little record of 15 min on my finger without flying away. So really all that it takes to train a budgie is time and patience. AND TRUST. never flinch if they bite you or make quick hand movements.

drab911 · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:54 pm Post subject:

are your birds wings clipped? Because when it flys away from you doesnt it fly into the wall?? That is the only reason i have not let them out of the cage.. when i only had one budgie i let her out of the cage and every time i went near her she would freak out and fly into multiple walls... would i be better just leaving hte door open and let them leave and come back on their own?
I just dread having to get them back in the cage and hav ing one of htem kill themselves./
thanks for any advice

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2248 Location: uk

I wing clip mine which helps with finger taming as the depend on you, But this should always be done by someone that has clipped wings before.

As uneven clipping can cause the bird to lose all balance, They can still fly with a wing clip just they can not fly to those hard to reach places making catching them easier.

Never rush to a bird when it is sat on the floor or somewhere always walk slowly and speak calmly all the time then crouch down slowly and cup your hands to pick up the bird.

All birds will fly into walls doors mirrors his is why curtains should be should be closed, Mirrors covered and doors closed.

If they bump into something never rush to it again just walk over slowly and speak gently.

Mike

drab911 · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:45 pm Post subject:

I appriciate your advice mike!! when I let my bird out before I did make all of those percautions.. as with having the doors closed... however she still just flew into the wall.. I think my problem is that I need them to step up onto my finger before I let them out... so I will keep working on that, hopefully they will trust me someday hehe.. any tricks for them to get onto your finger?

iobre8ks · Member Joined: 19 Sep 2004 Posts: 72

I have both of my birds wings clipped. I got a second one today. I now have one male and one female. In separate cages. For me it is just easier with their wings clipped because then they can only fly short distances before flying to the ground again. They go about two feet at a time. I also have some dirt and a dead maple branch for them to play on outside of the cage. My dad and i are going to build a small jungle gym for them tonight out of maple since my lps doesn't have any jungle gyms. The best of luck to you. Just be patcient and eventually they will learn. If you know how to or know someone who does get your birds wings clipped as it will be much safer for them.

drab911 · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:25 am Post subject:

2 out of the 4 birds that I have, had their wings clipped when I got them.. one still has his clipped... I guess I am just intimidated to just grab him in his cage.. I more want him to just kinda get onto my finger...thanks for the luck...

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2248 Location: uk

Never grab a bird this makes them scared of hands even more so if they are in there cage.

Time and patience some birds never become hand tame some take days, some weeks, some months so don't give up yet

Mike

drab911 · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:13 pm Post subject:

thanks mike, thats exactly the news I wanted to hear hehe.. I am totaly OK with taking my time until they hop onto my finger.. and if they dont its alright too they are still adorable!! Besides I am going to get one of those mini love birds soon.. i was looking at one at my friends work and it was running all over my hand and up and down my arm and it hasnt even seen me before.. so my budgies i might leave as a happy little family and get the little guy to be my friend hehe
i think its called like a parrotate or something are you familiar with them??

Aqueous · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:52 pm Post subject:

Parrtolets are not mini lovebirds they're a species all their own. If you get a hand fed one they can become quite the little friend. Parrotlet ownership can last 20-30 years so be sure youre ready to make the commitment before getting one. You might also want to keep it seperate from your budgies as they are know to attack much larger birds.

drab911 · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:16 pm Post subject:

Oh I am truly devoted, I live on my own and work full time so I understand responsibility.... I have just decided that I would rather a cool bird then a dog or a cat just for ease of being a single guy living.. But that is great to hear... And yes I plan on keeping it seperate becuase im putting all 4 budgies in the same cage (a new bigger one) and that will free up one of the old cages for my new friend..
In vancouver BC Canada those little birds are $170 at my friends pet store he works at... is that price high or fair compared to where you live??

Aqueous · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:33 pm Post subject:

Around here at pet stores they're around $150 now. My neighbors bought a breeding pair from a parrotlet breeder for around $200.

drab911 · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:56 pm Post subject:

Either way, seems well worth it in my eyes!!
Hey mike.. as you said earlier that you should never grab a bird, as i understand the reasoning.. soon I have to move all 4 of my birds whom are in 2 seperate cages into a larger cage.... None of them will get on my finger.. I have a bird net thing but that would make me have to let them loose first and i have never tried the thing LOL... do you have any suggestions?? or can I not avoid grabbing. im quite nervous about this whole situation soon...