[Alika]

You have to be so careful with potty training, though. If it's not done right, it can be harmful to your bird. I've heard of birds 'holding it' for way too long waiting for their owners to move them to the designated pooping area.

Even if your bird is fully flighted and can get back to the pooping area on it's own, it is natural for birds to poop before they fly.

I'd venture to say that most of us simply accept poop as being part of owning a bird. Be thankful that budgie poops are small, easy to clean, and virtually odorless.

As far as out of cage time, the more you can let them have, the better. 1-2 hours a day is recommended. But, as Monica said, don't let them have more than you can consistently give. Giving a lot of out of cage time, then suddenly giving very little is worse than always giving very little. It can cause a lot of unwanted behavioral problems, and is hard on the bird psychologically.