britney's first flight...

[londonparis18]

well i am in all afternoon, and although she still doesn't fully trust me i have opened her cage door to let her stretch her wings a little

however, although she has moved towards the opening she seems only mesmerised by the open door and has not yet attempted to take flight! what does this mean?

also, someone told me i should catch her with a towel to get her back in her cage but i would like some advice on how to do this safely and withoout hurting her, if anyone can help with that?

i am so nervous about her coming out for the first time any reassurance would be brilliant!

thanks,

a nervous Sarah and a curious Britney! xx

[svolk]

She's probably still just nervous - she'll come out eventually. I suggest that you do something in the room so that the focus isn't all on her - read a book, watch TV, eat something budgie friendly. If you're doing something and telling her about it and making it sound like fun she'll most likely be interested (although scared at first) - they are very curious little buggers and always want in on the fun!

I wouldn't catch her with a towel - budgies are so small and fragile that applying too much pressure can hurt or kill her and if she's struggling you risk breaking a wing (wings are very delicate). I'd let her go back into the cage on her own, she most likely will when she's tired. Put in her favorite treat to entice her into the cage after she's been out awhile. If she's sitting on something transportable, like a hand held perch or a little gym, you can always carry her back to her cage and she may hop in when near it - both of my budgies used to do this. Throwing a towel over her and grabbing her will result in panic and I like to work with the birds when they don't feel threatened.

Don't worry if she doesn't come out at all on this first attempt- sometimes they'll come out right away, sometimes not. She's working up her courage.

[mmr]

[QUOTE=londonparis18;1208629]also, someone told me i should catch her with a towel to get her back in her cage but i would like some advice on how to do this safely and withoout hurting her, if anyone can help with that?/QUOTE]


I didn't say you have to catch her with a towel, I said you may have to resort to toweling if you can't get her anyother way.

Just relax, she will pick up on your anxiety. Talk soft and soothing and move slowly. see if she will step up on your finger since she is on the edge of her cage. Just go slow

[londonparis18]

Sorry - i misunderstood what you meant by 'towelling' her.
The only problem is i have not yet found any 'treats' which she likes to entice her back in to her cage although i am around almost all afternoon (until about 5pm when I will need to go out for an hour or so)...perhaps i should close her door now and try again later when i will be in all evening...?

[mmr]

please don't take this the wrong way, but you seriously need to calm down and RELAX! Remember your baby picks up on you! I would just leave her be! Sounds like you are dotting on her too much. Like said above read a book, watch tv, and leave it open. If she wan'ts out then she will come out, if she doesnt then oh well. If she does come out then talk to her, etc. When she is ready to go back in then she will and that is when you close her door.

[londonparis18]

okay sorry... i have never had a bird and i just want to get it right :)

[svolk]

Originally Posted by londonparis18

okay sorry... i have never had a bird and i just want to get it right :)

It's ok, I was very much like you when I got my first budgie - nervous about everything and not sure how to do things. I really think I was as scared of my budgie as he was of me at first!

You'll relax over time and mmr is right, Britney will pick up on your anxiety. Try to remain calm and doing something in the room will probably lessen the anxiety.

For a treat, millet spray generally goes over very well with budgies. Put a small sprig in her cage sometime and let her eat it on her own. Once she recognizes it and eats it readily, reserve that for training/taming sessions - like eventually use that to try to take a bite from your hand.

[chirpy]

Chirpy's sometimes great and sometimes a nightmare to get back in her cage (I'm a fairly new parront too, she's only been with us since April). The tricks that work best for me are either the millet or the food bowl trick (take it out of the cage and when you want her back in either give it a shake so she hears it and flies over or put a few extra seeds in it and let her see you).
Good luck!!

[birdlover912]

The easiest way that I've found to catch a untame budgie is to wait until they land on a hard, flat surface such as a desk or the floor (so no toenails get caught), then throw a lighweight piece of cloth over them. A thin, cotton dish drying towel or a pillowcase both work well. I feel that this is safer than a heavy towel because budgies are fragile birds.

Once you have thrown the towel over her, most birds tend to freeze for a moment, making it easier to pick them up. Gently grasp her body with your hand, wrapping your fingers around her. It is easiest to control her movements when her head between the space of your thumb and pointer finger. Don't hold her too tight because birds need their chests to move in order to breathe, just tight enough so she doesn't get away. Think of it like grasping the computer mouse; you wrap your hand and fingers around it, but you don't squeeze. You can then set the entire blanket in her cage and carefully and slowly unwrap her. :)