Taming Budgies

[Caili]

Hi,
Id be grateful for any advice anyone has! Ive bought 2 gorgeous budgies, they are booked it to get thier wings clipped tommorow! So where do i go from here? Will i try to train them straight away or leave them for a few days? Whats the best way to train them?

[AbbeyNMommy]

Hi

If you are getting their wings clipped, I might wait a few days as they might be a tad on the angry and scared side. Have they ever had their wings clipped before? If not they are going to need a few days to adjust.

You know when I got my lil guy his wings were clipped and I had a hard time training him. When his wings grew in.....off we went.
He started to land on me and the cat,,,,etc.

This is just one opinion......You will know when the time is right to start training them.
You have to gain their love and trust and then start.

Regards,
Abbey N Mommy

[budgie-boy]

Of all the behaviors you can teach your parakeet, the step-up command is possibly the most important. This command allows you to retrieve your parakeet at any time and is especially useful when it is behaving fussy or is in potential danger. Step-up is when your parakeet steps up gently onto your hand or finger without hesitation. A parakeet is not hatched knowing how to do this, so you must teach it. Perhaps your parakeet came to you already tame and hand trained-thats great! But it's still important to reinforce the step-up command so that it becomes secong nature to you and your parakeet.
Assuming that you are teaching a tame or semi-tame parakeet the step-up command, begin by allowing the parakeet to come out of it's cage on it's own. You win nothing by fishing the parakeet out violently and will only suceed in beggining your training session on a bad note. Place a perch on top of it's cage or let the cird climb onto a standing perch where it will be standing on a round dowel, not a flat surface. If your parakeet is a youngster, you can gently lift it out of the cage, but since it doesn't yet know how to step-up, be careful not to pull to hard on it's feet-it will grip the perch, not understanding what you want.
One the parakeet is out, give it a treat, either a bit of yummy food or a good head scratching. This will show the bird that training sessions can be fun, and it will look forward to them. Next, begin rubbing your bird's chest and belly very softly and gently with the length of your index finger, cooing to him, slowly increasing the pressure with which you push on its chest. You may have to repeat this for a few days, depending on the tameness of your parakeet.
Once you feel that your parakeet is calm and is used to this process, you can increase the pressure you place on it's chest. Pushing slightly on a parakeet's chest will throw it off balance, and it will lift up a foot to right itself. Place your finger or hand under the foot and lift him, if it allows it. If not, simply allow it's foot to remain on your hand until the bird removes it. As you do this, tell your bird clearly to "step-up". You must always say "step-up" when it steps on to your hand-it is the key that your parakeet associates the action of stepping onto your hand with the phrase.
Once your parakeet is fairly good at stepping up, you can have it step from finger to finger, repeating the phrase "step-up" and praising it. Your bird may hesitate at first, but soon it will know exactly what you want. Be sure that your training sessions last only a few minutes each, and try not to become frustrated if your parakeet doesn't do excactly what you want right away. Training sessions are ideally short, perhaps ten to fifteen minutes twice a day, and should be incorporated into playtime.
Most youngsters will learn the step-up command eaisly, in one or two short sessions, while a semi-tame parakeet may take longer-the more your parakeet trusts you, the easier it will be to teach it. Remember, patiece is the key. Even if this command is the only "trick" you teach your parakeet, it is by far the most valuable. If you make sure to say "step-up" everytime you lift your parakeet, you will reinforce this important training everyday and will make life much easier for both of you.

Stick training is simply teaching the "step-up" command using a perch or dowel instead of your finger. It is very important that your parakeet know how to step up on a stick. The day may come when your parakeet refuses to come down the curtain rod or get's out of the house and is sitting high in a tree, chirping away. A parakeet that has been stick trained will be easy to retrieve with a long dowel or broomstck. A parakeet that is not used to stepping onto a stick will be terrified of it and you may lose the opportunity to save your bird from harm. Teach "step-up" with a stick the same way you teach it with your finger. Stick training should begin as soon as you begin hand taming your parakeet. If your bird is terrified of the stick, you can leave it close to the cage where your bird will have a chance to view it and get used to it's presence. Use different types of sticks during training so that your parakeet learns not to be afraid of various dowels and perches.

[VeraT]

I'm going to be putting my mouth in here again but WHY clip thier wings?????????????
The bird is going to resent you for it. They were born to fly and will come to you as they lern to trust you

[basketbagley]

I don't want to debate the wing clipping thing at all, but ya know, from what I've seen so far in budgies, it doesn't go over very well!

Sunny was somewhat happy when I 1st got her. of course she could fly everywhere, but I was scared to death that she would get hurt. So I had her clipped. The vet clipped her too much and she would just drop to the floor. This is when the biting started. After a while she stopped biting but was the saddest little thing I ever saw. I know, I know, it was probably best for her, but now that she trusts me more, when they grow back in, I'm going to try her with out them being clipped or at least so much.

Now my tiel has to be clipped and even w/being clipped is a great flyer! So we will keep him well clipped. but I'm not sure its the best for my budgie.

We had 2 budgies growing up, never had wings clipped, no problems from them - thank goodness. But there is something different and special about these little parrots. Anybody else feel that way?

Don't get me wrong, I know the dangers of not clipping. and safety comes 1st. But I'm having a hard time bonding real well with Sunny and I think the inability to fly is 1 problem. could be all in my mind. She's starting to molt so we will find out soon!

[VeraT]

Yes the great clip/no clip debate!!!!!!!!!!! If you look back far enough you will find a very heated debate LOL But I see no reason to clip at all. Spidey ocasionally flutters into the window or tv which I'm sure woldnt happen if he had his full wing feathers. Our last budgie never had her wings cliped after they grew out and she was a free roaming budgie. Totally happy also. I couldnt imagine keeping any bird clipped. Birds are born to fly

[CACPioneer]

As far as clipping, my budgies are almost impossible to work with if they are fully flighted. Buddy can last a month or so fully flighted before he gets really stuck-up and will fly back to the cage whenever he feels fit and will even get a little nippy and bossy. It's not so much a safety issue for me, it's more of a behavioral issue.

[AbbeyNMommy]

Hi Everyone

I guess this is an individual decision. My Abbey is not clipped and flies freely throughout our home and never has encountered any problems.

I would never clip his wings,,,,,,,He would Hate Me!
He is very well trained , comes on my finger when I want him to. Lands on us. Walks around on the carpet etc.

I feel they need their wings to feel SAFE. If they feel they can get away from a situation they are uncomfortable with they are more willing to try new things.

If they are clipped, they are frightened and are more leary of being "trained".
This has been my expeirence anyway.....Like Vera said they are born to fly!

Hun,,,,,Try it without.
Abbey did much better when he had the ability to retrieve when he felt he needed too.

I am the wind beneath his wingsssssssssssss


Diana

[KiwiNme]

I'm only pitching in because I feel I have a little bit of a unique situation.

I have 2 budgies. One we keep clipped, one we don't.

the one we keep clipped had a very bad experience early on with being sick and needing daily medicine, being cooped up in a room at PETCO with only negative attention for 2 weeks.. (eh em) Needless to say, she is can become frightened easily, but we'd still like her to be able to come out to play..you know, get out of hte cage a little. We tried it without her being clipped, and it was a nightmare. She was sure to kill herself flying into a window or wall if we let it go much longer. So, we could keep her unclipped but she would be caged the whole time. What use are the feathers then?

The other bird does fine without clipping. He was clipped when we bought him, but as soon as they started to grow in, we left them.

Just an example of why it might be rational in a situation.

On to your question, however, I got some awesome advice when I got my first bird. What helped immensly was to just sit next to the cage with your hand in the cage-not doing anything, just the bird getting used to you hand being there. Of course at first he/she will flap and run around, but they will get used to your hand. Then they will probably get curious after the fear is gone, and walk on your hand or taste you. Then start the step-up training. The more time you spend with them, teh faster they will tame. Earning the trust is important. It can be hard to 'undo' if they learn you are a preditor. this is why my Blueberry is still untame. Good luck to ya!

PS Vera - Out of curiosity, how do you keep your birds free-roaming....with the whole POOP issue? Are they trained to bathroom on a perch, or do you not mind the droppings....?

Michelle

[basketbagley]

Hey Michelle, thanks for sharing your situation. That is quite unique and I find it interesting.

I was given that advise too about just keeping your hand inside till they become accustom to it. Some birds stay hand shy though but will gladly sit on your shoulder.

Also maybe try to leave the cage door open, if clipped get a ladder so he/she can climb up to his home when he wants, and let him decide when he feels comfortable coming out the 1st time.