finger training a budgie - BirdBoard.Com - Parrot Message Board & Pet Bird Owner Forums

budgzie · #1 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 05:53 AM

hi
I have a very smart budgie wich I have had since decamber..now its march and she just refuses to sit on my finger!
I've looked at millions of sites! and none of them work she just goes to the bottom of the cage or swings upside down on the perch!
I wanted a budgie so it would just sit on my shoulder and I could just walk around being lazy and watching TV with my budgie and maybe even go out side and walk the dog with the budgie!!! but it looks likemy budgie just wanted me to leave her alone!!but i hate haveing to see my poor budgie in her cage for weeks on end!
and i would like a method wich will work fast! so i can have a nice tame loving budgie!

p.s. is your budgie scared of the camera? mine is just the sight of the camera makes her go crazy!

svolk · #2 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 08:23 PM

I would let her come to you - on her terms. Budgies are generally very curious creatures. Talk to her often and tell her about her things and what you're doing. Try eating something budgie-healthy near her and her interest may be peaked.

I have an older budgie that I adopted a year ago and he was never tame. I took my time getting to know him and making sure that he felt safe in secure in his new home. He still does not step up - BUT he flies to me on his own accord all the time. I truly feel that he's more comfortable flying to me and landing on me.

Also take into account that budgies have fast metabolisms (which means high energy) and short attention spans - meaning that it's unlikely that your budgie will want to sit on you for long periods of time. They are constantly on the go and moving from one thing to the next. Both of my budgies are tame and interact with me daily, but I've learned not to take offense when they only fly over to me for a minute or two at a time. They simply have other things to do

They fly to me often and do sometimes like sitting with me, but it's never for long periods of time.

I would also not take your budgie outside unless she's in a travel carrier or cage - even with clipped wings they can easily take flight and fly away. There are some very cool travel carriers that are available, some are even like a screened in back pack with a built in perch.

budgzie · #3 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 09:58 PM

ok thanks
the thing is she does sit on my finger....but she doesn't know it. Becase I put my finger on the end to the perch and she climbs on thinking she on the perch and she hops aroung on my hand until she notics the perch is gone and she is on my finger...
oh and one other thing i have no idea is she is a girl because her cere is blue at the top and brown at the bottom!!! but there it more brown than blue so I think its a girl
thanks for the help.

budgzie · #4 (**permalink**) 03-22-2008, 10:00 PM

ok thanks i will try that...none of the web sites said that so it MUST work!!
thanks for the help i will let you know if it works.

budgzie · #5 (**permalink**) 04-02-2008, 07:42 AM

heh well buddie has "de-tamed" her self.
after the first time i took her out of the cage and i pult a new perch in she runs away from my finger!!! why is she doing this??!

svolk · #6 (**permalink**) 04-02-2008, 02:40 PM

Sometimes is a step forward and then a couple steps back

Just keep working with her and take your time - it's all about patience and it could take weeks before she's completely comfortable with interacting with you. Try not to take too much offense since she is probably still excited about her new freedoms.

sugarbeth · #7 (**permalink**) 04-02-2008, 05:41 PM

Are you using millet? When we were taming Tweeter we would hold millet in the same hand that we were sticking our finger out for a perch. Don't hang any millet in her cage, make it a special thing that your hand offers her a few times a day.

svolk · #8 (**permalink**) 04-02-2008, 06:36 PM

I agree with Sugarbeth to keep your training treat only for training.

Here is a short video of me interacting with my boys - you can kind of see how I use the treat (it is an Avicake) where I'll offer them a bite or two but them palm it in my hand. This is how I do recall training and I've found that I have to have the treat readily available and have my timing exactly right. I'm not doing the recall on this video, just a fun little interaction, but it's the same idea. It took me some practice to be able to palm the treat effectively

YouTube - The boys with me