Hand taming my budgies

[lisege]

When I got the birds, they were in a small cage which allowed me to reach in and touch them. The door of the cage was small enough to cover and block them from exiting.
Now, they are in a condo, the main door is 5"x12" and when I reach in, they freak out. I haven't had one on my finger in more than a week. Chasing them around the large cage seems to scare them alot.
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I've read some posters use millet to get their birds to step up. Is that after a night of no food in the cage?
Any help would be appreciated.

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by lisege

haven't had one on my finger in more than a week. Chasing them around the large cage seems to scare them alot.

This is an avoidance behaviour that come from "forcing" a bird to do something it does not want to do. I imagine, in the small cage, the birds *could not* avoid your finger - although they may have exhibited some avoidance behaviours (eg moving back before stepping up).

This is hard to untrain once trained.

I would recommend using something that *is not* your finger for training since they have some hand-fear right now... A piece of dowling for instance. Hopefully your budgrigars (budgies) will not be afraid of it.

Millet is a good training reward for budgrigars. Somehow you will need to present the reward *immediately* after the desired behaviour.

Don't expect your birds to do everything at once... Approach this in approximations. If they are afraid of the doweling then get them used to it at a distance (where they show no fear) and then move the doweling closer... Rewarding them for tolerance and no fear of the doweling... Eventually you will be able to present the doweling for them to step-up on.

Once they step up reliably on the doweling you can try your finger. They may hold on to hand fear (inside the cage since that is the context - they probably won't be afraid of your hand outside the cage) for some time. You can train this - but it will be a lot of work. Moving your hand closer and rewarding tolerance...

Good luck!!

[lisege]

Originally Posted by NotEnoughTime

This is an avoidance behaviour that come from "forcing" a bird to do something it does not want to do. I imagine, in the small cage, the birds *could not* avoid your finger - although they may have exhibited some avoidance behaviours (eg moving back before stepping up).

Hur stepped up immediately and seemed to know the step up command, Hymn was the nibbler (if I touched him) and only stepped up once, probably to get to the other side of my hand now that I think back.

I would recommend using something that *is not* your finger for training since they have some hand-fear right now... A piece of dowling for instance. Hopefully your budgrigars (budgies) will not be afraid of it.

I will try the dowel.

Millet is a good training reward for budgrigars. Somehow you will need to present the reward *immediately* after the desired behaviour.

Don't expect your birds to do everything at once... Approach this in approximations. If they are afraid of the doweling then get them used to it at a distance (where they show no fear) and then move the doweling closer... Rewarding them for tolerance and no fear of the doweling... Eventually you will be able to present the doweling for them to step-up on.

Once they step up reliably on the doweling you can try your finger. They may hold on to hand fear (inside the cage since that is the context - they probably won't be afraid of your hand outside the cage) for some time. You can train this - but it will be a lot of work. Moving your hand closer and rewarding tolerance...

I will try these suggestions, thank you.

[chapala]

Be sure not to chase your birds. You want them to trust you, and to do that, get them to come to you. Use small pieces of millet spray, and don't grab them or force them in anyway. Once they see that you don't intend any harm, they will become tamer and tamer. Keep rewarding with millet!

[NotEnoughTime]

I like Monica's approach in your thread here: New and clueless... try it out... It should work too...

[lisege]

I removed all food from the cage last night, this morning they were waiting at the spot where the dishes usually are and were chirping, which they haven't done while the cover is still on.
I placed my hand in with a sprig of millet, I could tell they wanted it but were slightly nervous, Hymn was visibly shaking. After a few minutes, Hur took a nibble and Hymn followed.
Hur seems to the be least afraid and does most things first, Hymn seems to watch Hur and if he/she does it, will do it too.
After 5 minutes, I removed my hand and placed back their food dishes. Which they jumped on and fed like crazy.

[Monica]

It's a start! If you continue to do this every day they'll get more comfortable, so keep it up!

[lisege]

Again, removed all the food from the cage last night. This morning placed my hand in with a heap of seeds. Hymn was visibly more relaxed today, he sat on his swing with his eyes closed. Hur is the leader/brave one it seems so I focus my training on her, what she does, Hymn follows. She kept craning her head towards the food, and finally started eating. It didn't last long, as she got spooked and flew away, Hymn with her, end of training it seems.
My hand was in there for 10 minutes today. After training, they both went to the place where the food ususally is and looked at me, then looked at the empty spot as if to say "Well!, were is the food woman!".
Quite funny.

[NotEnoughTime]

Did you see this youtube video Monica posted at one time? YouTube - Fun with Budgies

[lisege]

I had my hand in the cage twice today.
The second time for 1/2 hour and Hymn stepped up to my finger, he stayed for about three seconds, realized what he had done and flew off, lol.
Yeah!!