Please help struggling to bond with Rocky.

[lancslass]

Hi, my name is Jane and I'm new to the forum, I am also new to owning a Budgie. I bought my little Rocky who was about 12 weeks old at the time, from a breeder, around mid February and was advised by the breeder that he is hand tamed.

However it's nearly two months since bringing him home and I have to admit I'm struggling. Rocky is not frightened of either myself or my other half and will step up onto our hand and is quite comfortable, albeit on his terms. However that's pretty much it, he refuses to come out of his cage, and the advise given by the breeder is to lift him out of his cage, which, to me, feels like the wrong thing to do. Also, when we bought him the breeder had clipped his wings which is not something Im going to continue with, so I can imagine it could have been quite daunting for him as his flight at first was not brilliant, I would, also, rather him to want come out on his own accord. I have previously followed the advise of the breeder and when he is out he his happy to sit with us, but, recently, I'm afraid he is getting worse as he has realised where his cage door is and just flies back in, his flight has improved and is quite good.

The routine we have with him is that during the day we place him near the window (draught free) we have a large garden with plenty of wild bird activity to keep him entertained, and in the evening he is moved to a different area of the room away from the window. I'm now thinking maybe the window wasn't such a good idea, but I just want him happy, but by doing this maybe it's preventing him bonding with us. Please could someone advise me I desperately want to bond with him and I feel he is drifting further away, I've tried to hand feed him, which is disastrous it's like he doesn't know it's his food, I've talked to him and he does sometimes show interest, I've also placed various toys in his cage but he doesn't have much to do with them occasionally he chatters to his mirror. I have tried a bird bath and same again shows very little interest it's almost as if he has no idea what it is. I'm so sorry for the long question but I'm desperate please can someone help me on how I can bond with Rocky so we have a happy Budgie who will be happy in our company and play with his toys.

Thank you so much
LancsLass.

[ffiscool]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

Others will come on with lots of thoughts and advice.

even though he is not that bothered by toys, is there one he prefers? Does he have toys out of the cage?

are you there during the day? If not, is the radio on for him?

he might want the company of another bud, but the fact he is not afraid of you is great.

what about millet on your hand.. or a mirror to see if it will tempt him out.. Agree he needs to come out when he wants and not you taking him out.

Does he like any veg? maybe put some basil leaves into a bath for him..

[lancslass]

Hi, thank you so much for responding, the answers to your questions are I do have toys, a double sided mirror, a mirror style disco ball with a bell on the end and a mirror basket ball. The most he appears interested in has to be the double sided mirror, he has shown interest in the disco ball but not very often and the basket ball has been in around a week and no interest in whatsoever. I have tried toys outside the cage and it's almost as though he doesn't know what they are, I have tried a bird bath in and outside the cage and same again he has no interest whatsoever, it's almost as though he has no idea what these things are. At the moment I'm in all day as I'm on long term sick from work so I have plenty of time for him, but all he is interested in is what's going on outside in the garden. I have tried fresh Basil but left untouched, he does like Millet and Spinach, I will retry that with the bath. I have tried Millet in my hand but no joy he won't take it. Also if I do have to pop out I do put music on for him, as he does seem to like that. Thank you once again for responding I will try anything, maybe I am yet to discover his likes.

Many Thanks
Jane

[Hezz]

Obviously the breeder's idea of being hand tamed is not the same as yours, or ours. He is tame, but not trained. You say it would seem that he has no idea what toys are for, or recognise some food as food. That could well be the case. Spend time playing with his toys, with him outside the cage. Yes he might fly off; bring him back, and continue to do so each and every time he flies off. It is annoying and frustrating, but don't let up.

There is nothing wrong with bringing him out of the cage. In fact getting him used to stepping up and being brought out of the cage on your finger is good training. Allowing him to dictate the terms is not going to help either of you. He is going to end up too familiar with the cage and afraid of the bigger picture and likely to become cage-aggressive. Does he have anywhere out of the cage that is his to play on? A play gym or perching tree, or both in different areas of the room are great. They give the bird something of their own with their familiar things around while allowing them to adjust to their new surroundings.

Two months in the life of budgie ownership and bonding is not long. Birds are made to be distrustful; they are a prey animal, after all and there would be none of them left if they were too trusting of predators. He still needs to learn that he can trust you and that is not something that can be hurried. It has to happen at his pace.

[lancslass]

Hi thank you so much for responding and I'm sorry for not replying sooner. I have ordered a couple of stick on perches and I'm waiting for them to arrive, I do have a couple of toys that I can use outside the cage but he seems quite fearful of them, but I will persevere. The little Monkey, however, knows the location of his cage door and is quite happy to fly back. I am also trying him on different foods but so far only interested in baby Spunach. I thought getting a hand tamed budgie would have been the better choice, esprcially seeing he is my first Budgie. As hard as it sounds I may have to limit his time near the window as that is the only time I see him acting what I would consider Budgie like, maybe he will want to come out more and show more interest in other things.

Many Thanks
Lancs Lass