Jan 3, 2021 15:17:33 GMT
budgieq
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 2
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Post by budgieq on Jan 3, 2021 16:02:25 GMT
I'm trying to figure out if our budgie will ever have motivation to interact with us, and how long a bonded relationship typically takes to develop. Some budgies-like those I had as a kid- will fly to people, hop on shoulders, intentionally seek human interaction and play, and some just aren't interested in people and that's okay (I fully understand that they are not dogs!).
We have a young parakeet (maybe four months old) who is willing to come on a finger for intermittent millet reinforcement, willing to come on and hang out on a shoulder for intermittent millet enforcement. So the "hand taming" piece feels fine. She flies off often, is too scared of toys or new things to try them (we've repeatedly and patiently tried a budgie playground, toys, balls of paper, baths, fruit and veggies and she doesn't engage with any of them); she doesn't intentionally leave her cage, and while she will willingly come onto a finger or shoulder, she won't come a step toward us even for millet (which we've been working on training her to do for a while now).
I'm wondering whether it's *likely* (of course there is no way to know for sure) she will ever be more human interested. In general, is that ike a six month process of patiently working with them or a personality trait?, And any suggestions for ways to play with her (given that she doesn't show interest in all the ways we've attempted) that might promote it? Or whether we would be much more likely to achieve this with a hand fed young bird. Thanks!
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Post by mona on Jan 3, 2021 16:46:29 GMT
Sometimes, it just takes time. You would be happier, if you don't keep a time limit on that happening.. Not sure how much time the birdie has been with you people, but surely not more than 4 months..
I would say the progress you have with your birdie is pretty good. Mine have taken over a year to just step on my finger for millet. They initially didn't recognize millet as food and I had to hang it in the cage..
I just don't expect anything to happen and just keep trying my bit.. You'll feel the change in the body language once they trust you.. Plus they sense vibes perfectly. If I'm out of patience with my birdie, I would just leave them alone and move out for a break. They take time to adjust to anything new and foreign to them..
They have their own choices and likes. Every bird likes a different way of bathing, eating food and playing. Mine like some veggies chopped and some hung in the cage.. one likes spray bath, but not alway.. another one likes bathing in the drinking water bowl..
I made a playground for them and they were super scared of it that Cookie would tremble with fear looking at it. So I tore apart the pieces I thought scared her and built another design.. they didn't touch that too. So Just left it there on cage top to try maybe sometime in future.. mine don't like any toys either..it took me a year to understand they like natural toys more than the artificial ones.. the barks the bamboo balls the coconut shells wooden sticks etc.. they don't like the ladder like a ladder..i have to place it like a perch for them to use it..
Once you understand the bird's personality, you'll be able to understand it's needs and likes better.. Mine have bonded with me mostly over food.. they think I'm a food vending machine, ready with all the tasty dishes for them! They would just run to the cage door and gaze at my hand to see which food I brought for them & that's so cute..!! Mine didn't eat anything from my palm or hand directly until a few months back.. they started drinking water and eating seeds from my hand.. and gradually started stepping a bit on my finger for millet.. Having that, after being patient and never hoping they would ever do that, brought me a lot of joy!!!! They respond to my chatting and singing to them. They send me contact calls for food, water, coming out of cage, or switching on/off the radio or just verbal interaction & attention from me.. That was just my story though.. for me, I think before the training, the personal bond matters more, even if it's a non hand tamed bond too..
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Post by blueelephant on Jan 3, 2021 21:21:37 GMT
If you put the time in and go at their pace I think they will come round and be willing to play with you. Quite how they will want to interact will depend on them. My first budgie loved us dearly. He clearly though we were big ugly budgies and would shout if I left the room. He wasn't that fussed on playing with toys, or play gym etc. He just wanted company.
My current bird sees us as entertaining things he can come and pester when he feels like it. He LOVES toys and humans are just an extra toy to go and play with. He also loves his playgym and chewing things to destruction. He is also quite happy to tell us to get lost if he is not in the mood for coming and having a chat.
I wouldn't be too worried about finding things for your budgie to play with so to speak. You will see in time what they like and don't like and some toys can take months before they decide they aren't scary and aren't actually going to eat them. Also young birds seem to take a while to get into the swing of playing with stuff.
As Mona says, assuming the bird is 4 months old you can't have had them all that long? Taking treats from hands is excellent progress. Just continue in the same vein. Long blinks help to reassure them you are not a scary predator and just generally being around as much as you can and talking to them lots.
You mention that she won't willingly come out of her cage? When she does end up out how does that happen? Is it whilst sat on a finger? I'd avoid catching her to get her out as that won't help to build trust. I think as well as people being scary the room is probably scary. The more she gets used to her surroundings the more willing she will likely be to come out on her own.
Final thing, if she does come out is there somewhere high she can sit to feel safe?
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Post by Hezz on Jan 3, 2021 22:11:01 GMT
Time and patience, plenty of both, are needed. Is this an only bird? If so then you are more than likely going to be accepted as part of the flock once she has overcome her instinctual fears of predator animals, and that is what you are - a predator. For that to happen you need to be showing her that you are able to be trusted and trust doesn’t just happen instantly.
Agree with the two previous posts - she is young still and you can’t have had she for terribly long. Don’t try too hard, work at her pace. If you push her too hard into something she isn’t ready for you may damage any trust that is developing.
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Jan 3, 2021 15:17:33 GMT
budgieq
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 2
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Post by budgieq on Jan 7, 2021 1:23:57 GMT
Thanks for the responses! So I'm hopeful that the bird might grow to be interested in and want to interact with people even though not now, but consensus is it might take awhile. We will continue to attempt to engage with her (still no success on toys or fruits and vegetables).
Re how she comes out of her cage: she goes on a finger to come out and then gets a bit of millet. We wouldn't ever grab her. But she doesn't come out on her own if we leave the door open.
I had thought perhaps some were just human social and some not, but it seems it can be changed with extended work.
Related: what are ways you would suggest playing or engaging to encourage bonding or interest? She's happy to sit on a finger or shoulder. Next steps? Thanks again for the thoughtful responses!
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Post by Hezz on Jan 7, 2021 21:58:51 GMT
If she is happy to sit on a finger or shoulder, have her with you while you go about your daily house routine, where safe, of course. Just spending time together will build those bonds. When she flies off, she rob ably has had enough. Initially, though, bring her back to you, sit her on your shoulder again and try again.
Sometimes they need to see a toy being played with to get the idea - no toys hanging from trees in the bush - so spend some time interacting in that way. Rattle her toys, jingle the bells, put her on a swing, or a ladder, get. Cardboard tube that she can easily walk through. If you have children think about how you got them interested in their toys when they were babies. Show her what they are for and how to use them. Budgies don’t come knowing that a bell is a toy or how much fun a swing can be, it’s up to you to show them.
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