Regaining trust

[g0g0]

Hi,

My budgies have had to have antibiotics for the last 3 weeks, Gogo is still on medication now. Gogo had a liver infection which was causing abdominal swelling and difficulty breathing. She appears mich better now (although still not 100%, treatment is ongoing). The vet recommended all three had a three week course of antibiotics on top of Gogo's liver medication.

All three now actively hate me and its breaking my heart! I was as gentle as I possibly could have been, but the poor loves still had to be picked up and force fed medication.

I don't feel I have a chance with Clarence or Gogo, although I'm willing to try, as they were not keen before I medicated them. But I really want my Gally back! He's responding well when I chatter to him from a distance, he chatters back and frolics about. I've started getting closer and either just continuing to chatter or putting my hand where he can see it, but he shrinks away and goes quiet until I move away. Even after I've gone he normally chooses to scuttle back to the cage to hide.

I know I need to regain his trust and I am willing to keep trying, however slowly, but do budgies learn to trust again after three weeks of medicine?

[Loz]

In my opinion you will regain whatever relationship you had with each budgie in time. How long that will be is unknowable.
Just be patient and gentle with the buds and let them learn to trust you again.
You can't push it though - let it happen on their own individual time scales.

[tweetiepiesmom]

I think loz is correct and it takes time and patience. Do they like millet? If so, try holding a bit of millet in your hand and see if Gally will hop on your hand to get it.

[Hezz]

Yes, they will, if you give them reason to. If you expect them not to respond, that’s the response you will get; if you treat them the same as before with a little extra lovin’ thrown in, they will come back around to regarding you as they used to. I’ve usually found that I’ve had a closer relationship with the sick bird once the need for treatment has gone.