Joey has stopped eating millet

[OP]

Thank you for the understanding re diet.
I feed him on Trill and he scoffs it all except the odd seeds that fall out of the silo. He doesn't throw anything out on purpose.
As for the progression I think I am having to make him do things, otherwise he would be just sat in the cage with the doors wide open. I have just put him back in the cage with the perch, without any fuss or bother. Personally I think He is just happy being lazy. That is another reason for thinking of a friend that may gee him up a bit. Still in thinking stage.

[birdguhl]

That's good re the Trill. I don't use it but I understand there are some pellets in the stuff available now. I would keep trying with the bits of veg though - as practical. I have been putting in a bit of kiwi fruit now and again for a couple of months and today for the first time I saw Luee having a little peck at it.

It sounds like with all the activity re playgym you are inducing a bit of therapeutic stress which is good as we all need a bit of that - within the right range - to get us functioning. So it is normal and healthy, and J is showing that he can cope with no distress. You're probably spot on - he is just a very 'relaxed' bird - and needs a bit of stimulation - whether human or from budgie friend - to keep him on his toes.

[ffiscool]

Birdguhl, I think you are right.. And I agree that making them do things sometimes is the only way to get them to do them... Some obviously are great inter-acters from day 1, some day 100+ and some do need pushing etc

As you know, OP, Bailey also did nothing.. and I do think him being that bit younger did help, but even then, it took ages.. he still will not do anything new as such, and if I move within an inch of another doorway or to a window within a few inches of his cage, it's a no no....

You may of course have to act out the activities on the gym - with a finger. What are you putting on the gym, or is it just the structure?

[OP]

A finger AAAAH! no no no.
At the moment the gym is just a structure. As and when Joey gets to use it I will introduce some things.

I have to get him used to fingers though. He is not afraid of the finger, he just will not stand on it except to get to another perch. Today whilst in his cage I followed him with the finger with the up-up. He was standing on the finger, but immediately jumped off again, until I had on my finger on one particular perch, I rested my finger on the perch and he just sat there, he even shook himself down. Now if that's not feeling secure I don't know what is. Then it dawned on me that in between him and where he wanted to go there was this big piece of millet clipped to a perch. After a little while he allowed me to transport him over this millet, but before I reached another perch he jumped off. Now I took the millet out of the way to test the theory, I was right, no more would he stay on the finger. It seems like I am going to have to keep at it until I win.
I'm going to be an expert if I do win.

[ffiscool]

You will win! There is no doubt

With showing him things with your finger, I meant like putting your finger say on a surface to show its firm, or pushing a swing

Bailey had to be shown how to do everything.

[OP]

You may be onto something there FF. I will try and introduce some things like that.

[ffiscool]

And even then it takes time. BUT Joey clearly trusts you, so if you do whatever it is, he will. Trust me :-)

[OP]

Joey on his gym.


I have just put Joey on his gym with the spare perch, very little fuss or bother. He didn't even bother when I took hi ladder out of the cage and hung it on the gym.

[sweetpea]

Joey is lovely & looks very comfortable there.

[ffiscool]

yes, clearly comfortable... looking good, that gym!

also if you want something cheap to put on, I added two plastic shower curtain hooks that hang off and they get bashed too.

[birdguhl]

The gym looks great! And Joey typically chilled on it!

[Hezz]

Joey's getting there ........ albeit slowly ...... but surely.

[OP]

I need to adjust the width of the gym so that it sits inside the plastic sides of the cage. As it is I had to hold it on place with a couple of pegs.
Yes Hezz, slowly, is the operative word.
He just sat in that same spot until I took him down on the perch in the afternoon. I did try the finger before the perch. Aaaahhh! the finger. He was ready for taking off and I wanted him in the cage, put the perch in front of him and straight on. He would have jumped off if I had given him time, but I seem to have the ability now to move the perch quickly but smoothly to where I want to be. I know he can fly off should he want to, but he doesn't.
The finger will persevere.

[ffiscool]

He will start using the finger - I think a lot (includidng me), who have the finger issue, find/found that the perch was the only method. I tried putting millet (I know Joey has gone off it), on the back of my hand so it was gripped between two fingers. By accident one day B stepped onto my hand to get tot he millet. It took a while after 'the accidental stepping on' for him to jump onto my finger.

So, maybe worth a try, if you think Joey would like something, whether it be millet or something else, to still be holding the perch, and have your fingers along side with something on. There is no doubt Joey will be on your fingers before long...

[OP]

I do shorten the perch by putting my finger further along it. When I get to near Joey just moves further away. When I get to the side of the cage he will jump on the perch and fly off again to another perch, just like he does with my finger. We are working with one smart cookie here.