Getting him back in his cage???

[jennaj]

Hello
Today I was tring to get Atticus to come down from the top of his hanging perch as we were heading out. It took me 20 mins and was quite a spectacle 😁
He doesn't seem interested in. Food as a bribe and obviously decided that me calling his name wasn't good enough. How do I train him to either come to me or back to his cage when Ness? He's not into veggies/fruits/millet so far so food doesn't help.
Thanks in advance
Jenna

[OP]

Have you tried using a spare perch. I don't mean hitting him with it.  Quite often they will step on a perch but not a finger.

[jennaj]

Haha. I have but a lot of time he flies off before I can head back to the cage. I'd like him to come to me when I call.....is that possible?

[OP]

Yes, but do it in baby steps. i.e short distances. He needs to know what you want. It's difficult when they won't react to a treat. It is going to take time. He may be expecting you to put him in the cage and he doesn't want. So get him on the perch and just hold it still, then put him back where he was. Work it bit by bit. When he stays on the perch for you, transfer him from the perch to your finger. Don't forget the praise. Don't put him in the cage until you feel he is ready. If he has any food or water outside the cage, take it away. Then when he is hungry or thirsty it will be much easier for you.

[Hezz]

You haven't had him for long, so to expect him to be perfectly behaved is just not budgie-like. OP's advice, to work on short distances, and getting him to step up and down on command, then increasing the distance is spot on, but you will need to work at this every day, and continue to practise even after he is doing so. If you don't continue to re-inforce the training, he will forget it. Also, at this stage, never let him out when you know you have to be somewhere in a certain amount of time, because as sure as God made little apples, this will be the one time that he will decide that, rightly or wrongly, he is not going to comply.

[jennaj]

Hahaha wonderful advice, thank you xxxx

[suesbird]

Been there and done that, step ups on and off the couch trying to get JoJo to go in, 20 minutes is not bad. I use a perch and Jo has a favourite wobble toy that rattles, I also do not put any food outside of the cage. After about 2 hours she is usually hungry so I shake her wobbly toy and go to her with the perch and she usually steps on and we can go back in. If I go to the perch without wobbly she will just fly off, so she now knows Wobble means she needs to go in.
Because Jo has gone in Pippin flies straight to the top of the cage and waits for me to put him in.

The night time routine is funny, JO goes to be and when I go to cover them up Pip just looks at the swing and waits for me to put the perch in so he can step onto it and then I have to put him on his bed time swing. He will not do it on his own, he does it fine in the day but night time, I have to put him to bed.

Took me a good 12 months to get to this position so perseverance is needed. Good luck.

Last night was fun, time to cut their nails. Jo was fine but I think Pip has eyes in the back of his head, every time the hubby went to hold him, off he went.

[OP]

If you watch carefully you will see Pip swivel his eye(s) ever so slightlly backwards. They most definitely can see movement behind them. Very important for watching for predators with nail clippers in their hand.

[suesbird]

Two person job Op, the hubby caught him whilst I put on my extra strong glasses and got the nail clippers. Besides he has hard hands and I delicate soft hands, so when he bites he hurts him and not me.