Advice on what to use on the next step of taming

[mylittleangel]

Hi, i am new here and am seeking advice on my next step of taming my budgie, Bailey. He has long been settled down and enjoys my company, he is young ,between 8 to 9 months old. I completed the first step of training by putting my hand in the cage in which by now he just plays with it in there.   But now I need food in my hand. He happily eats millet seed which he was introduced to  before but has not eaten millet spray. My parents will not let me hang it in the cage or even !eave it in there as they complain  it is  messy, I tried putting chunks in the bowl secretly but he threw them out and ignored it, when I held it in my hand he was scared of it, he wasn't like this with seed in my hand. My problem is is that all the forums I've seen use the spray but I don't think it will work with him or might take even longer or push him back in taming.  Can I use just the seed for taming him or will he not care?  Does anyone have experience with this dillema or know how to help, if so I would love some help.... I don't want to push him back in the process .   sorry for the long post!

[Hezz]

Whether it is millet spray or seed that he is used to, it's no big issue. Just use whatever you can get him to eat. Millet (spray) is messy stuff, I agree. One flap of the wings and it is all over the room. Have you not had him stepping up yet? You actually don't need to use anything, particularly if he is already used to your hand ...... the millet is generally used to entice the bird to come close and accept that the hand is not a scary thing. If your next step is getting him to step up, just use your index finger across his chest, low down near his legs and push him gently. He will do one of several things: fly off, fall off ( ), grip the perch and hang on for grim death, or step up, a lot depending on how tame he is. Generally after a short time they will step up without the vocal command, as soon as you present them with your finger.

[mylittleangel]

Thanks, when I first put my hand in to do stuff it was lower than him, but with feeding it is level with him on the perch.
With food in my hand at that level he does not play just frozen in place or hops to other perch or move closet to me on the perch ( I swear if the water bottle was not in the way he would be against the bar like he has before, I don't know if that is a good thing or not. I think I might need to make him good at that height before I touch him. Thanks so much and I am so sorry for the long post again!

Updated tocut out unnecerary stuff

[mylittleangel]

Just tried him with seed, he fluttered about at the beginning then stood above it on his perch standing still watching it. What should he act like when he is fine with it. He doesn't have to eat it does he?

[Hezz]

No, he doesn't have to eat it, but once he is comfortable he will probably check out what it is that you have for him, just to make sure he is not missing out on something really good. Just don't try to rush the procedure ..... budgies will do things at their own pace; your agenda is not theirs, usually, so patience is necessary.

[mylittleangel]

It is good he doesn't have to eat although it is nice if he does I just need to look for interest you say, how do you think he will do that. He Is already above my hand.. If he doesn't eat from it before I move onto the next step I could always give him treats from my hand when tame therefore he will trust me.
Thanks for the advice hez!

[mylittleangel]

I was super excited about the new result I got while trying to tame him , he first was flapping about when he moved perch I would put my hand near him again slowly, my mistake. But I left it in there and he calmed down, I kept my hand in place and first he felt comfortable and went down to nibble his cuttlebone I was smiling and laughing. He kept doing it and got on top of it leaning forward to look at me for a bit. I continued cherily talking to him and he got excited climbed up and was running up and down his perch.
My hand was dead still near the other perch. It is important to know that previous times when his tail accidentally touches my hand he panics but this time he was purposely letting his tail drag against my hand as he twisted in a circle on his perch doing it multiple times. Then he hopped to the perch my hand was near above my hand happily chirping and repeating this running along on the other perch twisting so his tail would drag on my hand then getting above my hand on the perch.

He didn't eat it but he was happy and when finished he call for me to come back when I went out the room.
I am so happy and (like before I moved onto a stage I would see if that's what happened),I will do it again then to move onto step up training. Sorry this post is so long.... I'm just so happy!!!!

[mylittleangel]

Sorry if I keep nagging you about things . but I tried it again to make sure but he was still, not moving away or flapping. He did preen and hop to the other perch , it is 6 so he might be tired. His feathers are not straight to his body but he is not shaking them just looks comfortable like he is when not playing, no heavy breathing watching he looks at me when I look at him in different angles to see if he is alright.
Do you think he is fine with it or scared I can't tell? He did not flap when I put my hand in either.

[Hezz]

All you can do is quietly and slowly approach him with your hand; if he starts to panic, stop, leave it where it is and when he settles again have another go at moving it closer. Importantly, don't stare at him, close one eye, or turn your head slightly so he can only see one eye, wink and blink at him so that you are showing him that you are not about to eat him. He is a prey animal, you are a predator. He will assume that you are sizing him up for a meal if you stare at him.

[mylittleangel]

Oh my hand is able to get close to him and he doesn't freak out. I have a tactic that if the is scared I look away and when looking at him blink fast. But I don't know if what he did was fear or just how he sits normally. They look idenyicle and since he is not moving away or heavy breathing does that mean he is comfortable. He a little fluffy like your profile pic. Is that mean he's alright.

Wait a minute I have just reread your post, since he isn't panic he must be fine with it, I will move on if he continues.

Thanks for all the advice and I will stop asking questions all the time.