Frustrated to tears

[rae]

Kay, you guys will be tired of me shortly, sorry

Link and I have been doing so well considering he hasn't been here a week yet. However, this morning his band was up on the next higher segment of leg. I watched and waited. It was irritating him, though I doubt it was causing harm. After a while I made the decision to catch him up and help him. I thought we were all good, as afterwards he still accepted some treats. When I got back from the lab (gone for about two hours) I went to spend a little time with him. Only now he's absolutely terrified of me. Trying to get into the top corner of the cage even just from me looking at him. So of course accepting millet from any part of me is unacceptable. I tried through the bars and the other various forms.

I've gone back to the soft speaking and blinking stage with absolutely no hands near him or the cage. Is that what I should do? I can't make him be okay with me, I know. But it's frustrating when we were doing so well. 

[jellybean]

What a shame rae. I hate these leg rings, I had the vet remove them from my two boys. I think it's just a matter of slowly does it until you get the trust back, which I'm sure you will.

[redbeardnz]

its been a week, I could barely walk by the cage without my 2 freezing at that stage.
I still have 1 boy after 4 months wont get on my finger, try that for frustrating.

[Hezz]

rae, you've gotta do what you've gotta do! Don't fret over it, but just start working away with him as you have been previously. Let him know that nothing has changed, as far as you are concerned. If you are anxious, he could become anxious as well. Expect him to react towards you as he was previously, and quite often they realise that there isn't really a problem at all. If he still doesn't settle, then just take a step back in your taming as you have described, although I wouldn't withdraw the hands completely. He does need to learn that hands are okay.

I catch mine up and put them back down again regularly and they are fine with it; they know from experience that they are not going to be hurt. They see the others being treated the same way and nothing happens to them either, so while they don't necessarily like it, they do accept that it is something that their human has to do.

[rae]

I definitely plan to get him used to being caught up as we go. I just felt so bad when I went to train him again and instead of the somewhat curious baby bird he was a terrified flat feathers crazy thing.

[OP]

Is the offending leg ring plastic or metal? It will do the same thing again until Link has grown. I was going to suggest removing the ring if you are able or get it removed by a more qualified person. They are not necessary for a budgie once it has left the breeder. If it is removed now there is time to renew your bond and you will not have the trauma in the future.

[sarah2]

The good thing about budgies is that with consistency in showing care and kindness, they tend to move on quickly from any dramas. A week is hardly any time, so just keep up your current positive work with him and in weeks to come I'm sure he'll settle.

A good way to think of it is like this - if you've been kind and caring towards him for a whole year (in the future) and have had many, many positive interactions each day, he'll forget that single negative incident. After all, it'll be 1 negative one to 1000s and 1000s of positive interactions.

Hope you feel brighter soon :-)