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Post by Moogie on Feb 14, 2012 14:58:16 GMT
update- I got him back in YAAY,he was up on the curtain rail and the only thing i had to hand was a half eaten budgie honey stick which as soon as it went under his belly and me saying up he stepped up on to PHEW!
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Post by samwiseg on Feb 14, 2012 16:42:41 GMT
Well done! Does make you wonder for the first time how you are going to get tem back in?! But you did the right thing! For me I would say it is always best to finger train them first then you can let thm out with a tad more confidence of knowing they will go to your finger eventually - but isnt it fun to have a bird whizzing round free?! ;D
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Post by Moogie on Feb 14, 2012 17:36:19 GMT
Totally fun to see him flying free,he is finger tame but just think at the time he was having TOO MUCH FUN to want to go back in cage haha little rascal
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Post by Hezz on Feb 15, 2012 0:57:06 GMT
If you can, moogie get him out in a small room when you have a bit of time and do step-up training out of the cage. Just reinforcing all the steps you have been doing in the cage, and he will soon get the hang of stepping up for you out of the cage as well. The small room allows him a bit of freedom but also allows you to retrieve him easily, if and when he does fly away. Door closed, of course. It is quite typical for them to want to wizz around, and ignore what you want them to do, so take away most of the distractions so you and he can concentrate. Keep doing that for a week or two, a bit every day, and you will soon have a budgie who will be a delight to have out but also rest easy knowing that he isn't going to be a total looney. Having said that.........there will be times when he won't cooperate, and you will chasing him around the house, muttering to yourself! That seems to be part of their teenage process too, being uncooperative, and this is where reinforcing the training can help enormously. When Bluey used to be in one of those moods, I would take him into the bathroom, after moving his cage in there, and close the door. It usually only took one or two goes before he was back in the cage. But a spare perch or piece of dowel is nearly a must, for those hard to reach budgie perches.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 15, 2012 13:21:30 GMT
That sounds good Hezz,i had read before about going to the bathroom to train but was a bit worried (Again ) as mine is Very small and all tiled!?....Although he was out Yesterday he did not stay on my finger,he just hopped straight off and went onto the top of the cage then flew around...He stays on my finger for ages in the cage but not a second when out so maybe i should take a step back and like i said before,gradually bring him further & further to and out of the door until he is fully used to staying on my finger out of the cage and then do what you say and continue step up out side of the cage.....Arrr does that make sense? sorry about the ramberling on x
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Post by Hezz on Feb 16, 2012 2:37:06 GMT
I think now is the time to get him out, but in a limited space. When I first started working with Sparky I used our tiny ensuite bathroom - TINY. He still found a couple of places to perch, but he also was not tame at all. I wouldn't be able to leave a bird in a cage just because he wasn't trained. So while he could retreat (to a certain extent) we were still close so that I could talk to him all the time and once I was happy with his stepping up there, I moved to a bigger room where he could wizz around, but still contained. Of course I still had to follow him around a bit and use a stick to retrieve him as he would perch as close to the ceiling as possible. Something that worked really well with Bluey too, was to just take him into the bedroom and have him there with me. Read a book or whatever, and allow him to explore. Now and then go and get him and talk to him, but try to be the one to put him back onto a favourite perch, before he flies off. Then walk off and go back to your book. So you are in control, not Elfie. Hope that makes sense? PS My bathroom is tiled also...........not a problem. Just close the toilet.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 16, 2012 10:22:33 GMT
OK,so i took all your advice Hezz & i am truly grateful for it I took Elf to the bathroom and got him out,he didn't fly around much but landed on my blind so i put out my finger and he flew off only to land back on the blind so i held out his wooden perch which he came down onto and with that in one hand i put my finger to him and started the step up and off,i did this for about 15-20Min's then said home time and put him back in his cage...i thought maybe i should do this twice a day for 15-20Min's or would you suggest i do it once for longer
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Post by stace on Feb 16, 2012 11:34:10 GMT
OK,so i took all your advice Hezz & i am truly grateful for it I took Elf to the bathroom and got him out,he didn't fly around much but landed on my blind so i put out my finger and he flew off only to land back on the blind so i held out his wooden perch which he came down onto and with that in one hand i put my finger to him and started the step up and off,i did this for about 15-20Min's then said home time and put him back in his cage...i thought maybe i should do this twice a day for 15-20Min's or would you suggest i do it once for longer Better to do it a few times each day, than one long lesson. They lose interest if it goes on too long.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 16, 2012 12:00:40 GMT
Thanks Stace i did think maybe a few times might be better but wasnt too sure x
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Post by Hezz on Feb 17, 2012 1:05:12 GMT
Well done, you two! Leave the stick if possible now, and get him used to stepping onto your finger. You will have to do a few circuits of the room while he flits around , but just take your time and talking quietly all the while. If he is landing high up, not much you can do there, except use a step ladder, or climb the walls (I have had to climb up on the vanity many times to retrieve Smudge). But to keep the continuity flowing, if you have to get him onto the stick first, transfer him to your finger as soon as possible. It is your finger you want him to come to immediately, so that has to be the main perch while training. As for time, several times a day is even better, but of course that depends on your free time too. But even if it is only for 10 minutes at a time every couple of hours, that's better than a longer session once or twice a day. And be sure to end on a positive note, so that everyone is happy, Elfie is smugly proud from all the praise you have heaped on him and you have a very good reason to spoil him with a bit of millet.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 17, 2012 9:32:05 GMT
ok no more stick perch,this will be fun ha ha So do i put elf down some where say top of his cage then get him to step up then place him back down again and continue? or do i have him on my finger then use my other hand & finger and get him to step on to that so he is basically going from finger to finger??
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Post by stace on Feb 17, 2012 10:46:59 GMT
ok no more stick perch,this will be fun ha ha So do i put elf down some where say top of his cage then get him to step up then place him back down again and continue? or do i have him on my finger then use my other hand & finger and get him to step on to that so he is basically going from finger to finger?? Pop him down somewhere, then get him to step back up. Just leave a bit of a moment before the step ups, sort of enough time for him to think about what he's just done - with some praise or treat from you. I found that I had to sort of read up on what I had to do, then do it by sensing my way through. I think all birds can be a little different, and we all have similar, but slightly different techniques. You can also do from finger to finger to change things up - but just leave a little time between, otherwise he might get irritated as I think they feel like you're teasing or punishing them. A continual roll from finger to finger is what I used as "punishment" for biting. That will almost certainly happen when Elfie becomes a terrible teen (around six months I think). It's a whole new phase, which also passes with training. Oh the joy.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 17, 2012 11:22:51 GMT
Arr Thank you "ONCE" again!!...i have read up untold to the point where i feel my brain is going to explode ha ha so many different things are said on how to do what,and when it comes to actually putting it all in to practice its a little confusing and daunting thats why i am so grateful for all the advice i get from all you's on here as you all have Budgies and have all been at the point(s) where im at and going to be
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Post by Moogie on Feb 17, 2012 12:18:19 GMT
HE DID IT!!!! took him back to bathroom ,he had quite a few flutters back and forth then i stood up on the toilet (only way i could reach him,oh if my neighbor's could have seen me ha) and after a few attempts got him stepping up and down from my finger so happy!!..He is now sitting back in his cage grinding his beak and looking sleepy x..Did another session and he was good but the only problem i find I'm having is that in my bathroom the only places he can (or will) land is on my bamboo blind or top of the door as i don't have anything else like a shelf etc in there,got a sink of course but as you know he likes the higher places and when i tried to put him on the sink rim he just went straight back on the blind before i got a chance to put my finger to him,so i just kept putting him back on the blind(not good)& did step up from there (not the easiest),would it be defeating the object if i took in his java tree and placed him on that? so sorry for all the questions,questions,questions
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Post by Hezz on Feb 18, 2012 1:06:24 GMT
No, not at all. The tree will give him somewhere to perch (where you can reach . If he is one the tree, put out your finger with command, and once he steps up, put him back on the perch again (quickly, before he has a chance to fly off himself), and repeat as many times as you think is good for a session. Once he is sitting on your finger a little longer each time - and you will only know this through "losing out" the odd time, when he leaves before you get a chance to put him up, but that is all the learning for both of you, once he is staying on your finger a bit and not immediately taking off, start to increase the time before you put him up........ after some time he will sit on your finger, then start to walk around with him on your finger or try putting him on your shoulder. They love sitting on shoulders for some reason. Sorry, gotta go, back later. I am sure I ccan think up some more stuff, lol.
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