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Post by Moogie on Feb 2, 2012 17:13:22 GMT
He certainly likes his voice haha OK the latest-We are still working on step up...he is sometimes still a little shy when he sees my finger but he steps up at least once everyday and stays to eat all of his millet piece so will continue with this until every time my finger heads towards him he steps up then may start trying with out having to coax him first with millet!?? Today however as i was holding the millet in front of him & by mistake i rubbed his cheek with the end of the it,he seemed to tip his head for more so i continued and did the same on the other side and he started to fall asleep...Would this be good for bonding and maybe continue to do this until one day i can use my finger?
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Post by Hezz on Feb 3, 2012 1:47:00 GMT
Oh yeah! All is good in the moogie/elfie household. Anything that looks like he is enjoying, keep it up. A long fingernail can be more acceptable than just a finger too, I found. It is more beak-like, I think that is what they like. Bluey will happily nibble on my nail and then work his way all over the tip of my finger, and sometimes will just stop with his head off to one side leaning on my nail. That's my cue to give him a scratch. A bit like "I have groomed you, now it's my turn" They do love those little fluffy cheek feathers being rubbed - the yellow bits on Elfie. I can see you two scratching and nibbling together in no time.
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Post by samwiseg on Feb 3, 2012 9:31:59 GMT
Oh yeah! All is good in the moogie/elfie household. Anything that looks like he is enjoying, keep it up. A long fingernail can be more acceptable than just a finger too, I found. It is more beak-like, I think that is what they like. Bluey will happily nibble on my nail and then work his way all over the tip of my finger, and sometimes will just stop with his head off to one side leaning on my nail. That's my cue to give him a scratch. A bit like "I have groomed you, now it's my turn" They do love those little fluffy cheek feathers being rubbed - the yellow bits on Elfie. I can see you two scratching and nibbling together in no time. That is sooo true! Monty loves my little finger plus the nail as she uses it for a head scratch and even a cere scratch?! Sometimes she can be quite strong! But remember, we are the ones that can get to those places they cannot reach ;D
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Post by Moogie on Feb 3, 2012 11:48:32 GMT
I will have to grow my nails a touch longer then as at the mo he is not to sure about my finger heading over to his face...I ll start of slow by using the millet and then the nail...God budgies are just far to cute!!!
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Post by Hezz on Feb 4, 2012 3:05:53 GMT
You said it! And Sam is right - it is the little finger I use too.
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Post by samwiseg on Feb 4, 2012 8:24:27 GMT
You said it! And Sam is right - it is the little finger I use too. I wonder why that is?! Daft isn't it?! ;D
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Post by Thomas (Banned) on Feb 4, 2012 9:55:29 GMT
He certainly likes his voice haha OK the latest-We are still working on step up...he is sometimes still a little shy when he sees my finger but he steps up at least once everyday and stays to eat all of his millet piece so will continue with this until every time my finger heads towards him he steps up then may start trying with out having to coax him first with millet!?? Today however as i was holding the millet in front of him & by mistake i rubbed his cheek with the end of the it,he seemed to tip his head for more so i continued and did the same on the other side and he started to fall asleep...Would this be good for bonding and maybe continue to do this until one day i can use my finger? Great progress. Keep it up. That's the positives of just keeping a single budgie. I would love to have just one, but on the other hand I just haven't got the time.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 4, 2012 14:35:52 GMT
ok Elfies finger fear is going fast...Before opening the cage doors i say to him-"does Elfie wont yum yums" (meaning millet) and he jumps up on to his fav perch and runs to the end of it,i then open the doors and with my left hand hold his millet and move my right in and now he steps straight up,i also have been putting him back down and telling him off,so we have been repeating this and its all going well the only thing now is should he be doing this with out the millet?and if so how do i go about it as im not sure if at the moment he would like just my finger and an empty left hand haha would i wean him off it some how??
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Post by Hezz on Feb 5, 2012 2:46:41 GMT
You won't know until you try. I think he will be fine, he may look around for the millet, but just talk to him, tell him how clever he is, maybe get him stepping up from one finger to the next, and then give him some millet. I think you are underestimating him, I think he is ready to go places with you on your shoulder - have you tried that? He is coming along so well, if you think of something, try it. If he isn't happy with whatever, back off a little and come back and have another go at a later date.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 6, 2012 14:52:10 GMT
He is just starting to step up and down when i tell him so was thinking by the end of this week i would bring him out of his cage...I have read loads on this but not sure whether i should see if he comes out on my finger or just leave the door open (with a ladder from inside to out) for him to venture out on his own? i have a mini java tree for him which i was going to put on top of his cage...If he does come out on finger i thought i would put him on that and and just sit and see what he does...Its quite a scary thing for a first timer but I'm sure all will be OK a!?
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Post by Moogie on Feb 6, 2012 20:58:43 GMT
ps should i put abit of millet on his tree? arrrrrr wish i knew all the answers so i didnt have to keep asking :/
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Post by Hezz on Feb 7, 2012 1:50:14 GMT
People have different opinions regarding bringing the bird out or letting it find its own way out. I prefer to bring them out. I want mine to wait until they are invited out to start with, and with Bluey and Smudge I have achieved this. Sparky too, to a certain extent - at least he doesn't rocket out past my face as soon as the door is ajar now, as he used to. There are times when I want to be able to open the door to the cage without the birds coming out - hanging things up in the cage etc, and there have been times when the door has blown shut but not locked and I have thought it locked- the birds haven't come out, thank heavens! So for me, it is a safety issue, and there have been times when I have thought the door locked closed but it hasn't been, and has swung open a little. So far, touch wood, I haven't lost a bird. As for the millet, again up to you, but it can be a good thing to keep all food to inside the cage. Especially to start with. That way Elfie will go home when he gets hungry (if not before) if he decides this being out thing is terrific and no way am I going back to the cage! Have your long perch ready in case he heads for the curtain rod. You may also have to show him where the door of the cage is the first time or two and a good reason to have the cage facing the same way each time. It can be funny watching them on the roof of the cage looking all around for the door, abseiling down the sides, but the wrong sides, with a perplexed look on their faces - "door has to be here somewhere" but best to leave them find it themselves the next time. I am sure you are prepared for his first outing but don't forget to close curtains, cover windows etc before getting him out, and stay with him and stand guard. There is always somewhere that you didn't think he would get into and be prepared to fish him out from behind furniture. Some budgies are really clumsy and end up behind things and others are just so graceful and never end up where they didn't mean to be. Someone on the old forum told of their budgie falling behind a piece of furniture which housed a large fish tank and to retrieve errant budgie required fish removal, tank emptied and moved, cupboard moved and finally, budgie rescued. Hours later. So I suggest if all furniture can't be moved back against walls sufficiently to leave as little a gap that a budgie couldn't get down, go the other way and make the gap big enough to retrieve budgie without stress. My house doesn't have a straight wall in it, so I have gone for the second option. Sorry for the epistle, Moogie. Start on one thing, think of another and I have rambled on. There is going to be plenty more - I'll leave you with that for now.
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Post by Moogie on Feb 7, 2012 9:49:25 GMT
wow Thanks Hezz....Thats great advice,i will be trying it out end of week so will keep you up dated,and cross fingers for me
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Post by Hezz on Feb 8, 2012 1:33:06 GMT
Yeah, sorry, it was a bit much! But all useful, on re-reading. Will definitely want updates on Elfie's first expedition, and big "good luck's" from we four here.
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