Having trouble taming Bugerigar.

[TheTenthDoctor]

So I have been hand feeding my bird for about 2 months now. However when ever I try to get him to step up he flies away and I am back to square one. He will eat fruit, millet, and seeds from my fingers however he is so skittish around my hand. What should I do? When I got him his wings were clipped. Recently they have grown back, and he once escaped, I had to catch him and I am afraid he became afraid of me after that. Any suggestions? 

[BloomCountyLover]

How old is your bird now? When he flies away do you mean that he flies way from your hand in the cage or does he come out of the cage? If you gently talk to him through the bars of his cage slowly bring your hands up to your face outside of the cage will he be scared? He needs to realize that your hands are part of you but this takes time. When you are feeding him treats try gently extending your finger under his belly. His reflex will be st step up but this can take many tries. Just keep repeating these actions while talking gently to him and keep bringing your hands to your face so he becomes used to seeing them. Don't stare directly at him (predators do that). Time and patience. You want him to trust you and this takes from weeks to months depending on your bird. OOthers with more experience than I will be along with more tips.

[Hezz]

Patience. Don't try to rush him into trusting you because that won't work. Take it slowly, yes you are having to work from behind due to him having to be caught when he escaped. Spend as much time as you possibly can with him, and not just to feed him. Usually people will get their bird stepping up inside the cage before trying the same outside. If you have him out of the cage, use a small room (bedroom, bathroom) covering windows, mirrors etc and toilet seat down, make sure he has places to perch so he is not flying around and around looking for somewhere to land.

How old is the bird?

[TheTenthDoctor]

Sept 1, 2019 22:27:17 GMT BloomCountyLover said:

How old is your bird now? When he flies away do you mean that he flies way from your hand in the cage or does he come out of the cage? If you gently talk to him through the bars of his cage slowly bring your hands up to your face outside of the cage will he be scared? He needs to realize that your hands are part of you but this takes time. When you are feeding him treats try gently extending your finger under his belly. His reflex will be st step up but this can take many tries. Just keep repeating these actions while talking gently to him and keep bringing your hands to your face so he becomes used to seeing them. Don't stare directly at him (predators do that). Time and patience. You want him to trust you and this takes from weeks to months depending on your bird. OOthers with more experience than I will be along with more tips.

I can't pinpoint his exact age but hes less than 4 months old. I have stopped trying to get him to step up because he tries to bite my hand. For now I just feed him grapes or apples or something like that out of my hand 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Sept 2, 2019 11:19:35 GMT TheTenthDoctor said:

Sept 1, 2019 22:27:17 GMT BloomCountyLover said:

How old is your bird now? When he flies away do you mean that he flies way from your hand in the cage or does he come out of the cage? If you gently talk to him through the bars of his cage slowly bring your hands up to your face outside of the cage will he be scared? He needs to realize that your hands are part of you but this takes time. When you are feeding him treats try gently extending your finger under his belly. His reflex will be st step up but this can take many tries. Just keep repeating these actions while talking gently to him and keep bringing your hands to your face so he becomes used to seeing them. Don't stare directly at him (predators do that). Time and patience. You want him to trust you and this takes from weeks to months depending on your bird. OOthers with more experience than I will be along with more tips.

I can't pinpoint his exact age but hes less than 4 months old. I have stopped trying to get him to step up because he tries to bite my hand. For now I just feed him grapes or apples or something like that out of my hand 

I believe that hes around 4 months or less. I am NOT letting him out because if I do I can't get him back. However I will try to just sit by him more. I usually try to spend an hour a day with him. So maybe I'll make that an hour and a half 

[BloomCountyLover]

Yes as much time as you can spend with him just talking softly and making sure your hands are visible. Touch your hand to your face and then gently on the bars of the cage. Don't stop trying to feed him treats as he will come to associate your hand with something good. When he bites is it a hard bite? If you talk to him through the cgae bars does he move closer to your face? That is a good start if he does. Again, time and patience. When you do try to let him out, do it in a small room with lots of landing spots. An hour a day isn't really a lot of time for a solitary budgie.  They are very social birds and needs lots of interaction with their flockmates.  That is you..lol.  You might consider getting him a buddy.

[Hezz]

Many short periods (5-10 minutes) is much more useful than one long extended time. If you have ever trained a dog you will know that they lose interest after a short time; the same thing happens here. You can sit around with him for half an hour, but the actual training times should be kept short and sweet and always ending on a high point for him. How you deal with the biting at this stage is up to you - does he actually latch on or is it a warning lunge? Find a command that works for you to tell him biting isn't acceptable and push his beak out of the way. Also rather than fruit, try feeding him vegetables. The extra sugar in the fruits will not help your training - think a child on red cordial. Small bobbles of millet are usually well received as well.

[TheTenthDoctor]

Hmm....OKAY! I will start by breaking up the sessions, 15 minuets here, 15 minuets there, 15 minuets when I get up 15 minuets before I go to bed. Ect. When he bites its not hard. More like a nibble, and sometimes when I will be feeding him he will lick my hand and nibble slightly

[Hezz]

Then that is not a bite. He is simply tasting you and checking you out, making sure you are the same person. Let him do this, it can all be part of your bonding together.

[TheTenthDoctor]

Sept 2, 2019 19:10:29 GMT Hezz said:

Many short periods (5-10 minutes) is much more useful than one long extended time. If you have ever trained a dog you will know that they lose interest after a short time; the same thing happens here. You can sit around with him for half an hour, but the actual training times should be kept short and sweet and always ending on a high point for him. How you deal with the biting at this stage is up to you - does he actually latch on or is it a warning lunge? Find a command that works for you to tell him biting isn't acceptable and push his beak out of the way. Also rather than fruit, try feeding him vegetables. The extra sugar in the fruits will not help your training - think a child on red cordial. Small bobbles of millet are usually well received as well.

I am absolutely going to get him a buddy. BUT when I have tamed him. Then I will get him a friend and I can work with his friend on taming him

[TheTenthDoctor]

Sept 3, 2019 10:22:17 GMT TheTenthDoctor said:

Sept 2, 2019 19:10:29 GMT Hezz said:

Many short periods (5-10 minutes) is much more useful than one long extended time. If you have ever trained a dog you will know that they lose interest after a short time; the same thing happens here. You can sit around with him for half an hour, but the actual training times should be kept short and sweet and always ending on a high point for him. How you deal with the biting at this stage is up to you - does he actually latch on or is it a warning lunge? Find a command that works for you to tell him biting isn't acceptable and push his beak out of the way. Also rather than fruit, try feeding him vegetables. The extra sugar in the fruits will not help your training - think a child on red cordial. Small bobbles of millet are usually well received as well.

I am absolutely going to get him a buddy. BUT when I have tamed him. Then I will get him a friend and I can work with his friend on taming him

I have come up with a new feeding technique. Instead of feeding him from my fingers I am putting the food in the palm of my hand. Like any budgie he can't resist millet or a piece of fruit so after much deliberation he comes close and eats it. I think I will continue to do this 

[BloomCountyLover]

I agree with Hezz, he is not biting. He is checking you out. Budgies nibble on everything including their flockmates. I agree to have him tamed before you get him a buddy but I really do think you are well on your way to taming him. I read in your other thread that he is anxious to get out of his cage (glad he's ok). My little hen was like this also. Perhaps after a bit more time offering millet in your hand you can do a test run outside the cage. In a safe, small room with lots of safe places to land, open the cage and have some millet in your hand outside the cage. I know it's scary to think you may never get him back in but their cage is their safe place. It will be good practice for him to learn how to come and go. Offer your arm to land on and stay with him so he's safe. I think he's more bonded to you then you realize. My little hen was anxious to get out and although she would get on my finger in the cage she never stayed. I decided to take the plunge and let her fly free.  She came out of the cage on day 2 of opening it for her.  She was about 10 weeks old.  She flew around awkwardly and landed on my arm and stayed there.  We had a great talk and I walked around with her and showed her her landind spots and then brought her back to her cage and she jumped in.  Was all downhill after that.  She is a great flyer and owns the house...lol.
Oh and if getting him back in the cage is troublesome (everyone is apprehensive about this at first) try playing budgie sounds from youtube on your phone.  Works for me everytime..

[TheTenthDoctor]

Sept 3, 2019 15:21:13 GMT BloomCountyLover said:

I agree with Hezz, he is not biting. He is checking you out. Budgies nibble on everything including their flockmates. I agree to have him tamed before you get him a buddy but I really do think you are well on your way to taming him. I read in your other thread that he is anxious to get out of his cage (glad he's ok). My little hen was like this also. Perhaps after a bit more time offering millet in your hand you can do a test run outside the cage. In a safe, small room with lots of safe places to land, open the cage and have some millet in your hand outside the cage. I know it's scary to think you may never get him back in but their cage is their safe place. It will be good practice for him to learn how to come and go. Offer your arm to land on and stay with him so he's safe. I think he's more bonded to you then you realize. My little hen was anxious to get out and although she would get on my finger in the cage she never stayed. I decided to take the plunge and let her fly free.  She came out of the cage on day 2 of opening it for her.  She was about 10 weeks old.  She flew around awkwardly and landed on my arm and stayed there.  We had a great talk and I walked around with her and showed her her landind spots and then brought her back to her cage and she jumped in.  Was all downhill after that.  She is a great flyer and owns the house...lol.
Oh and if getting him back in the cage is troublesome (everyone is apprehensive about this at first) try playing budgie sounds from youtube on your phone.  Works for me everytime..

Okay! I will take the plunge very soon. I want more time to get him used to the idea that the hand is a good thing. Once his is comfortable eating directly out of my hand I'l let him out 

[reenie]

Just joining in to offer support. It sounds very much as though he is getting tame, but as everyone more experienced has said, it will take time. I find that my bud will NOT step up when he is in his cage, but I have no problems when he is out of his cage. He's very much a home buddy, and doesn't come out much (I leave the cage open all the time unless I'm going out for an extended period or at night time). The other thing I find is that when I'm out working, he is less keen to interact with me when I come home than when I'm home all day, it's as if even a day is enough to set back the bonding process - so definitely little and often. It will happen if you put in the time - I've just had a lovely evening with Stuart running around the floor, trying to teach him to put his ball in an eggcup - he didn't do it by the way