Third day and he seems terrified

[steve212]

Hi all

Brand new budgie owner here with a baby budgie approx six weeks old.

I’ve a lovely big cage, 3 well chosen toys, different natural wood perches, and have read up on diet variety.

My problem is he seems so quiet, I’ve tried resting my hand near the cage and in the cage without moving. He will eat his own food near my hand but each time I offer millet spray he just backs away. And then flies away. I’m trying not to pursue him so I just try again slowly but he won’t come near me,

I’ve tried playing bird sounds, soothing music near him and just being near his cage. Is all this normal?

I can’t even imagine letting him out of his cage yet because he’s so skittish.
Also - a mirror ? Good idea or bad, I’ve read mixed reports. I’m at home at lot i have a part time job of 22 hours a week so I’m around quite a bit and can leave the radio on for the few hours I’m out.

Any advice/reassurance would be fantastic
Thank you
Stephen

[blue48]

Yes, quite normal. I think I spent the first week or two just sitting outside his cage talking to him and singing. My hand only went inside his cage for necessary cleaning but like you I think I did rest it outside his cage.

First you have to gain his trust and that takes a while, depending on your bird's personality. He has been used to spending his time with his own species and now he's alone with a big scary human.

I didn't let mine out for about a month, except for once when he escaped while I was cleaning and he was really panicked.

I gave in on the mirror front. I wasn't going to give him one, but I got one in a pack of toys and when he was poorly and lost a claw I gave him a mirror. We had already bonded well at that point so while he enjoys it it isn't obsessed by it.

Be patient with your little boy and he will come round.

[birdguhl]

Welcome to the forum!

It’s still very early days, Stephen. It can take a lot longer than three days for a new and such a young budgie to settle. He will be finding it strange not to have other budgies around him - so budgie sounds are good but he’ll also be thinking ‘Where are those budgies??’’

It sounds like you have a good set up for him, and it is good he’ll eat with your hand nearby - that means he’s eating there. If he’s skittish you could try covering 2 or 3 sides of the cage with a blanket so he also a space with solid sides to retreat to and feel safer. Remember budgies are a prey species so always have to be wary of predators and without a flock around him that’s down to him now.

On that subject, avoid looking at him directly as a predator would. Look at him from the side and/or give him slow blinks. This will stop the alarm centre of his brain being activated so much.

Talk to him gently - read to him as well so he gets used to your voice and just give him time.

I think a mirror would be good. Then he’s got a ‘friend’ who’s always up for a chat when he is.

What is his name? Can you post a pic or two?

[ffiscool]

welcome.. as the others have said, 3 days is a very small amount of time. He has come from wherever, and into a new environment. When I first got Bailey, he was scared for ages.. would not come near the door of the cage - but good idea to read to him, blink slowly.. just be there near him even if you are doing something else. As you come and go, just talk as you would if another person there.

When Bailey first started talking, the first phrase was he said was 'it's a grey day today'..

[steve212]

Sept 28, 2020 10:19:01 GMT birdguhl said:

Welcome to the forum!

It’s still very early days, Stephen. It can take a lot longer than three days for a new and such a young budgie to settle. He will be finding it strange not to have other budgies around him - so budgie sounds are good but he’ll also be thinking ‘Where are those budgies??’’

It sounds like you have a good set up for him, and it is good he’ll eat with your hand nearby - that means he’s eating there. If he’s skittish you could try covering 2 or 3 sides of the cage with a blanket so he also a space with solid sides to retreat to and feel safer. Remember budgies are a prey species so always have to be wary of predators and without a flock around him that’s down to him now.

On that subject, avoid looking at him directly as a predator would. Look at him from the side and/or give him slow blinks. This will stop the alarm centre of his brain being activated so much.

Talk to him gently - read to him as well so he gets used to your voice and just give him time.

I think a mirror would be good. Then he’s got a ‘friend’ who’s always up for a chat when he is.

What is his name? Can you post a pic or two?

[tweetiepiesmom]

My Tweetie Pie behaved exactly like your little one when I first brought him home. Tweetie Pie is by nature very timid and skittish. When I first brought him home, I was so scared that he was sick because he didn't chirp much and didn't move around much. Then I read that budgies like a lot of natural light. On the fourth day I had him, I moved his cage in front of a large sunny (but not direct sun) window and he immediately started chirping and moving around. You might give that a try. Like everyone else has said, it took Tweetie Pie time to get used to me before he wouldn't run from my hand and eat millet that I held for him.

[steve212]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I’m reassured. He’s now pretty comfortable with just my hand in the cage. I’m not sure how to post photos though ?

[ffiscool]

if you are doing it from your mobile, you need to scroll all the way on this site, to the bottom, and click desktop

then when in a post you can add an image by clicking on the button for it.

Then you will either have create post or reply - if both, click create post.. otherwise, just reply

[Hezz]

budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/17937/uploading-photos-2

Read through some of the other threads in this section and the advice given by more long-term members. Almost all go through this when they first start out. Don't expect the same responses you get from a cat or dog, animals that have been domesticated for thousands of years. Birds are basically still wild animals unless they have been handled a lot as chicks, and the parents are tame as well. You have to earn this little fella's trust, and that will take as long as it takes.

If he has never been given millet before he will not recognise it as a food source. Hang a small piece in the cage for him to explore. Once you know that he is eating it then you can remove it and use it for taming and training sessions.

[Barry]

Ayo welcome!