Oct 27, 2011 8:10:57 GMT
maz
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 71
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Post by maz on Nov 17, 2011 9:33:17 GMT
Yup, they still don't seem to realise it's food! However, I'll be out quite a bit this morning and I'm willing to bet they discover it when I'm gone and then, like you suggest, I shall be saving it for a treat and to entice them to my hand.
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Oct 27, 2011 8:10:57 GMT
maz
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 71
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Post by maz on Nov 17, 2011 12:44:46 GMT
Haha! Just got in for lunch and found them sitting on the clip that holds the millet, having obviously had a good go at it! Now for phase two - remove the millet and try it later with my hand...
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Post by Hezz on Nov 18, 2011 0:51:07 GMT
Good luck! Just remember the two "P"s patience and persistence and you will get there.
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Oct 27, 2011 8:10:57 GMT
maz
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 71
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Post by maz on Nov 22, 2011 16:30:44 GMT
Looks like I'm going to need them - still no progress! They just cling to the sides of the cage whenever the hand goes in, even if I keep it at a distance!
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Oct 7, 2011 16:29:59 GMT
MattJ
Normal Green
Puck
Posts: 329
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Post by MattJ on Nov 22, 2011 17:01:29 GMT
Stick with it Maz you'll get there I think if you do loads of little sessions should be easiest. So like 5-10 times a day, pop your hand in for 20 seconds then close the door and leave them. If thats not making any difference after a couple of days maybe just open the door and talk to them for a bit. Just a case of slowly expanding their comfort zone.
Edit: Actually having reread your post I'd start off easier. So just open the cage door, put your hand near it and talk to them, again just for a short time. If this doesn't freak them out and you do it lots, hopefully you'll get closer to them over a couple of days. All about making them more comfortable over time.
I did a similar thing with Puck before, where I'd open his door and have a little chat every time I went in the room, only takes a couple a few seconds.
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Post by Hezz on Nov 23, 2011 0:49:26 GMT
Maz, you may feel you are getting nowhere, getting nowhere and then one day one of them will hop onto your hand, even if it is on their way from perch to perch. It sounds like your two haven't had any interaction of the human kind before so you are at a disadvantage there and then having two makes it all the harder to get either to focus on you and not on themselves. Are you offering millet or something else they like? One way you could work with, is to remove their seed for an hour or two and then offer millet.
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Apr 29, 2024 9:44:24 GMT
robert
Guest
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Post by robert on Nov 23, 2011 1:36:43 GMT
Hey Maz I just saw this lady on youtube who suggests with a voice of authority that a way to tame them is to starve them for up to 6 hours (she calls it a fast though) and then to give them millet on your hand. Personally I think it sounds bonkers, but here is the vid
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Oct 27, 2011 8:10:57 GMT
maz
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 71
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Post by maz on Nov 23, 2011 9:53:35 GMT
Thanks all - I've tried what Matt and hezz suggest, but they're not interested enough in the millet, even though they liked it when I left it in there the first time....Robert's suggestion makes a lot of sense as they're bound to be more interested if they're actually hungry, though it does seem a tad cruel! I may try it if the little by little approach doesn't work.
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Post by Hezz on Nov 24, 2011 0:47:13 GMT
Are you offering millet or something else they like? One way you could work with, is to remove their seed for an hour or two and then offer millet. It isn't cruel as long as you don't leave it too long. In fact most of our domestic animals would benefit from less food as we tend to over feed everything, including ourselves. In fact with budgies' predisposition to fatty tumours and livers, it can be turned into a good thing. I have learnt this the hard way, and this is now my routine: Breakfast time - take away the seed. They are awake and chirpy way before this so have already had a snack. Mid-morning - give vegetables, a mixture of and a different variety each day. Plus grass, sprouts and native branches. Around noon - replace seed and add more vegetables if needed. This and extra flying time for the lazy will hopefully see an improvement in health longterm. They are never without food, just without seed.
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Oct 27, 2011 8:10:57 GMT
maz
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 71
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Post by maz on Nov 24, 2011 16:33:30 GMT
Wow! Your routine is something to aspire to - my last few budgies have never been interested in much variety, despite it being offered...so far Frankie and Benny are steadfastly refusing the millet on my hand though they have stayed within a few inches of it...you'd think they'd be hungry by now - I took their seed out this morning at 9!
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Post by Hezz on Nov 25, 2011 2:13:43 GMT
It is a case of necessity, Maz. I don't want the rest of the budgies I own now and in the future to have to suffer from tumours if I can possibly help it. These are things I can do the lessen the chances of them occuring so that's the way it is going to be. It is a lot of work, even for someone home most of the day, but I was heartbroken when I thought I might lose Blue very quickly. The amount of research I have been doing I should be the expert! But really I am just stumbling along in the dark. Off me and onto you, is there a vegetable that they like, rather than millet? Have you tried grass? Mine go crazy over vegemite, but that is not going to help you. What other things did the breeder feed them? There must be something that they love.......
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Oct 27, 2011 8:10:57 GMT
maz
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 71
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Post by maz on Nov 29, 2011 16:21:20 GMT
When we got them we were told they had only had seed, and to introduce other things gradually, so when I removed the seed I tried a bit of broccoli leaf and they did eat it, so shall try other things soon too. Yesterday we made big progress - both had been edging a bit nearer to reach over and eat millet while I was holding it, Frankie being the bolder of the two, even stretching her neck over my finger to get at it, so the big surprise was when Benny had a go and actually stood on my finger with both feet and ate for a while! They still spend most of the time trying to get away from me though, but I feel I'm getting somewhere! I also left the cage door open to see if they would venture out and they had a great time flying around yesterday evening, and were happy to go back in the cage when they were ready.
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Post by Hezz on Nov 30, 2011 1:03:24 GMT
That's great! Seems as though they are finally settling in enough to feel comfortable with you. It can take a while sometimes for them to allow themselves to be themselves (that make sense?) if they are uptight, they can be too afraid for their true personality to shine through. It's great to see their individual little characters come out.
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Apr 29, 2024 9:44:24 GMT
Deleted
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2011 10:36:06 GMT
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me.
A couple of days ago I got a budgie, who ended up being called Munchy because he ate a lot the first day I had him. He seems quite shy and is very young (his head bars go right down to his purple-pink cere), but he's fine with my hand being in the cage and will even let me stroke his front if I move slowly and don't apply much pressure. He's starting to chirp now too.
However, as soon as I try to get him onto my hand he makes his escape. He can't fly very well (he has no flight feathers. I'm hoping they grow when he moults) so he climbs the bars to get anywhere, meaning that as soon as I try to get him on my hand he's off up the bars. He's been on my hand a few times, either because there was nowhere else to go or because he wanted to climb onto his mirror and got on by accident. A few times he's stayed on and I can't get him off, but normally he wants to get straight off.
I don't want to push him too hard, but I was wondering what I could do to make him less afraid of me. (Any form of grabbing and holding is out. If my hand even looks as if it's shaped to grab him then he gets scared and panics. I wouldn't want to anyway.) Any suggestions?
Thank you.
P.S. I have no millet but I should be getting some tomorrow.
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Post by Hezz on Dec 27, 2011 1:01:13 GMT
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. A couple of days ago I got a budgie, who ended up being called Munchy because he ate a lot the first day I had him. He seems quite shy and is very young (his head bars go right down to his purple-pink cere), but he's fine with my hand being in the cage and will even let me stroke his front if I move slowly and don't apply much pressure. He's starting to chirp now too. However, as soon as I try to get him onto my hand he makes his escape. He can't fly very well (he has no flight feathers. I'm hoping they grow when he moults) so he climbs the bars to get anywhere, meaning that as soon as I try to get him on my hand he's off up the bars. He's been on my hand a few times, either because there was nowhere else to go or because he wanted to climb onto his mirror and got on by accident. A few times he's stayed on and I can't get him off, but normally he wants to get straight off. I don't want to push him too hard, but I was wondering what I could do to make him less afraid of me. (Any form of grabbing and holding is out. If my hand even looks as if it's shaped to grab him then he gets scared and panics. I wouldn't want to anyway.) Any suggestions? Thank you. P.S. I have no millet but I should be getting some tomorrow. A lot of people make the mistake that their bird is really quiet when they first get it as "it will let me stroke it's tummy". Not necessarily true. Mostly the bird is just down right frightened. It has been moved out from the home it knows, away from it's parents, siblings etc, moved around and then stuck into a strange cage in a strange house. If the bird has not had a lot of human contact as a chick, it can take a week or more for it to start to feel settled in it's new home. Just don't be surprised if a week or two down the track, birdie decides he doesn't want to the touched and now is settled enough to let you know - whether that be by a bite or by flying off, retreating to the back of the cage or any other "antisocial" behaviour. Don't push him at this stage, he is still unsure of his surroundings, but gently talk to him all the time you have your hand near him. Don't stare at him - he will think you are going to eat him. Winking and blinking work for a lot of people (predators don't blink when eyeing up a feed) Keep him in a room where you are a lot and constantly talk - nonsense if you have to, he won't mind - and gradually he will get to know he is not your next meal. Also some budgies aren't too sure about millet, so don't mope if millet doesn't become the saviour you are looking for, but try grasses - any sort, just wash first, seeded is good but not necessary. Most budgies love to chew the stalks of the grass rather than the leaves, so that is another option. There is so much more, but start with that and give Munchy time to settle. Regarding his flight feathers, if you post up a photo of his wings we will be able to see where he is at. Do you know how old he is? Obviously young, but how young?
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