Tips for getting bird on your finger

[Deleted]

Okay, thank you. I'll keep a look out for them next time I'm at te supermarket.

Heheh, I think I'll just leave them in there until he notices he's supposed to do something with them.

Munchy has made a couple of trips out of his cage. First time he just stayed on my hand until I put him back in. The second time he started climbing the outside of the cage and seemed to be wondering how to get onto his perch. So then he fluttered off, landed in the box where I keep his stuff, and rather comically slid down the newspaper. He tried to hide under it so I had to pick him up and put him back in the cage. Probably scared him away from me.

When hungry he's been hopping onto my hand to eat if it contains seed. Although sometimes he stays on his perch and eats off it if it's close, normally if he decides he's scared of me.

I decided to stop bringing him into the living room because the unfamiliar surroundings make him jumpy and might not help him settle in, even though I don't like leaving him alone.

Sometimes I feel like giving up, though. No matter what I try I just seem to scare him. I think I'll just stick to cleaning him out and changing his food and water, rather than trying to feed him. He'll let me move him slowly on my finger to the front of the cage and stay there whilst I talk to him, so maybe I'll just do that for a bit too.

Edit: I had him out of the cage again today. He sat on my knee and climbed up my arm until he was nearly at my shoulder. I don't think he realized that it was still part of me XD He explored the window too. The first time I went to put him back I had a bit of trouble because he kept climbing up the outside of the cage, until I backed away and lowered him down before approaching. And the second time he just hopped straight onto the door, looked around and went in. First time getting him out I had to hold him, which took awhile and earned me an unhappy sounding squeak, but the second time I managed it with him on my finger. He's very well behaved. I think he's a bit scared by the outside, still, but he doesn't fly around in a panic.

[Hezz]

Sounds like all is coming on very well.

A big room can be a scary experience for a new bird, and he doesn't have another budgie to follow and show him it is all safe. Just take your time with him, no rush. I would still bring him out into the living room with you, even if you simply leave him be for the first few times. And maybe then leaving the door open (while you are watching) and letting him explore the cage/door/coming outside or not. Otherwise he may become too attached to staying in the one room and freaking whenever he has to be moved.

Keep up the good work, Ira.

[Deleted]

Yup, all is good I don't think he fully trusts me but hopefully that will come with time.

He has a bit of a habit of just sitting in one place, so I've been taking him out of his cage. He's been out in both the living room and the room I normally keep him in and has sat on my shoulders, my nan's shoulder, my head, my desk and his cage. If spooked, like when I turned some paper over too fast, he flies to the top of his cage. And if I show him the door of the cage he goes straight in.

I've also been holding him occasionally to get him used to it. He tried to bite me a bit. It didn't hurt but I held his beak gently and made a disapproving noise to try to discourage him.

He mostly stays still outside of his cage. Hopefully he'll become bolder when he gets used to the room.

Thanks Hezz, I'll try. Thank you for all your help.

[Hezz]

You're welcome. And he is still feeling his way. He will come to see everything as his sooner or later, and you will be part of all that too. Glad Nan is enjoying his company too.