how can I get my budgies to come on my finger?

[sidneyworm]

I have two wonderful male budgies, Sheene & Crosby, around 5 - 6 month old.  they interact wonderfully together, chattering and chirruping all the time.  I got two budgies becuae we are both out at work all day.  They have a lovely routine where when we are sat eating our meal they come to the edge of the cage and chat to us, they understand "come down" and they do, and chat merrily to us.  One of them will let us stroke its chest, the other runs a mile.  They flap around the cage and we wish to let them out but have read that you can't do this until they come on your finger.  we have tried the stroking tummy low down which is supposed to "force" them to step on to your finger, but it doesn't work.  How can we get our budgies to come on our fingers so that we can let them out and have no worries about returning to them to their cage please?  We were considering buying a dark lined budgie catching net so that we could let them out and return them safely but don't really like the idea.  Any help out there please?? 

[flook1e]

I found this guide excellent:

budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/1668/budgie-taming-training-walkthrough

[lousette]

My budgie hob didn't get onto my finger before I let him out. I opened his cage door and left it up to him when he wanted to go out and back in. He is a few years old so obviously has been let out with previous owners, so this is different from yours. However, I never took him back to his cage, simply let him go back by himself when he was ready. His food was there, so he would always return of his own accord eventually. I am sure that is the wrong advice .... But I have always let him decide. I actually found that it was easier bonding with him when he was outside the cage. I would just walk up to where he was perching and talk to him for periods of time without trying to catch or touch him. Like I say, I am probably completely wrong, it just seems such a shame that they cannot go for a fly. I am sure someone will come with some good advice.

[Hezz]

Everyone with budgies, whether they be finger-tame or not will have problems sooner or later getting their birds back into the cage. It is an unwritten budgie law that the time you are in a hurry to have them back in the cage and need to be out the door pronto, this is the time they will not go home. Be warned.

If some birds were left in the cage until they were tame, they would never come out! How long have you had them? It is easier to control them when they know what the rules are, sure, but it is not imperative that they be finger tame before being allowed out. It is way more important, though, to be sure the room they are let out in has been budgie-proofed so as to avoid any potentially nasty accidents. This means covering the glass of windows and doors, if it is plain glass, making sure there are no gaps behind heavy furniture that a budgie may fall down and not be able to get out, no open doors or windows, all other pets out of the room, no deep glasses or pots of water they may land in, no Teflon, no air fresheners, scented candles or the like. Somewhere safe to land like a playgym, and a long piece of dowel or similar to fetch them down from the highest perch they can find.

With training for stepping up, instead of stroking their tummies, try pushing up against them gently at first ..... if they are stubborn you may have to push a little harder. This means they either step onto your finger or risk being pushed off the perch. Most will opt for stepping onto the finger.

[Learner]

I've had partial success with mine - half of them will perch on me if they must. One is always first and friendly.

Mine love broccoli and are very used to having this served up in three small clumps. One day, when all 6 were in their cage, I held some in my fngers just far enough away from them that it was not possible for them to reach. How mean!!

The only way they could get a beakful was to land on me to reach it or take swipes at it as they flew by. Eventually after lots of leaning, clambering over-head and flapping by one built up enough courage to jump onto my fingers...and straight off again. He repeated this, settled down and had a pretty good feed. The others got their broccoli later.

I repeated this many times and every time the same bird, now without hesitation, jumped straight on to me to get his treat. Gradually one then two of the others got the idea and will perch on my hand.

The bold boy is quite keen on nibbling my clothing and wandering up my arm. Quite a character!

Training them with food / treats might help.