How do I get my budgies not scared of me?

Question

I have 2 budgies, one a few years older, both unhand-trained. So the first step in hand-training is getting them to be used to me and not scared. I have been trying for a LONG time with the older one, but barely any progress.

So how do I get them not frightened? Whenever I change their water or food they hide in the corner of the cage still. They also flap around.

One flies around more (the younger) and I think I should separate them during training because of that. What do you think?

Please help me hand-train my keets. :(

Answer 1

http://www.parrotcentral.net/how_to_tame... or http://www.freewebs.com/charliefeathers/...

Answer 2

first step could be clipping their wings (be sure you know someone who knows how to)

this will keep them dependent on you

Answer 3

Yes when your going to train them, they shouldn't be in the same 'room'. He/she will get distracted and fly into the cage. But before you start teaching them lessons, you need to gain they're trust. You don't want to force them to 'step up' on your finger when you want them to. You want to able to communicate with them. Like, when you put your finger in the cage and you want your parakeet to 'step up' with out touching his tommy, he/she will let you know when he/she wants to. You can't just make the bird a climb up because first, they might be scared. Second, they might be hungry. Third they might have to p**p and would you want them to climb up and p**p on your hand? i wouldn't. So this all goes back to 'gaining trust'. You do this by puting your hand in the cage (make sure you have a clicker) whenever your bird get scared, starts to yell, bite, and/or fly stop your hand wherever it is in the cage and keep it there untill its about 5min and press the 'clicker'. Do this again but this time closer to one of the birds. Keep doing this untill you get to the point where you can touch the bird. You know why this works? Well because when you get a new bird in your house, hes/shes freaked out. Wouldn't you be? escpacially in a strangers house? Know remember you might want to do this after the bird has been living with you for a week. So when you put your hand in the cage, all the bird wants to do is get away from it. So once it knows your not going to move your hand, it will settel down. When they hear the clicker and you move your hand away, its like saying "good job, im going to remove my hand now" so the next time you put your hand in, the bird will be patient as long as you leave him/her alone after. That is the trick. Once you gain its trust. This is where you begin your first lesson. The hand feeding step. Once you can feed your bird without him/her freaking out, you can start the second lesson, which is, getting the bird on your hand without forcing them. Now that you can feed them, they're not scared to eat from you anymore. So put some small treat on your palm where they're close but not close enough to reach it, this is where they're going to climb on your fingers to eat the treat. Keep putting treat on your palm, keep the bird on your hand. Slowly, while its eating take your hand slowly and i mean s-l-o-w-l-y out. Once the bird can see he/she is out of the cage put them right back in. Do the same thing the next day. Its best if you don't do it the same day because the bird won't be as hungry and won't be intrested in getting the treat. After about 3days it will be a tame bird and you taught him/her all by yourself! Hope this helps!

Answer 4

if you're wearing nail polish take it off. It scares the daylights out of them.

Answer 5

i have had one of my budgies for 2 weeks going on three and i just got another on yesterday my older on comes on my hand with no problem and the new one doesn't run away from me

they just need to adjust