Learning a budgie to talk?

Question

learning a budgie to talk, how long does it take? and

i have a young budgie and want to know should i handle him even if hes going onto my hand in the cage, should i just let him do that or should i catch him to handle him, dont want to make him scared??

Answer 1

You can only teach a bird to talk, it does the learning.

Answer 2

If he's getting on your hand that is a good sign! Be patient. You're right, if you start grabbing him he'll get scared. Birds have an instinct that tells them if they are grabbed, they will be eaten!

Teach him to eat from your hand. Offer him little bits of fruit and other treats so that he'll trust you. While you're interacting, talk to him and sing to him. Budgies are surprisingly great talkers and can develop a huge vocabulary.

Your bird will learn to talk if you keep talking to him every day and take good care of him. Keep repeating phrases that you want him to learn and say them in an interesting way so he will pay attention. When you give him food or offer a bath, talk to him so he will learn to associate the words with the action.

Congratulations on getting a great pet. You might want to join the Budgie forum. I belong to the Starling forum and it has taught me a lot.  You should also see these videos of Victor the budgie. They are amazing.

Answer 3

talk to him regularly the same things, a radio will soon have him chirping along, a whistle is usually the first thing, my budgies cage was hung on a hook from the ceiling above my telephone, many a time I answered it to find out that it was the bird. Let him get used to landing on your finger in the cage and smooth him then put him on another perch. When you are ready to let him out of course make sure all doors and windows are shut, preferably be alone, he will soon learn to perch on curtain rails light fittings etc but may fly into the window at first until he learns it is not the great outside. Then gradually go up to him with your finger out and he will soon land on it and you can pop him back into his cage, or he may sit by his door and go in by himself.  

Answer 4

It takes a lot longer to *TEACH* a budgie to talk, than it does to *TEACH* a larger parrot to talk, and they also don't tend to learn as many words, but with a lot of patience, you should be able to *TEACH* him to talk.  

Answer 5

just hold your hand out in the cage and let it get use to you i use to have two baby budgies and once they got use to me they didn't get off my hand.but you should never grab your budgie otherwise it might not ever trust you again

Answer 6

Teach him slowly at his pace. Let him land for a few days, then maybe gently stroke him as he comes by, and eventually you can hold him.  Once tame he will fly into your hair like its a nest, if you take it gently, don't rush it or you will frighten him.

Answer 7

My budgie started talking when he was about 8 months, and it takes him between 1-4 weeks to learn stuff, depending on how often you say it.

You shouldn't force him onto yoru hand, just hold out your finger in the cage and nudge his stomach. This will encourage him to step onto your finger. Once you're confident about handling him in his cage, you can let him out for the first time.

Good luck x