Budgie, what to do during first weeks?

[birdoof]

Hello! Kind of new around here

I'm getting an hand fed budgie in about 3 weeks. I'm not new to bird owning(senegal, blue crowned conure), but the only tamed budgie I ever had was tame and affectionate but very...how to say this? She was very skittish about everything, couldn't get her to land on anything below people's eye level, didn't like new places, etc.

My parrots were nothing like this, they'd have fun on the bed, walk on the floor, that sort of thing. I'd like to encourage this budgie to be like that. Now, I like to keep my birds fully flighted(except if "emergency training" is necessary, but once it's done I let their wings grow again). I especially do not like the idea of taking flight away right from the start, since I want him to get those flying skills well developed. With this in mind, any guidelines or tips? (I was pretty young when I had that other budgie, so you could say I'm not that experienced in tiny-parrot owning)

Thanks ^^

[Alfie]

I'm new to bird owning but thought I could help with this (more experienced owners, check me on this):
What I did for my new bird (I got her yesterday) was use a previously untouched planner, and I filled it out with what I would need to do do get my bird fully tamed. This way, she will have a very easy transition and hopefully won't end up being very skittish or shy. My planner is filled out kind of like this...
DAYS 1-3 or 4 (the longer the better)- Get the Budgie used to you. Only touch the cage or be in close contact when changing the food and water. Read/sing/whistle/make random noises around the Budgie to help get him used to you. It also helps to play soft music or a youtube playlist of chirping budgies. This is the time when the Budgie should be adjusting to his new environment.
DAY 4- While talking softly, place hand on side of the cage for 10 minutes, twice a day.
DAYS 5-6- Rest hand on the bottom of the cage for 10 minutes twice a day. On day 6, introduce him to spray millet by leaving it somewhere in the cage.
DAYS 7-8- Rest hand on a perch or closer to the bird for 10-20 minutes, twice a day. If the bird flies away, keep repeating this until he doesn't.
STEP ONE (because it may take multiple days to accomplish)- Get him to eat millet by hand.
STEP TWO- hold some millet on the other side of a portable perch. Place this in front of the bird. If he wants millet, he will step up onto the perch you are holding to eat it. When he does, say "step up"
STEP THREE- Once he is used to perching on command, slowly move your finger down the wooden perch until he is sitting on your finger instead. Then you can remove both the treats and wooden perch to get him to "step up."
STEP FOUR- Have your budgie "step up," then SLOWLY remove from the cage.
As long as you take this whole process very slowly, your Budgie will have an easy transition into your household and hopefully won't be too skittish etc. Be sure your budgie doesn't get out of its cage until it's tame,or it can be stressful or damage your relationship if you have to catch him to get him back in the cage. I hope I answered your question

[Pajarita]

No, budgies should always be allowed out of cage time from day one. You can't do it because your bird is severely clipped and you have only one, which is very stressful and lonely for them, but, when you have two and flighted, it's a simple thing to get them back inside the cage without grabbing them. And no putting your hand on the side of the cage or on the perch, it's flooding and not recommended.

[Wolf]

Birdoof, The only real difference is that a budgie is smaller and more skittish. Due to the fact that it is a partial ground feeder and so small its fight or flight responses are extremely fast for us. Just take your time and allow the bird to set the pace and do not insist on anything, you should do fine.

Alfie, with all due respect forget about your planner, instead use it retroactively and keep a record of your bird and its progress. Your birds biggest need and desire is to be with you, so when you are there don't leave your bird in a separate room from you, if you are going to be in the living room them move your birds cage to the living room so that it is not left alone. They are never alone in the wild from the day that they hatch until the day that they die. In the wild, being alone is a death sentence and in captivity it is the most harsh and damaging punishment that you can inflict on them.
Try instead of a timetable to adjust the things that you do with your bird based on its responses to you. When you go into the room with your bird watch it from the corner of your eye or by glancing at it as looking directly at the bird for any length of time is the way that a predator does it. Slowly approach the bird and its cage until the bird starts to get nervous and move away and then stop and talk and sing to the bird from that distance. It may take a few days, but you will make it to the cage and when you do then you can begin to offer it treats from outside of the cage. Millet would be a great treat for it. After it starts taking treats from outside of the cage open the door with you in front of it and talk and sing to your bird from there and offer the treat directly from your hand. When the bird is taking the treats from your hand then hold the treat so that the bird needs to step onto your hand to get the treat. When it does this say the step up request. Always allow the bird to show you when it is ready to move to the next step as this shows the bird that you are the bearer of good things and that since you are respecting it that you can be trusted and that is the basis of having a good relationship with the bird and allows for the bonding process to take place.
You have the right idea as to what needs to occur but the difference is in allowing the bird to set the pace and that will create a stronger bond in the long term. I hope this helps you.

[Alfie]

Ok, thanks both of you for corrections and advise. Apparently my Budgie is pretty brave; I can walk close to the cage and when I do, she even flutters over and climbs on the side closest to me.

[Harpmaker]

Apparently my Budgie is pretty brave; I can walk close to the cage and when I do, she even flutters over and climbs on the side closest to me.

Excellent news, Alfie! Your budgie is bonding well already, and wants to be near you!

[Wolf]

That is really great news, Alfie! You should offer her some millet soon, I am betting that she will take it right away for you. She knows that she has your heart, already. She will progress through to stepping up for you in just a few days. While that is amazing, resist the urge to do any training for a while just love and bond with her for at least a month or longer before thinking about training.

[Alfie]

Yay! So exiting!