My Experiences

[Allison]

I just wanted to share some of my experiences with taming birds.
I have "tamed" all of my budgies in the past (4) and am working with Toad to get him more comfortable with me handling him.
Budgies are easy because they are very food motivated.
I've been also using positive reinforcement with Toad. Every time he steps up he gets a pumpkin seed.
Here are some videos of my old budgies; Sunshine, Maggio, and Miracle. All of these budgies were completely wild when I got them.
(click the image)







Here is Beau.

[tishihara1994]

awww man i wish my budgie was as used to me as they are to you.... mines still shy and runs from my hand. My dad is telling me to Flood him but i refuse to do that. How long did it take you to "tame" a budgie

[Allison]

You have to do it very slowly and every experience has to be positive. I'm not sure what you meant when you said "flood him" but it definitely sounds like a negative experience to me.
I started off just having them close to me. I'd sit next to their cage and read a book. I would not give them any eye contact and would not make any sudden movements. They eventually could see that I was not a threat. Then I started putting a dish of seed on a table next to me while I read and they could fly down and eat, and fly away if they were scared. Then I started holding the dish. My budgie Maggio (in the first video) was the first to land on it. He eventually showed Miracle and Sunshine that it was safe and they started to join him. I then got rid of the bowl and put the seed in my hand. Then I started using a nutriberry and had them fly to my finger. It took a lot of patience and gentle handling. All in all I think it took about 6 months for them to feel comfortable with me.
Harper and Beau actually are more nervous of me than my old budgies were. I have not been able to work with them as much as I did when the old budgies because I have an almost full time job and volunteer at the rescue on my days off.

[tishihara1994]

I'm guessing that sunshine is the bright yellow one??