Bringing home 2 Princess Parrots, how to settle?

[InsanityShard]

Could I use that method on a non hand raised adult budgie? There's another pet shop here, they have these big incredibly fluffy English budgies, some of which have crests. Mum says they're show budgies. There's one that doesn't have a crest but its feathers are all ruffled and long, but it's not one of those super fluffy ones. Would that one still have a shorter lifespan like the fluffy ones?

[Wolf]

Yes, this method works for parrots of all kinds whether they are hand tamed or not. The primary reasons that budgies or other parrots do not come to us is because they are afraid of us and don't trust us. The method that I gave you is all about showing them that we are not going to hurt them and that we can be trusted, it also teaches them that we bring them good things to eat.

English or show budgies all have much shorter lifespans than normal type budgies and are prone to more illnesses.

I know that I have recently gone over this with someone that has budgies, but do not recall who it was with, so forgive me if it was you, but it is actually very important for the health of your birds

Budgies can eat more seeds than many other parrots but an all seed diet will destroy their liver just as it does with other parrots. So what do you do, because they really like their seeds and would happily eat only seeds. I would suggest that you start their mornings of with partly cooked wild rice or quinoa or steel cut oats and mix some budgie seed mix into it. I would use about half a teaspoon of budgie seeds to a teaspoon of the cooked food to begin with. And then give then just the budgie seed mix for their dinner. when they are eating the cooked food/ seed mix pretty good then I would start adding things like cooked peas or corn or carrots to the mix just one at a time until they are eating it pretty well and then add the next vegetable. I would also give them both a whole leaf and finely shredded romaine or red leaf lettuce wet. I would place these food on a small paper plate or saucer on the bottom of the cage for them. I would do this way because budgies are ground feeders. Budgies do not usually eat much fruit, I have gotten mine to eat a little bit of finely chopped apple once in a while.

Here is a list of all kinds of things that are good and bad for budgies and other parrots, the list starts on the second page. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12521

What is the name of this book and its author about the wild seeds for bird? I would love to see if I can get a copy of it.

[Pajarita]

The trick is for them not to have access to seeds all the time because, if they do, there is nothing you can use to really bribe them so the healthier diet of cooked whole grains and veggies for the morning and seeds only for dinner works both ways: it keeps them healthy and it allows you to use seeds for bribing/rewarding them.

Just one more comment: the smaller the bird, the longer it will take to trust a human so be VERY patient and follow a STRICT routine/schedule and, eventually, it will happen.

[InsanityShard]

I have made a massive leap in progress! Today, while I was curled up in bed, I left the cage open. Not only have the budgie come out again... This time, they are completely willing to let me pick them up and pet them! I can't seem to put them on my shoulders yet, but they are fully willing, not even shying away at all when I pet them or pick them up. They seem much more confident and happy outside the cage. Could this be that the budgies felt trapped while I tried to handle them in the cage? Or is it that after 2 weeks now they understand I am not a threat? I left them alone for a bit, not touching them or petting them for a few days, and now this. Do you think it was that they felt trapped in a cage, or could it be that they craved contact after being deprived? I also got a new dress yesterday I'm wearing today- it's rainbow. I'm usually wearing black, blue, or just naked.

[Wolf]

I think that it is a combination of both of these things. While the budgies are more bonded to each other than they are to you, they are still bonded with you as well and because of this they do want to spend time with you as well as with each other, you are a part of their flock. At the same time when you were reaching into their cage trying to get them to step up, they felt trapped and crowded and this is a scary situation for a bird as the only animals that would trap them is a predator looking for a snack. By giving them the space and the time to see that you were not trying to harm them, you gave them the chance to let their fear ease up. They are still a little bit afraid but if you remain patient with them and give them the chance to make their own choice about coming to you instead of forcing your will on them, they will get over their fear of you.

[Pajarita]

Yep, Wolf is correct. Nothing works better for hand-taming a bird that starting out with not handling them at all and showing them trust and respect. But, if you want them to continue the progress, don't grab them at all. Teach them to step up to your finger instead.

[InsanityShard]

My budgies keep fighting over the mirror. They won't hit or peck each other, but if you hear angry squawking one is trying to see the mirror past the other. XD

[Wolf]

Get rid of the mirror.

[Pajarita]

Ditto! If you have a male and a female pair, they don't need a mirror - it would be a 'three is a crowd' situation.

[InsanityShard]

They're both male and they like the mirror... That's part of the problem, they use it while preening themselves, but because they help preen each other they use it at the same time. XD They seem to know its their reflection, since they only really use it to preen themselves.