Adopted budgie

[jasongover]

About 8 mouths ago I adopted a budgie. When she come to my home. She only had one tail feather. She was totally wild. Never handled.
Currently if she's on the floor she'll walk over to get on my finger. She no longer stays in her own cage. She stays in Lu Lu's cage a GCC. The cage is always open the budgie never comes out or wants to be handled.

I feel bad because Lu Lu spends hours with me and the poor budgie wants to stay on the cage.
My idea is
When the GCC is out taking the budgie out. I know all training manuals say don't force birds to do anything. But this poor girl was neglected for her whole life. I would like to her to experience some freedoms.

Thoughts? ideas? Opinion?

Thank you in advance
Jason

 

[songlake]

My parakeets were that way, they never left their cage since they felt safe and secure in there. When my husband and I made a large play gym I would take the parakeets from the cage and put them on the gym, there were toys and ropes, swings and things to keep their interest. At first they were like little cardboard cutouts and wouldn't move. Eventually they realized it was a treat to get out of the cage and play on the gym and when I would open their door they would fly out and head for the gym on their own.

I think it's petco who has a small tabletop gym for around $20. It's a good choice to start with and your GCC can show the budgie that it's not bad to be out of the cage and it should help with the budgie's fears to have it's buddy near it while on a perch. Any sudden movements nearby will make the budgie fly(if not clipped). So move slowly if you are approaching the gym

I don't see forcing her to go on the gym, which is good for her, to be a bad thing and she will eventually figure that out on her own.

 

[jasongover]

Thank you for your reply. Great idea. I guess this is a bit of a problem. The GCC would stay with me every second in the day. And the parakeet likes to follow her. I'm hoping by having them both out at the same time the keet will realize it's safe.
I have one of those gyms. The GCC loves being with humans though.
Thanks again for your time

 

[songlake]

Good luck with her

 

[jasongover]

Thank you. She has made huge improvements. 3 days in a row last week she came out at the same time Lu Lu does to give good night kisses. I thought she was sick. I was in shock

 

[MikeyTN]

Thank you. She has made huge improvements. 3 days in a row last week she came out at the same time Lu Lu does to give good night kisses. I thought she was sick. I was in shock

LOL.....The moment they do something completely unexpected we think there's something wrong with them.....I do the same, it's like what's wrong with you?

 

[RavensGryf]

In your (human) mind you are thinking about the logic of how much more fun/fulfilling/exciting etc. life would be if she would come out. But like others have said, she views the cage now as her "safe spot" and comfort zone. She feels she IS happy.

The play gym is a good idea to expand her horizons... If put right next to the cage it will still be near her 'safe zone'. It might take a lot of time so be prepared to be patient. How about putting a little millet or favorite foods in, around, and on the play gym. Maybe put your GCC on the gym to demonstrate on front of her that it is a good thing. Good luck!

 

[jasongover]

That is a very good idea. With millet. They both love it. It just makes such a mess. I may try that. Thank you very much. I don't think she's unhappy just staying in the cage. I just want her to realize when has the same freedoms as the GCC. A couple months age both of them flew to my shoulder. For course started fighting as so as both landed.

 

[GW.Joe]

Hi Jason,

My Budgie "Ding Dong" was like that at first, but now he LOVES his time out of the cage !!

I spread a towel across my living room table and put all kinds of treats there, Veggies, Millet, fruit, nuts, etc, then I put a hamster wheel, some ladders, balls with bells in them etc, My Plett and the Budgie love the time there

Even my hairless cat loves the birds (not that I fully "trust" a cat, I'm always at the ready LOL)

You can see how "Happy" the cat looks with my daughter and the Budgie
(really the cat looks like that because of the Budgie's nails)

SCARY LOOKING !!!

Joe

 

[RavensGryf]

Cute pics! You have a Budgie now too? So it's the p'let, budgie, and GW soon? Love the Sphynx

 

[MonicaMc]

Food and treats can go a long ways into earning the trust of a budgie!



[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUx81WHTUwk"]1 Bird in hand Leads to Many - YouTube[/ame]



[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlSm4uFZzVU"]More Budgies!!!! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[GW.Joe]

Thanks Julie, Yep, very fun to watch the Plett "boss" the Budgie around on the table play area

I got the Budgie right after we lost Poe as a way to help my kids heal, Then a breeder friend of mine had some hand raised baby Pletts, just could not resist

I took my daughter on a road trip when she was 13, we drove from South Eastern PA to way up north MI (a lot of CORN on the way) to get the Sphynx in 2005, he is one of the BEST cats I have ever had, he is SO WARM to snuggle AND believe it or not he sits on your shoulder very much like a parrot !!

Didn't mean the "thread jump" Sorry