Bonding with Neglected Budgies?

[Thefrogsaregay]

Hi guys! I just joined like a minute ago so please tell me if I'm in the wrong forum topic.

So around 4 years ago my family surprised my sister with two Budgies, but my sister didn't bond with them and now they are very scared of us. They are lovely little things and I can't stand the thought of them being like this for 5+ years! I'm afraid they won't warm up to me at all because they are 4 years old. They are staying in our green house for now, but I was thinking about moving them into my room for easier access so I can clean, feed, and give them new water every day. Will they ever be able to bond with me..? Also I have a plan on taming them but it will take probably months to make any progress.

Sorry for the long read I'm just terrible worried about those little babies (Conner and Evan) Thanks again.

 

[Talven]

I won't lie and say sure you can tame them. Most likely you never will as they will have already bonded together. The best you can hope for in my opinion is that they will tolerate you. I may be wrong as I've never had a tame budgie or succeeded at taming one. Try reading Taming and bonding with budgerigars Tips for beginners. and Tips for bonding and building trust. They should steer you in the right direction.

 

[Thefrogsaregay]

I won't lie and say sure you can tame them. Most likely you never will as they will have already bonded together. The best you can hope for in my opinion is that they will tolerate you. I may be wrong as I've never had a tame budgie or succeeded at taming one. Try reading Taming and bonding with budgerigars Tips for beginners. and Tips for bonding and building trust. They should steer you in the right direction.

Ngl that is kinda disappointing .. But I will not give up! Being tolerated is better than being scary!

 

[fiddlejen]

I think it depends on what you are expecting by "tame."

If you mean the sort of budgie you see in a lot of youtube videos who are happy to fly to you, land on you, hang around near you... probably not. But - you have a long term plan and so with Lots of Patient and persistence... who knows, you might indeed succeed at this.

If on the other hand you mean birds willingly acknowledge and tolerate your presence and even interact with you--although perhaps from a distance--rather than just being "aquarium birds," this is probably quite possible!

A lot is going to depend on the birds' natural temperaments, which you may not even be able to discern until after you've been working with them awhile.

Go for it! Good luck!

Ps REcently I saw a youtube video - I may come back and link it if I can find it again - about How To Tame Your Budgie. As most do, it relied heavily on using millet to convince Budgie that You're Not So Bad. However, the clever trick I took from it -- use a wooden clothespin to hold that millet spray!! I've tried this a few times since then and I (might be imagining but) I think my two little non-tame budgies are more interested in choosing to approach me, than they have been up until now.

 

[Thefrogsaregay]

I think it depends on what you are expecting by "tame."

If you mean the sort of budgie you see in a lot of youtube videos who are happy to fly to you, land on you, hang around near you... probably not. But - you have a long term plan and so with Lots of Patient and persistence... who knows, you might indeed succeed at this.

If on the other hand you mean birds willingly acknowledge and tolerate your presence and even interact with you--although perhaps from a distance--rather than just being "aquarium birds," this is probably quite possible!

A lot is going to depend on the birds' natural temperaments, which you may not even be able to discern until after you've been working with them awhile.

Go for it! Good luck!

Ps REcently I saw a youtube video - I may come back and link it if I can find it again - about How To Tame Your Budgie. As most do, it relied heavily on using millet to convince Budgie that You're Not So Bad. However, the clever trick I took from it -- use a wooden clothespin to hold that millet spray!! I've tried this a few times since then and I (might be imagining but) I think my two little non-tame budgies are more interested in choosing to approach me, than they have been up until now.

Thanks this gives me hope! I agree they probably wont ever be "tame" but at least they won't see me as a giant monster !

 

[Scott]

Welcome, respect for taking an interest in Connor and Evan. I know absolutely nothing about budgies, but nothing lost by trying.

 

[Thefrogsaregay]

I have one more question. I'm pretty sure Connor is a girl and Evan is a boy because of the beak colorings, they haven't mated at all so I'm not concerned that there might be babies, but because Conner seems more terrified of me than Evan does. For example I walked into the green house to check up on them and Evan was sitting on a lower perch and he was relaxed (fluffy feathers, sitting on one leg) and Conner got all skinny and I could see her start to breath heavier. Is it just a female thing? I've read other threads about people who have both female and male and they too say that the female is more timid? Thanks.

 

[fiddlejen]

Well Ive only got two, so I'm Not an expert - but I think that although there are probably various generalizations, it's mostly more of an Individual Personality thing, than a boy-girl thing. If you're seeing that one is more timid than the other, then she probably IS... at least for now... but I'm less likely to assume it's due to gender and more likely due to individuality.

(Birds are far more different from Each Other in personality than pets like cats & dogs.)

 

[fiddlejen]

Of my two, the female, Calliope, is more docile, which could be read as timid but really isn't. The male, Mr. Bossypants Jefferson, is more in-your-face bold, & uses body-language to boss me around. This could be misread as fearless, but really isn't.

Because in fact, Mr. Jefferson Bossypants is actually an anxious-but compassionate Control-Freak. HE is the one who has night terrors, but he is also the one who is Right There if he thinks anyone might have any problem. And although he is ready to push boundaries and get Fresh with everyone else (including making pin-eyes at my Sun Conure!) - he does Not want anyone to Touch Him.

Whereas Calliope is simply calm, and a follower. She doesn't get scared, unless she sees that something scared Jefferson. She doesn't like to step-up or be touched either, but she's more like "well I don't think Jefferson would approve." Because she looks to him, as Her person. She's not actually timid, but she will hang back and look to Jefferson, and does Not interact with me or Sunny first, so it can Look like timidity. She's actually happy get along with everyone.

So anyway, as you work with them you will get to know them better. I'm so glad to know that you're going to be doing so! I'm glad that you're already observing their differences to start with, since that is how you get to know them well.

 

[Thefrogsaregay]

I think I'm gonna move them into my room for easier access, but I also have six guinea pigs (I know, a lot) and a small dog who spends all of his time with me (he's clingy as heck and follows me everywhere) is that a issue?

But before the birds moved into the green house they lived in my sister's room, then she put them in the laundry room because she got a cat. The they moved into the green house where they are staying now. Will it be too much to move them again?

Thank you guys for all the replies! They are so helpful ��

 

[LaManuka]

Please keep your budgies well separated from your dog. No matter how small the dog may be, they do pose a great threat to tiny fragile birds. Our bereavement pages are awash with tragic tales of dogs thought to be trustworthy who suddenly acted on instinct and have killed birds. I myself once lost a budgie to the snapping jaws of a chihuahua - the bite itself didn't look that serious but my poor little baby died anyway. As much as I would love to have a dog now it just is not a risk I am prepared to take.

 

[fiddlejen]

I second the dog-concern mentioned above, but I'm also concerned about that cat. Is it in the house too? Does it have access to the greenhouse currently?