My Budgie back tracks a lot in taming.

[Fatima I]

i got my budgie, Kiwi, over a month ago and he has shown great progress but also he keeps back tracking.
I used to be able to get my hand in cage and bring my finger SUPER slowly to his side and leave it there. He wouldn't mind and just chill or preen.
He would take treats from my hand or nibble on seeds from my palm, but recently he been back tracking with that too.
I just put my hand in the cage WITH a treat in my fingers and he FLEW around like crazy and frantically. He landed on the side of his cage and wouldn't get down until I took my hand out.

WHAT GIVES!?!
I'm not mad at him, but i am very frustrated and really feeling defeated. And rejected
I been working so hard and slow and consistently. And only to back track SOOO far . WHY?
I feel like giving up.

He is very young and read it would be easier to tame them young. Is he just extra stubborn ??
I am just frustrated and confused. We were so close too. What happened?

 

[ravvlet]

Birds are very observant. Are you wearing new jewelry? Using a different shampoo? Painted your nails? Etc etc. If they pick up on something different about you, they might decide it’s a threat and wig out.

It’s possible also he’s just having a bad day and doesn’t want your hand in his cage. A month isn’t a long time for a prey animal like a small parrot!

If you notice at all that he seems unhappy about your hand from outside the cage, probably best to give up on that for the day and do something else instead - like calmly reading aloud to him, or some other activity that keeps you near but non threatening.

Best of luck!

 

[Keet_Krazy]

One month is no time at all to a budgie. Bonding with any bird can literally take years sometimes (that's in extreme cases).

If, whatever reason, you feel he has backtracked then you need to too. Go right back to the start and slowly work back to where you were.
Getting him used to your presence before even trying interacting is a good idea. Sit beside his cage and read/talk to him, offer millet through the bars, etc.
I sometimes spook my budgies by accident too, it can be as simple as moving too fast.

To me, time is the most important thing. I try to let my budgies interact with me only when they want to. One of them I've had for about 5ish years and he will only come to me for treat sometimes.

The whole babies are easier to "tame" is due to the fact babies are generally more curious. But it's a very wide generalization, every bird is different and has been raised a different way, they could still have all kinds of previous scares or trauma.

 

[Fatima I]

Birds are very observant. Are you wearing new jewelry? Using a different shampoo? Painted your nails? Etc etc. If they pick up on something different about you, they might decide it’s a threat and wig out.

It’s possible also he’s just having a bad day and doesn’t want your hand in his cage. A month isn’t a long time for a prey animal like a small parrot!

If you notice at all that he seems unhappy about your hand from outside the cage, probably best to give up on that for the day and do something else instead - like calmly reading aloud to him, or some other activity that keeps you near but non threatening.

Best of luck!

OH NO! i just painted my nails a deep purple (and i never wore polish at all while w him until now) i think that might be it! Thank you that makes sense. He might just not like colored nails lol. Thats fine with me. I'll take it off and try again with him. Yay.

 

[Fatima I]

One month is no time at all to a budgie. Bonding with any bird can literally take years sometimes (that's in extreme cases).

If, whatever reason, you feel he has backtracked then you need to too. Go right back to the start and slowly work back to where you were.
Getting him used to your presence before even trying interacting is a good idea. Sit beside his cage and read/talk to him, offer millet through the bars, etc.
I sometimes spook my budgies by accident too, it can be as simple as moving too fast.

To me, time is the most important thing. I try to let my budgies interact with me only when they want to. One of them I've had for about 5ish years and he will only come to me for treat sometimes.

The whole babies are easier to "tame" is due to the fact babies are generally more curious. But it's a very wide generalization, every bird is different and has been raised a different way, they could still have all kinds of previous scares or trauma.

Yes, that is true. I'll keep trying with him and being patient. I really hope it doesn't take years tho lol.

 

[wrench13]

The one step forward, two step back thing is very common, don't sweat it. Parrots are usually very open to bribes, almost as much as politicians. Figure out his fav treat and use that as your 'ambassador'. Good luck.