Untamed out of cage

[Limittzz]

I have 2 budgies both untamed but in training(only had them for a couple months) the male is comfortable “stepping up” with a little encouragement(millet) and recently has been stepping up without it. Recently he stepped onto my finger(in their cage) but then kept coming out and up my arm. I slowly went for the millet and held it up for him waited a minute or two and then I don’t know what startled him but he started flying all around the room into the walls and everything. He hid behind a bookshelf then continued to fly around. I ended up grabbing him to put him back in which I feel horrible about but I felt so bad for how scared he was. What was the right move?

 

[Terry57]

I have 2 budgies both untamed but in training(only had them for a couple months) the male is comfortable “stepping up” with a little encouragement(millet) and recently has been stepping up without it. Recently he stepped onto my finger(in their cage) but then kept coming out and up my arm. I slowly went for the millet and held it up for him waited a minute or two and then I don’t know what startled him but he started flying all around the room into the walls and everything. He hid behind a bookshelf then continued to fly around. I ended up grabbing him to put him back in which I feel horrible about but I felt so bad for how scared he was. What was the right move?

First, welcome to the forum!
I think that was the best move you could have made since he was flying into walls.
You may need to start back at the beginning with him and regain his trust but it should go easier this time around.
Could he have been startled by the appearance of the millet when he wasn't expecting it? If not, hard to tell what spooked him, my smaller birds sometimes do this and I'll have no idea why. Hopefully he won't startle the next time you're working with him