What’s my next move in taming my budgies?

[Nolgi]

I’ve got four lovely budgies, I adore them so much. After three years I am finally getting past some of my health issues enough to stick to taming them. Having known me for this long, they are very friendly and sweet - as long as we have cage bars between us. I’ve been able to work them up to readily jumping onto my hand for food, and tentatively hopping past or standing on a bare hand on their way to a hand with food. They clearly like me, they’ll fluff up their little cheeks and sing when I come by and run to greet me at the door, but they don’t seem interested in moving outside their usual routines to pursue a friendship and I have already blundered a few times trying to advance their trust. What’s my next move?

 

[GaleriaGila]

I'm no expert, but here are some threads...

Here's some reading on bonding for you.

Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

Parrots rarely bite each other, because they convey their feelings beforehand or fly off to avoid physical contact. If it feels cornered and frighten then need to bite will be from the natural instinct of self -preservation. The cage is the Parrot safe haven and any attempt to enter, add or...

www.parrotforums.com

General Parrot Information

Post here for general parrot related topics

www.parrotforums.com

http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2012...n-parrots.html

Taming and bonding with budgerigars: tips for beginners

I have seen a lot of questions on the forums about taming budgies. Some users have suggested that I create a single post with some helpful information. There's a lot of myths about budgies. Firstly, many people do not regard them as parrots. Budgies ARE parrots: they can bond with their owner...

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I'm glad you're here!

 

[Corkscr.ew]

I’ve got four lovely budgies, I adore them so much. After three years I am finally getting past some of my health issues enough to stick to taming them. Having known me for this long, they are very friendly and sweet - as long as we have cage bars between us. I’ve been able to work them up to readily jumping onto my hand for food, and tentatively hopping past or standing on a bare hand on their way to a hand with food. They clearly like me, they’ll fluff up their little cheeks and sing when I come by and run to greet me at the door, but they don’t seem interested in moving outside their usual routines to pursue a friendship and I have already blundered a few times trying to advance their trust. What’s my next move?

I would try target training. If they don’t mind your presence and aren’t terrified of the hands, then you’re at a good place to start. Training is so good for your relationship with your birds; it builds so much more trust and communication than you might’ve had otherwise. I’ve used as a tool for taming all of my birds, and I recommend trying because it will almost definitely strengthen your relationship (even if it takes a while to get there). Good luck

 

[DonnaBudgie]

One tip in addition to others' tips is do you let them out of their cage? You should spend time in the same room with them without bars between you. Walk up to them and interact. Talk to them. Personally, (please folks, no grief) I give them a very conservative wing trim at first (both wings never one wing) so they can fly but not high or fast. When and if they flutter to the ground, rescue them by gently picking them up by putting out a perch or your hand to climb onto and put them back on top of their cage. They will come to look for you to help them and will like you for it. Be sweet to them. Talk softly. Offer them treats from your hand. It takes time.
By the time their wings grow back completely they should be finger tame and you will never need to trim again.