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Training Tips

1K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  FaeryBee 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

I have a few quick questions with regards attempting to hand train budgies.

1. Most places say if you have two birds, put them in separate cages for training. Thing is, they're not tame, so how can I get them in and out of their cage? Catch 22 :glare:

2. What treats other than millet can I use? Any tips? Last week they were eating out of my hand. This week, they've regressed to not approaching my hand, and millet doesn't seem to be the temptation it could be. I'm taking their seed away for a couple of hours before training, and they're still not that psyched by the millet sprays so I'm looking for a bit of variety and interesting alternatives.

3. Many training videos etc say to carry on a stage of training (e.g. hand in cage) until your bird looks "comfortable". However, they don't actually tell you what comfortable bird behaviour is (although a couple do mention drinking in your presence). If my budgies are preening themselves and each other when my hand is in the cage, does that mean they're comfortable? If they're clinging to the bars in the top corner does that mean they're uncomfortable? (They mix these two behaviours without rhyme or reason as far as I can see :))

I know patience is absolutely key, and calmly end a training session whenever I feel myself starting to get frustrated. However, I thought I'd try and arm myself with as much info as possible before I continue because I'm, having a real "getting nowhere" kind of day.

Thank you in advance (and for all your patience with me <3)
 
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#2 ·
Keep your training sessions short.
Try one in the morning and one in the evening to see what time of day works best with your budgies.
Rather than giving them their seed rations in their food dish in their cage, try using the seed as the incentive for them to come to your hand in the cage. :)

1. It is not totally necessary to separate your budgies for taming.
It is difficult to separate two budgies when they don't yet step up so I wouldn't do that just yet.
Once they step up, then you can move one into another cage and take it into a different room.

2. You can use anything the budgie's like as a treat.
Bits of vegetable, fruit, or a nutriberry might work with your birds.
As mentioned above, you can also use their seed ration and hold it in the palm of your hand to get them used to coming to you.

3. "Comfortable" is when the budgies are not flying all over trying to get away from you when you put your hand in their cage.

Hold a few seeds in the palm of your hand and see if they will venture over to your hand to eat them.
After a few days of this, one will put his foot on your hand and before you know it will actually step on your hand to eat.

Take your time and the little accomplishments will start to show soon!

Best wishes
 
#6 ·
That's excellent news! :thumbsup:

I'm going to close your thread for now.
If you'd like it changed to a "Training Journal" thread for Mal and Merc, just send me a Private Message and let me know.

I can reopen it and rename it for you into an Ongoing Training Journal if you want to keep track of your training progress on the forum.
 
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