Donny is our now about one year old rescue parakeet. He is NOT afraid of us and acts totally normal in all respects except he just doesn't seem to like us. I have recently posted pictures of him holding onto his traffic light toy. He hops way or moves away inside the cage to escape if we place our hand/finger in the cage to try to pet him or just to place it there thinking he'll get used to us. He is not afraid when my hand goes in the cage to feed him or give him millet. On the rare occasion I can place a finger on the same swing he is on without him fleeing, he keeps a sharp eye on it (tilts his head and watches my finger). Meanwhile, if I try to pet him, he usually flees but returns to the same spot as soon as I withdraw my hand/finger. Neither of us has ever hurt him and he gets lots of flying time and has food, treats and lots of toys and has had a year to observe us not hurting him. He also watches us through the window as we feed and care for our backyard birds. We don't get to spend lots of time with him during the day but since I work from home, I stop by to say hello to him (the cage is too unwieldy to bring upstairs while I work). We also bring his cage into our family room in the evening so he can watch TV or listen to music with us and see we are not threatening. He also will not let us touch him when he is outside of the cage although he seems to play with us and will buzz our heads at times. He was rescued since he was found out of doors and did survive. Could it be that his independent personality is what allowed him to survive? Is there any hope Donny will come to love us as much as we love him? He is so cute, it is difficult to try not to pet him or try to have physical interaction with him. I would appreciate ANY suggestions or should we accept this is the way he will always be?
What games and such do you do to actively play with him? You're doing a great job giving him his needs in life, but what are you doing to actively show you want to be his friend?
Try sitting with him and reading him a children's book like you would to a toddler, or playing with a budgie toy near him while he plays with a toy and talking to him. Show him you want to be friends with him, not just take care of him. My Sweetie was also a rescue and was labelled as 'boring'. Turns out he just wanted someone to actually play with him. Now he's a total cuddle bug and always wants to hang out and play with me.
When he is out of the cage, I playfully mock "chase" him as he flies from one end of the room to the other (between the shade behind his cage and the top of the curtain on the opposite side of the room). He is FAST and acts like he enjoys this. We both talk to him gently and I even sing to him at times. Sadly I don't have lots of time to sit and read to him normally, but I will try to make time for this. I do try to play with budgie toys near by (he has a penguin which he really likes and I push it down the way he does). I also I have miniature parakeets that look like him and my beloved bird Cato (who died a year ago) on top of his cage; I'll hold them and pet them so he can see me caring for them.
Although you mean for the chasing to be a fun game he may perceive it as a threat as being chased by a predator.Since you don't know what his life was like prior to the rescue there may have been events that have influenced his current behavior. Not all birds will become tame, although they are living in our homes they are really not domesticated the way a cat or dog is, they retain their wild instincts. Most birds do not like to be touched, that is not unusual. Several years ago I had 2 that were pretty tame, they loved to sit on my head, shoulder or arm but touching was off limits, any attempt to do so and they would fly away. You just have to try your best to gain his trust and accept whatever amount of interaction he is comfortable with.
I do fear he may never become fully tame like one or two of my prior parakeets did. I will stop the mock chase at your advice although I honestly don't think he feels like I am pursuing him since I NEVER get anywhere near him before he flies back to where he started. All I usually get to do is take a step or two in his direction and off he flies back across to the opposite side of the room. He seems to act like it is a race and he ALWAYS wins! I honestly think he enjoys seeing me try to "catch" him since I ALWAYS fail. I feel confident that he really doesn't fear us since on his own initiative and without warning when my husband and I are seated or busy working nearby he will skirt the top of each of our heads. One day I was seated on a nearby couch just dozing when I heard him (HE IS INCREDIBLY FAST) and felt his little feet brush the top of my head. Question: how do I encourage Donny that it is safe for him to land on me? I would love this!!! I really want to try to do whatever Donny is comfortable with.
I also meant to mention we are fostering an older dog who is very gentle and likes to watch when Donny flies (she never chases him or goes near Donny). I always protect Donny in any case. Anyway, the other evening we had both our dog, Susie, and Donny in the family room with us and we both were petting Susie and Donny was watching us with interest; he was in his cage far enough away and he did not look like he does when he is being threatened-i.e. when my hand is in the cage near where he is sitting. I keep hoping he will figure out we are not a threat to him.
Donnie may never become fully tame and you need to accept that.
Giving Donnie a safe and loving home with healthy food and the best care possible is most important.
Simply having Donnie as a part of your life should be sufficient.
Take each day as it comes and enjoy the journey with Donnie.
Some of my budgies choose to land on me while others do not.
I accept each of my birds as a unique individual with his/her own personality and likes/dislikes.
I never try to force them to be with me - it is their choice whether or not they wish to interact on a personal level or prefer to remain at a distance.
Taming and Bonding requires a great deal of patience. Even if Donnie chooses not to land on you, it is still possible to play games such as the "blinking game" with him, sing to him, talk to him and let him come to accept you at his own pace to the degree with which he is comfortable.
Thank you for your advice. That is pretty much what we've both have decided. We still bring him in to our Family Room to be with us in the evening. I do sing to him and we both speak softly to him. What is the "blinking game"?
Sit near Donnie and look at him (you may want to gaze at him from a 3/4 profile rather than straight on - budgies like that).
Slowly blink your eyes.
Donnie will most probably blink his eyes in return.
Whether he does or not the first time, repeat the process.
Rinse and repeat!
Most budgies love to play the blinking game and it helps them to relax.
Will Donny ever learn to like us?
State: 
State: 
Let us know how things with Donny progress! We'd love to see photos if you have any 
