[Nijjamonkyy]

Hi!
I've been trying to tame my budgies. Nacho will happily hop onto my hand with food on it, hop on without it and he's stepped up onto my hand with and without food. I'm just going to continue this process to gain his trust. Rito is happy to eat from my hand but won't hop onto it, as whenever my hand gets closer he edges away. Finally Taco, as some people may know now, is a little sick, so I'm going to to try and tame him after he's better. Unfortunately, since he isn't tame I have to catch him when I take him to the vets which I know is stressful, but there's nothing else I can do. He's also terrified of my hand as I have had to catch him to inject medicine into his mouth.

Does anyone have any tips for how I proceed with Rito? I can't seen to get past this barrier. How would I tame Taco when he's better, and is there a better/less stressful way to transport him to the vets?
Thanks

Nijjamonkyy

 

[iHeartPieds]

When you go to catch him, put a pillow case over your hand like a glove. This means he will be scared of the pillow case, not your hand and will not associate your hand with being caught.

 

[RavensGryf]

As for taming (not for catching for the vets), you’ll need to go at each budgie’s own pace, and not try to rush things. This can mean weeks of consistency, or even months depending on the bird. Keep up the good work, and slowly coax with millet or a favorite treat to come out farther and explore different areas, always keeping ‘bird safe’ surroundings in mind. Also, having him see you in the room, relaxed and acting calm and “normal” as you do things, or just sit and read, etc. will give him opportunity to observe and get him used to you.

Some budgies, depending on their individual personality, will only seem to tolerate human interaction to a certain point, then they will put up boundaries that you’ll need to respect. Other budgies are good candidates for a close bond with a human. You’ll come to know how they are after enough time has gone by.

To take to the vet, unfortunately you will have to catch him against his will. Darkening the room can help. Relax your body language and don’t be in a hurry. Using a cloth in your hand can provide a larger surface area and make it easier to get him. It also may help him not associate your hands with a bad experience. Best wishes!