Sunshine, the yellow budgie below is a little monster. Kiwi, the Quaker, on the other hand, is like a little stuffed animal. Sunshine is two years old and wasn't always a monster. He was hand fed. But something must have happened along the way to make him distrust hands to the point where he will bite any hand that approaches him. He is also skittish when you simply approach him. He will fly to the ground where he will then step up, but not before he does the crab walk to try to get away from you until he decides to eventually step up. Weird habit. The other day, he was attached to my gloved hand, literally biting the day lights out of it while allowing me to kiss him on the back. Sounds like brain damage to me. LOL

He's wonderful in every other way and oh so beautiful as you can see below. I can touch him with my head and kiss him on the back, but when he sees a hand approaching, he takes off. When he sees a body approaching he takes off. He is, however, a terrific talker and can learn a word in a day. Unfortunately, he will never ever ever fly to anyone's shoulder. So sad! I have to take him in another room if I want him to stay on me at which point he will sit there for a bit. Then he takes off again. I have tried everything, At least I think I have. I work with him in the bathrom where he can't escape too far. Yes he does have his wings clipped. He gets along well enough with the Quaker although they stay about a foot away from each other at all times yet ironically will sleep together in the same cage. So his personality with the Quaker is much like it is for us. He simply stands back and watches but doesn't like to interact. I had budgies in the past who were just fine and I have no idea why this one is so stand off-ish. Does anyone have any ideas what I could do to get my little guy to calm down. As you can see in the photos, our house is active yet the grandkids are wonderful with the birds. No one is scaring him other than simply walking up to him. Weird! I just don't get it! It would be great if we were able to play with him like we do Kiwi.So I guess the question is :How do you get a bird who used to be friendly, friendly again. Thanks for any suggestions!

This thread is going to directly apply to me too. =)

Would treating him like an untamed bird with natural hand distrust and starting from scratch work? Can you do desensitization work with birds like you can with dogs? (Most of my background is in canine training but the psychology is pretty sound if you adapt it to flock mentality instead of pack mentality.) Would not working with a glove and slowing the demand down to a level Sunshine is comfortable with and taking the painfully long amount of time it would take to use an ungloved hand around him work or is it better to get the protection and just work safely without the hesitation?

As an animal groomer I've ended up able to do a lot with sensitive dogs that their owners couldn't even safely attempt - mainly because I've been bit enough times and accept it as part of the job in certain circumstances that the threat of the bite right down to the actual bite produces an response the dog doesn't expect. They know if you're uncomfortable and the glove is a sign that you don't trust Sunshine to NOT bite. I have a very high expectation with my grooming clients. I don't use a grooming sling or noose and I only pull out the muzzle if teeth come out with the intent to draw blood. My furkids are taught right from their first grooming that I expect them to stand still within reason on the table, not to attempt to leave the table without permission, and that threatening the grooming is never acceptable unless there is pain involved. If the dog has a broken tail the owner didn't know about and I get bit because I manipulated the tail, I don't blame the dog. (Yes, it's happened). I have more than a couple clients who hate having their feet touched and every single grooming we have the "I don't like forcing you to do this either but it has to be done, so let's go" conversation and they snarl and air snap with their little faces very politely pointed directly away from me while I move as smoothly and quickly as possible.

Birdie Rescue people might have the most insight into this one.