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 bathroom 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 that 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!

Hi Collete, I can't remember if I posted on your other thread, but I'm sorry you're having this problem....I'm really, really sorry that I don't have any advice for you..... Hopefully someone else will, though! Good luck!

I`m sorry too I have no advise ...but the little guy sounds awfully cute ..
maybe other budgie owners will have more of an idea....I have heared females bite more and harder than males (not sure if thats true) maybe hormonal..??

Good Luck ...

I may be able to help. Ive got a lot of experience rescuing budgies- most of them are the bin 'o birds variety who were simply always caged and never handled. I have not yet been unable to hand tame a single one. There is no single programme that works every time for every bird, but here is what I find works most often.

First, if your bird is not already eating organic pellets with no additives, make the switch ASAP. I find that diet change alone makes a good 90% change in a birdies behavior. I like the TOP products, I find that most of the birds I work with are soley seed fed before I get them. I have a technique to switch them to pellets if you need it. I assume, being here your guys migh alreay all be eating pellets. The reason I like that one particularily, is that there is NO aritifical additives, manufactured vitamins or anything. I don't have any evidence to prove it or anything, but my suspiction is that behavioral problems, like being high strung, plucking, biting etc etc are due to allergies. I got this in my head after starting to feed skitish, underweight feral/part feral cats raw, organic homemade food and ended up having very different kitties in a few months time. So, when I have birds that have "screws loose" I put them on the TOPS. I find getting them to eat pellets easy, its fruit/veg/real food supplementation that is totally trial and error and encouraging them to actually play with the toys instead of looking at the like pieces of cage architecture that is hard. I think the other birdies help me out with that one, more often then I just hit on the right toy. Preening toys tend to be great "starter toys" though I find- and I find that a bird who plays well trains well. Sounds like you don't have that problem though!

Next, I TOTALLY recommend the birdtricks course. IMHO this is a very worthwhile investment for every bird owner. I think the site is a bit mis-named, because I guess that many folks think its for perfect, cuddly birds and owners with lots of time that want to teach them circus tricks! He covers the basics very well, so that if you WANT to have a performing bird, you can advance to doing that- you don't have to get into it though. For me, having a bird who is happy to let me handle him, and perch around on my shoulder is perfect!

If you follow his plan to get your bird on eating enough so that he is a LITTLE bit hungry for his favourite goody- you will have a much easier time. It is just habit and conditioning here- it sounds to me like you are doing things right and Sunny just got something into his head about your hand/s. When you get to the point (slowly) of having YUMMY treats in your hand, problem will be solved.

One "trick" I have- I have one of those little cups on a 3 foot dowel. If you have a playgym, just get a small dowel at the hardware store and get someone to drill a hole alongside about an inch from the end of it and use the removable treatcup from your gym. First, put it (the new dowel and treatcup gizmo) in his cage and just leave it there for a few days. I usually put this in there as the "high perch" when I am switching them from seeds and fill it up with pellets. I will sprinkle JUST A PINCH of seeds onto on day 1 or 2 and put a feeder with just a teaspoon or so of their usual seeds. I slowly phase out the seeds- generally within 2 weeks they are happily on the new pellets. At any rate, that dowel, once I get them eating just enough to be a LITTLE hungry (I do not strave an animal, EVER, I just want them to have that I'm a little munchy feeling like you get on your post holiday diet). I start putting the pellets in a high feeder and then will put yummy treats in the dowel and then offer it to the bird while HOLDING in my hand one end of it, steady, outside of the cage. Always be talking, saying nice, happy positive things to your bird while doing anything with him training wise. Even when to YOU it is boring, repetitive and hellishly slow!

(I hope this is not getting too complicated).

After that, they only see that dowel/treat cup thingy during "training time" about 5 mintues, twice a day to start. It goes in the cage with me holding it for a few days- slowly less and less INTO the cage, my hand still holding it. Then, slowly I get them used to the idea that it moves. Just slowly sliding it back and forth into the cage. I get them to the point where they hop out of their cage onto it to get the goodies over time. Then they get used to me walking with them eating/perched on it. Eventually they get into another room. Then, my hand gets closer and closer to the treat cup. DO NOT RUSH IT. Go by the bird, watch his signals. Eventually, the treat cup is right in my hand, I put the little spindle part of it between my fingers, and usually wrap a hair elastic around the bottom a few times then around my hand to hold it STEADY. When birds are good and used to that, the treat goes into my hand. Then I reverse it, and start having my hand go into the cage (instead of them hoping out from the door), by closing the treat in my fist and opening it to show them the treat. When the bird willingly comes to your hand, then and ONLY then can you do the traditional finger perch training thing.

Now, just to give you an idea how SLOWLY I do all this- on average, it takes about 3 months. I most likely could do it faster, but I have it in my head that slow makes for solid and to date, after a few hundred birds in 20 years, it has never failed. So, I am not fixing what isn't broke!

I hope that helps, he sure is a lovely looking fellow. I haven't figured out how to get them to talk yet, I suppose I should buy that course of Chets!

J

ps- I hope you could understand what I was saying? If not, just let me know! Also, I am not trying to insult your birdie know how or anything- I just put it all in there so if someone did not know, they could find out! So, exclude what you already know and use whatever bits you think might work for your own special birdie!

looks like you got some good information. I had budgies years ago, unfortunately for my birds, I was not knowledgeable enough at the time. So they remanined untame......I later got another little one and he was already tame and talked and talked some more, he was so very cute!

I had a parakeet as a child I didn't know anything about them so I just started holding him and petting him he was freeflying after the intitial clip he just clicked instantly with me I didn't have the honeymoon period he never bit me so thats why i have trouble understand racal lol I guess i was lucky sorry i can't help but yours is beautiful

Your budgie was hand fed. Sometimes they are handled rough or in a clumsy way and that's why they end up being afraid of hands.
You have to show him that only good things come from your hands. Does he like millet? Most budgies will do almost everything for it.
I use clickertraining with my budgies. Whenever they do something right, I click and reward. So, you would reward your bird for sitting on your hand without biting. When he bites, you put him down and walk away.

Sigrid

First, may I ask where your Sunshine is located and is the Quaker's cage close to Sunshine's cage? I personally would recommend if possible trying putting Sunshine in a low traffic area so that he is not constantly having people come by his cage (this can be temporary once he is more comfortable with working with you). Moving him to a quieter place where you are alone with him would be my first & only change at this time. (A better pellet diet can be worked on at another time or if you want to work on it first take it very slow & monitor both his droppings and his weight.). Parakeets can be quite a challange switching them to a pellet diet if they have not been on one before and can starve themselves to death. (Yes, in the past I have known lone budgies/parakeets who would not touch a pellet and would have starved themselves to death, not knowing/recognizing it was truly a healthier food for them.)

If you wish to work on building a handleable relationship with Sunshine. I would as I suggested move him into a room where there is just him & me. I would sit near his cage as often as I could & when he seemed to settle into the new cage location I would then start working with him. Also, during this time I would only give him treats with my hands. When he seems settled I would get an old but clean t-shirt to hold him in my hand. I would several times a day wrap him gently & somewhat loosely in the t-shirt and gently hold him for just a few seconds. Immediately give him a treat and place him back in his cage. It probably will not take too long before Sunshine will step up on the t-shirt that you are holding in your hand. Then you work on getting Sunshine to sit on the t-shirt on your hand for longer periods of time. When you both feel that you are ready for the next step then start once again holding him in the t-shirt for a brief period but adding a gentle stroke to the back of his head with your free hand and then reward him with a treat and if he wants to go back to his cage. This has worked for me with budgies in the past. But be careful to not stress him too much. Take it slow & watch Sunshine for your cues as to how to proceed and how much to do. Also, almost forgot talk softly or sing to him as often as you can & when you are working with him tell him what you are doing & why. Even if he doesn't understand it all he will learn and be comforted knowing you will not hurt him & love him.

Hope this may help you & Sunshine! Please let us know how you & Sunshine work things out and how it progresses! Hope you both will have a happier & healthier companionship!

Jess

WOW! Thanks to all who replied. I can't wait to try some of these things. I'm glad I re-submitted my plea for help. Looking forward to a calmer Sunshine in the near future. I'll be writing to some of you individually.....if Sunshine hasn't chewed off my fingers. lol
Thanks again everyone!