How to Train a Budgie

How to train a budgie/parakeet.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Budgie
• Paitence
• Time

1. If your budgie is just new, leave it a couple of days to settle in.
   The most important thing is to clip your birds wings. It doesn't hurt, and they can always grow back later (at the next molt which is about twice a year). It would be best to get a vet, groomer, or experienced person to do it. Your budgie should be able to flutter to the ground, and both wings should be trimmed. The long flight feathers should be cut, NOT the short secondary flight feathers.

2. Every time you walk by your budgies' cage, say talk to it, and give it a treat.
   Sit by the cage reading aloud without looking at your bird. You want it to get used to you.

3. For about five minutes everyday, a couple of times a day, put a millet spray in your palm and put it in the cage. Do not chase your budgie around the cage, just leave your hand in. The bird should run away. That is fine. Take your hand out and do it again later the day. After a couple days (or longer depending on if your bird is shy)he/she may creep a little closer, or even jump onto your hand and eat the millet! Stay still so you do not frighten him/her.

4. Now it is time to take your bird out. Get a soft towel and gently retrieve your budgie. DO NOT, by any means, chase it around the cage! This will only make it fearful of you. Remember, you are a thousand times its size, and considered a predator.

5. Find an enclosed room with no distractions. A bathroom is good, just keep the toilet lid down. Sit on the floor and place your pet on your knee. Speak softly to it. If it jumps off your knee, GENTLY and CALMLY catch it with the towel. Again, NO CHASING! Keep sessions short, about ten minutes, so it does not get bored. When you put it back in the cage, give it some millet.

6. If your little budgie bites you, say in a firm voice "No Bites. That's not nice" Don't scream, tap the beak, do nothing, ignore the bird, etc.
   Remember, keep going at your birdie's own pace. Do not try to speed up the process. If your bird is taking a long time, it is not abnormal. It takes as long as it takes.

7. After your bird is used to you, can can start practicing "Step Up". Push your finger against your budgie's belly, just above its legs, and say "Step Up" or "Up" in a soft gentle voice. It should step onto your finger. Praise it ("Good Bird" etc.). You can play a game called "Climbing the Stairs", which is just step up practice. (Every time the bird steps up onto your finger, praise it then do it again) Remember to give him/her millet when you put them back in the cage.

8. Congratulations, your budgie should have a certain level of tameness. Later on you can teach it to do tricks like wave, shake hands, etc., maybe even teach it to talk, give a kiss, fly to you, etc.
   Remember, paitence is the key to taming a budgie!

Tips & Warnings

• Always remain paitent
• Go at your budgie's own pace
• Always use a gentle voice
• Never chase your bird
• Too much millet can make the budgie pudgie. Millet should be used a lot during the training process, but after the 'keet is trained, it should only be fed once a week, if that.
• Make sure the toilet lid is down
• Never squeeze your budgie when he is in a towel. Make sure his head is sticking out and he can breathe. Light towels are best.
• Always watch for blood feathers when clipping the wings. That is why it is best to have an experienced person do it. Sometimes bird clubs will do it for free, or a small price (usually $5.00 for a budgie, or less)

[princess23]

on 2/19/2009 not very helpfull i got my bird 10 mn ago and looked up to tran budgis\ parkeets he already did all of that sutff...not trying to brag but i wanted something helpfull like tricks or actual training