Training Your Budgie.

There are several schools of thought for how to tame a pet budgie. This page is dedicated to explaining different methods that budgie owners have successfully used to hand tame their feathered friends.

Catch and Release Method

Take the budgie out of the cage and into another room that is out of site of the cage. It is best to have the budgie clipped when taming them. Repeatedly catch and release the budgie. Budgies are quick to learn that you are not hurting them. After about half and hour, take the budgie back to the cage and talk to it for awhile.

The Ultradrastic Training Method

Pick up the just-purchased budgie. It will attempt to chew your finger off. Grab it in a body hold, and hold it the whole way home from the store (if you're not driving), or hold it for a half hour at a time, at least five times the first day. Don't let it go, and discourage biting with a firm grab to its beak. Clip the wings, too... This tames them to the bite-gently and don't-flee-too-much stages in one day!!

The Aviaries Training Sessions Method

This method requires patience, and clipped wings make this a much easier process. This taming method includes frequently talking to your budgie, using a soft voice to soothe them. Each training session should last between 10-20 minutes. Slowly put your hand in the cage and keep it in there until the bird has a chance to settle itself down. Resist the urge to grab or move your hand over to the budgie in the first few sessions. Give the budgie some time to come used to the presence of your hand. When the budgie stops freaking out at the sight of your hand in the cage it is time to slowly push your finger towards the bird's belly like a perch. Say "up" when you press your finger against its belly. When you return the budgie to its cage or perch say "down". Continue talking to the budgie when the budgie is on your finger. When it seems like the budgie is comfortable sitting on your finger, you may slowly take the budgie out of the cage on your finger. Do not be over zealous the first time you take the budgie out of the cage. Always keep these training sessions short at first. Eventually the time out of the cage will increase and you will have a trusting budgie friend.

On Their Own Time Method

Don't try to handle them in the first few days in their new home. Give the budgie some time to get used to its new home and environment. Have the cage in a room where you are a lot of the time. Spend lots of time with the budgie, talking to the budgie and putting your hands in the cage only to change their water and give them fresh food. Make a point to show them that you are merely doing good things for the budgie and not trying to hurt the budgie. It may take some time before the budgie will decide to come out to you, and you may try to bribe the budgie to come out of its cage by leaving millet or other budgie treats right outside the cage door, or even in your hand right inside or outside the cage. Eventually the budgie will learn to accept you and be your friend.