I rescued a lost budgie and need help!

About 4 months ago, a budgie arrived at my backyard feeder and continued to show up several times a day for the next three months. Once it started to get cold, I decided that I needed to try to catch her to save her from a cold winter. I easily did so (even when she was free, I could pretty much just go up and talk to her and get really close).

She's been inside now for about a month, and I'm trying to work on hand taming her. She was just settling in, when I had to move her to my step son's house as we are having some renovations done and there were strong fumes. I visited her for several hours each day, and tried to continue with the training. Now she's back home (just since yesterday) and she's pretty comfortable, all things considered.

My issues are:

1. I couldn't get her to step up at all onto my finger. Then I found step-by-step instructions on how to perch train her, and then transition her from stepping up to a moving perch to stepping up to my finger. She will step up onto the perch, but she is pretty nervous. I can't really move it much, or she just flies off. Should I just continue with this, and simply hold the perch in place without trying to move it? She also won't step up voluntarily (without me putting a little pressure on her chest). Is it just a matter of repeating this over and over until it becomes safe/comfortable? I don't feel like we're making a great deal of progress, and don't know if I'm doing something wrong, or if my expectations are just too high. Also, does it makes a difference if you say "step up" or just "up"?

2. She doesn't seem to have any interest in eating food from her seed containers. She does occasionally, but basically, she seems to just wait until I offer her seed in my hand, and then she goes to town (although still showing signs of nervousness). I would think that if she were nervous, she would just eat on her own. Is this perhaps a bonding thing? I know that she WILL use her seed dishes (when she was away, I couldn't be there all the time, and she was eating). Maybe she's just a little stressed with all this change recently, and this handfeeding is a small comfort to her? Since she's eating out of my hand, I have to assume that there is some level of trust there, but what can/should I do to move it to the next level?

Sorry to be so wordy. I've done a ton of research, but the circumstances here seem to be a little unique, so I felt the need to fully explain the situation.

Any help/insight/info would be much appreciated! Thanks!

i would be patient. what i reccomend is you just sit and talk with her for a while. there must be some trust or she wouldnt go by your hand at all. as for the stepping up thing. i would say step up not just up. try giving her a treat of say millet every time she does something good. i dont know a single small bird that doesnt like millet. try with the perch still then after she does well with that go to moving it slowly then try moving your hand closer and closer to her and soon she should step up to you. sometimes it can be a long process. good luck and thanks for rescuing the little one.

Hi! Have you trimmed the birds wings yet? I can be done gradually until six feathers are cut on each side. It may help tame the bird down since it will become more dependent on you. I would start with two flight feathers on each side, then another two, etc. Again, as has been stated in other replies, patience and more patience. Perhaps putting the seed on a dish instead of a seed cup might help. Also, if you are eating and there is food that is safe for the bird to eat, eat together. Since you don't know the history of the bird, you are kind of starting from square one. Thank goodness it has a loving home.

Thanks for your responses.

Miamore, I have a hard time actually rewarding her when she steps up or does anything good, simply because I can't get both my hands in the cage at the same time (so if I'm holding the perch, I can't reward her). Suggestions? Maybe I need to adjust the cage setup?

Justwingingit, I haven't clipped her wings. I don't think I could do it myself (this is my first bird), and I'm not even at the point of being able to handle her. I kind of don't want to clip her, if I don't have to...But having said that, I do want to tame her, so if I really need to, in order to do so, I'll have to find a way to do it...

Thanks!

Sounds like a trip to the vet for grooming is in store. Perhaps this is a bird that never had much people contact. Mabye the bird got out when very young. At least you have the rescue heart and the forum to keep up with support. Good luck.

Miamore, I know there are some that don't believe in clipping birds. I do, that may be the reason you had to rescue the bird. That is why I suggested a gradual clip. If you cannot do it yourself, don't even try. A trip to the vet or a clean, reputable store would be in order. I call trims "behavior modification" because it does just that. Good luck and keep us posted.