Meet Casper! And a few questions

[Calliana]

I got Casper about a week ago, I think he's a male and about four months old (just starting to molt but he still has the bars on his head), I gave him some time to settle in and then started working on taming him three days ago and just had progress today! He sat on my finger and stepped up repetedly when I told him to and pushed on his belly, without flying away like he usually does. I just got one instead of a pair because I want him to be a pet that I can take out of the cage instead of one that I can only watch, but he's not to the point where I can walk around the house with him which brings be to my first question. About how long do you think it will take to get to that point? For now I've been taking him to the bathroom so I won't lose him when he gets scared and flies away but I'd like to be able to watch tv and do other things with him.
And also, while carrying him to and from the bathroom he completely freaks out and bites my fingers, a bite or two doesn't hurt but after being bitten in the same place several times it does get sore, I try to cup him in my hands and hold him close to my chest without squeezing him so he feels safe but it doesn't help. Any advice to help with that? Thank you 😃

 

[gracebowen]

I don't know. I've had my Ace for 10 days and we are still working on up and belly rubs. He has only been out when he escaped. Casper is a cutie.

 

[EAI]

Could it be an object (furniture, painting, decorations, window ect.) in between the bathroom and where his cage thats causing him to bite?

 

[Allee]

Hello and Welcome to you and Casper! He's a real cutie. Having him step up repeatedly is good progress in only a week. Budgies are pretty nervous and flighty little birds, it usually takes a few weeks for them to adjust to a new environment. He's biting because everything is still new and scary. Give him some time to build trust. Here's a good link on bonding.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Good luck to you and your new companion.

 

[Ann333]

Hi welcome to the forum and congrats on your little budgie. Can you not take the cage to the bathroom as well? It sounds like you are trying to carry him in your hand which can lead to him disliking your hand which is not what you want. I would try using a small cage to transport him from room to room if at all possible.

 

[Psittaciformes]

Hi! Welcome and congrats on your budige They're funny little guys.
I always start the training in the room the cage is in, play and socialise with the bird 'till it's comfortable on you moving around in the room, slowly walk out the room, just go a few steps out and stand there for a little while, let the bird inspect, then go back.
Give him a treat and play a little, do the same thing again, but if he seems comfortable, slowly take a couple more steps.
Obviously there are tons of methods, this is just the way I like to do it.

Like Ann said, don't cup your bird, it's generally not a good idea to come from above, especially with a new bird. It's natural for them to see it like a predator and then end up disliking hands.

Good luck with Casper! Lots of info to be found on here too.
He's a gorgeous bird, by the way!

 

[Calliana]

He's so much better today! I've been taking him out for about 10 minutes at a time (I read that they usually poop about every 15 minutes and I want to train him that it's only okay to poop in his cage) , 2-3 times a day. Last night I got him to step up on my finger inside his cage and sit there without freaking out, a little bit ago I decided to see how he did with access to the whole house and he's doing great! He flew away when I first got him out but stepped right back on my finger when I went to get him and stayed on it after that, after the 10 minutes of carrying him around I went to put him back in his cage and he grabbed ahold of the bars and climbed on top so I decided to leave him out a while longer to see how he does. He flew away once and landed on the curtain and when I went to get him he flew back to his cage and has been sitting there since then.

 

[Skittles74]

Welcome to the forum, Casper is the cutest thing ever!
If you want a quick way to his heart give him some millet