Peep gives kisses now!

[ChocoboFun]

This was a very unexpected turn of events for me. She is usually a little more aggressive than Perry is. Definitely still skittish (I guess I can blame that on a large chain pet store in which the employees couldn't tell the difference between any two given birds in the cage), but has been improving lately.

So today, I set them both on top of the shower like I try to do 2 or 3 times a week. Perry loves it, Peep is usually pretty apathetic about the whole ordeal unless I whistle to her. When I finished the shower, and started moving them to the medicine cabinet mirror/door (empty!), I first told Perry "give me kiss" and made a dramatic smooching sound as I slowly moved in to touch his beak to my nose. He tolerated it as usual. Then I did the same with Peep, who usually backs up enough I'm afraid she will fall off my finger.

She surprsed me by touching her beak to my nose and making a short and very light kiss sound. To determine that it wasn't a fluke, I've had her do it 2 more times since. She didn't make the kissing noise the 2nd and 3rd times, but still leaned in to touch her beak on my nose.

I'd like to think this is a big sign of progress with her, as she has also been coming out of her cage without a fuss the last few days as well!

 

[Kalidasa]

Sounds like amazing progress! With 2 budgies, don't be discouraged if one is less bonded/friendly towards you, as that's how it usually goes. But as long as she's civil and friendly, then you've made great progress. with budgie pairs, (gender is irrelevant) usually one bird is more bonded to the human, and the other bird is more bonded to the other budgie, but is friendly to the human. And don't be surprised if Perry discourages her from interacting with you too much in the future...the budgie most bonded to the human often gets jealous of too much interaction between the human and other budgie. Sounds like you got a happy family going on!

 

[Terry57]

That is amazing progress! It's so cute that she even made the kissing sound when she did it

 

[ChocoboFun]

It was indeed adorable. Now that my wife has seen it, she wants to try it out for herself!

I should probably try to come up with an appropriate award system beyond joyous exclamations.
I tried millet and they sometimes will eat it, but most of the time stare at it unless they approached a sprig on their own. It is pretty rare for them to eat from a hand, but not unheard of.