I feel like I'm not providing enough

[SoloDolo1234]

Hello you guys! I'm gonna keep it straight, I bought 2 budgies from a chain in which I will not name, And i think I messed up by even buying from them, but I also want to be there for them. After buying these two, I already had a cage set up, but it has now been 2 months, and one of them has passed, and the other one that's still alive is so scared of people he breathes very heavy when you get close to his vicinity, and he moves away. I keep him in my room, where he eats when I'm in the room, but if I were to move or get up, he instantly stops whatever he's doing and scans my whole room. I think I also contributed to his skittishness because several times he's flew out the cage in a scared frenzy, and I'd gently net him with a beach towel to put him back in this cage. I feel like I've done a horrible job. He has plenty of toys, but he hasn't even touched them and I'm just lost on what to do. (edit) I forgot to mention, he always sits at this particular side of his cage and he wont move or do anything for hours. I havent genuienly let him have free flight time around in my room, becuase when I open the cage, he'll just sit there, and even if I leave the room for a couple of hours, he wont budge. I also been looking around a bit, and people have been flip flopping saying that you should/shouldn't let your bird out if its tamed or not. Any advice?

 

[AprilRobin]

We "rescued" our first three Budgies from a large chain two years ago. I understand feeling guilty for supporting a chain, but sometimes it's hard to resist helping the birds who are already there (I realize that this is just giving sales to the chain).

I am so sorry to read about one of your Budgies passing away. As for your remaining Budgie, it's not extremely unusual for him to still be shy and nervous around you after only two months.

Here are some suggestions:

• Keep trying to give him out-of-cage time in your room. He needs the exercise, and he will come out when he is ready. I have twelve Budgies now. A couple of them were shy about leaving the cage at first. So were my two Cockatiels.
• Instead of netting him with the towel, leave the cage door open and set a nice treat inside, such as millet or crushed Nutriberries or Avi-Cakes. You might even need to leave the room for a little while and wait for him to go back inside.
• If he does go in and eat some of a treat, take it away after a few minutes. Don't leave "special" treats in the cage all the time; only his main food and water.
• It sounds like you're doing this already, because he lives in your room, but it really helps to just sit near the cage, read a book, use a tablet/phone, etc. He will start to recognize you as a normal part of his new home, not an intruder.
• Play music or a TV show softly. Pure silence can make a bird feel uncomfortable, because in the wild, groups of birds will go silent when they hear something suspicious. Check out Parrot Town TV on YouTube; they have background music specifically for pets.
• As for the toys, my birds will ignore some toys for months, then suddenly get excited about them!

When your Budgie starts to feel comfortable around you, he will start letting his guard down in your prescence... preening, napping / perching on one foot, chirping happily in your direction and bobbing his head at you, etc. He might do all of these things, but still not want to sit on you. Don't feel discouraged. Go at the bird's pace. Earning trust is a slow but rewarding process.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

**Hugs** It's rough when it feels like you're not doing enough. If your guy has a big enough cage, I don't see why you couldn't keep him in the cage long term, but it's got to be a BIG cage. AprilRobin offered good advice for your current situation.

DOn't be afraid to get a second bird. While not necessary, it could help cheer up a lonely bird.

 

[SoloDolo1234]

Thank you both for your advice. I feel like I understand him a bit more, and Afterall you always have to be patient. Thanks!

 

[AprilRobin]

DOn't be afraid to get a second bird. While not necessary, it could help cheer up a lonely bird.

Also, if one bird trusts the owner more quickly - eats from hands, etc. - the other one might follow their example. This has happened with a few of my Budgies. They were shy around me at first, of course, but they trusted me a little more after watching the others.

 

[AprilRobin]

Thank you both for your advice. I feel like I understand him a bit more, and Afterall you always have to be patient. Thanks!

You're welcome! A couple of good YouTube channels are "Denny the Budgie" and "Love of Pets".