I need help with my budgie training!

[Trisst]

I have had Lorry and Mercedes ,my budgies, for almost 3 years now. We used to trai Lorry a long time ago but then we went on holiday and for a long time we stopped so he got wild and we stopped. Mercedes was a gift he has had no training whatsoever. And now all of a sudden me and my brother want to train them. You know to talk and come and all that.However, i think this can only be done when budgies are young. Also my brother is trying to train lorry and im trying to tame mercedes who ae both in the same cage.We are currently trying our hardest but all they do is fly around and bite us (we wear gloves).Lorry can walk a little on and off our hand but mercedes is very reluctant. I have also found a site which says the best way to train budgies is to have them alone. How can i seperate the two who have been together so long? :( So is it possible? Can we train them or is it too cruel? And if we can how?
Plz help me!

[Husky_mom]

so it´s true.... its harder to train older birds but still doable.... it also depends much on the bird itself... I had one that was older and from day one was very tame I´ve had also some that are as wild as can be LOL

it is also best to train them separately as if one birds gets startled the oner ne will follow.. :rolleyes: ... they feed on each others fears... you might try separate them and try train them gradually.... they you can put them back together but continue to "train"...

gloves might lso be a trigger in their fear.... you might try just getting your hand inside and sit still for a few minutes a few times a day so they get used to it, then have some food on it so they can "try" get it from your hand ( still not forcing them and just being still)... once they get used to it

it may also be hard for them to get separated...but also they may get used to it if they can still hear/see eachother....

[Trisst]

I do not always where gloves only times when they are biting most.
They dont startle one another they actually seem to want each other which is what makes me so worried.
We have got them out of the cage by holding them and when they are out we let them wander a bit to settle and then hold out our hands. Is this wrong?
i know what you mean when you say budgies differ. Lorry is hopping from one finger to the next like a jetplane and the next minute hes biting your ear off. Mercedes although mostly calm and slow to bite can sit on one finger and stay there for hours!(well 10 minutes from what ive tried but still!)
Thank you for what you have suggested ill try it all next time i get the chance. :cool:
Any more help is very welcome plz keep posting

[Husky_mom]

what i meant was that if one bird got startlet by YOU the other one would get startled also... as in scared so they both get scared of each others reactions towards you/your brother/hands...

if they DO step to your fingers and stay there that´s a HUGE step forward... you should just assure them they can trust you...

have you tried offering them millet... budgies are millet junkies... they go nuts for it.. that way they´ll associate millet=good millet= safe millet= nice people

[Trisst]

Ya i know what you mean by the startling i just realised after i posted that.
Me and my brother are trying to find themtreats but its proving a bit useless...until now! Whats millet?

[Husky_mom]

do you have a petsmart near by?.... you can find millet there... and also very nice treats... budgies also love fruits and veggies which you can give as a daily thing esp. veggies... fruits not that much as they may get watery poops......

here´s a pic of millet... they sell in in bags and in form of sprays
http://www.foodfourpets.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/higgins-millet-spray-seed-treat.bmp

millet: click here (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753486&cp=&sr=1&origkw=millet&kw=millet&parentPage=search&keepsr=1)
this is the one found at petsmart but you can buy any

[Trisst]

are those like sticks you hang in their cage because then they already have that stuff in their cage and put it on my hand and when i took it out they still woudnt come any closer! :confused:

[Husky_mom]

no... I think the "sticks" you are referrign to are different... this is more like a wheat or something.... it´s more flexible.... and teh sticks I assume you are saying are more stiff like and are just a stick with several seeds stuck to them...

once they try millet they are gonna go nuts for it.... my tiels don´t get near me if their life depended on it....unless I have millet :rolleyes:

[Giselle]

Patience is a virtue ;)

The reason people recommend you separate birds is because your bird will likely bond with its birdie-friend rather than you. If the bird has bonded with the birdie-friend, it likely won't give a hoot about you unless you tamed the bird beforehand. So if you separate the birds, you have to be the single bird's best friend. You have to groom them, provide companionship, play with them, etc. It's a big responsibility. If you can't provide that kind of companionship and training, then I would just recommend keeping them together. They won't bond as well to you, but that's a small price to pay.

As for training, don't feed your birds in the morning. Instead, take a spoonful of their seed diet and place it in the palm of your hand. Place your hand in the cage next to a perch. Sit there and don't move and don't look them in the eyes. After a few minutes, the birds will climb onto your hands to eat the seed. Don't move and don't look at them threateningly. It'll also be good to practice birdie calming signals like: yawning, looking sideways, slow blinking, etc.

Also, I highly recommend Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan. Good luck :)