How to tame a budgie

Begin your training sessions with 10- to 15-minute sessions a day. These will be the tools to building a bond of trust between you and your bird.

Visit your bird by his cage at about the same time every day. Talk softly to it, and leave your hand in front of the cage so that he or she can see it. Don't wave it with any big motions, but just leave it still so that they can see it. Make sure that you aren't moving around a lot during your first few times of training. You can say things such as "Pretty bird" or "Hi birdy." Talk very softly as if you were talking to a baby or young child.

Begin slowly opening the door to your budgie's cage after about four to seven days of just talking to your bird. At first the budgie may act afraid, but with time and your trust, he or she will slowly begin to open up. Start just by leaving your hand in the cage without actually putting it near the bird. The idea is to let your budgie get used to having your hand in the cage.

Offer your budgie a treat such as millet spray or wet leafy greens. Try this trick after about another four to seven days of leaving your hand in it's cage. Hold the treat near the budgie's perch or where he/she can reach the treat. With a little time and patience, the budgie should eventually come over to your hand to take the treat. Just lay your hand still holding the treat so that it does not appear threatening to the budgie. Start by holding the treat far away at first, and then gradually hold it closer and closer as the budgie begins to trust your hand. This could take three to five different times before it is successful.

Hold your hand near your budgie once he or she has learned to trust your hand. Approach your bird slowly, so that it does not scare him or her. Use your index finger as a perch for the budgie. Take your finger and hold it under the budgie's lower abdomen and try to get it to sit on your finger. The budgie may appear afraid at first and go away. Take plenty of patience to try again, and avoid using your hand to go after the budgie. Let the budgie decide for itself when it will jump onto your finger. Once the budgie has gotten onto your hand, hold it very still, and then reward him with a treat. Talk softly to the budgie as it sits on your finger.

After your budgie has gotten onto your finger, you can be awarded with a great bond of trust from your budgie. From this step, you can begin training to let your budgie out of it's cage if you wish. It could be some time before your budgie decides to move away from it's safe area. Congratulations on your first steps towards taming your budgie.