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Expert: - 8/12/2007


Question
"How do I train a budgie to fly to my hand when I call it?"


Answer
Hi, Ustat,

You'd have to start with a bird that was a very young baby and handfeed it in order to make it tame and bonded to you.  By handfeeding the bird, the bird will come to love your fingers/hands and will be responsive to you when you "show" them to the bird.  I trained a baby pigeon that was handfeed to come to me when called by tapping my fingers on something and the bird would fly to my fingers.

An older bird that wasn't handfed would be difficult to train.  The principle would be the same, i.e., the bird would have to want to come to you for whatever reason (out of love, because you have some food it wants, etc.).  You'd have to use some method of getting the bird to come, such as offering the bird its favorite treat.  Repetition of this action would be the way to train the bird.

Chrys

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Chrys Meatyard

Expertise

I`ve been raising/breeding/handfeeding/selling parrots for over 20 years (parakeets/budgies, cockatiels, 6 subspecies of conures, parrotlets, amazons, lovebirds, etc.). I've been published in "Budgies" and "Cockatiels" offered by Bow Tie Productions, and have written avian articles for publication in England. I can provide advice in raising healthy birds, handfeeding/weaning babies, some health problems, nail/beak/wing clipping, general husbandry, etc. I also have experience with racing/showing homing pigeons. I cannot diagnose specific illness over this website. If you suspect your bird is ill or if you have an emergency, contact a certified avian veterinarian or emergency pet clinic ASAP.

Experience

Over 20 years breeding/raising/handfeeding/selling 15 different species of parrots.

Education/Credentials
American Federation of Aviculture, completed Level I course, Fundamentals of Aviculture. Keeping/breeding parrots and other birds for over 20 years.

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