will he be more tame?

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I bought a budgie a week ago. Things are going fine. He started to step up on our fingers as early as the second day. On the third day I let him fly around our living room which is open to the dining room and the kitchen, so he can actually fly circles through that whole area which is about 800 square feet. There were no problems as far as getting him to step up back on our fingers to put him back in his cage, at first. Now he will only stay on our finger if we don't go in the direction of the cage. He will perch on my shoulder if I put him there, but will not fly down to interact with me or any one else. Do I simply have to be more patient? or have I made a mistake to let him fly around. Will he eventually come to us? or will the freedom of flying around make him stay at this level of tameness. He eats spray millet out of my hand and my 8 year old sons. He also will step up on my sons finger and sometimes my husbands. Thank you.

ANSWER: Hello Katarzyna,

A budgie sees his cage as a safe place or a refuge. When he sees it he is going to want to go back to it because he feels safe there. You have only had the budgie for a week so he just needs some time to adjust. Letting him fly around is a great way for him to get exercise. This will make for a happy healthy budgie. The more you and your family spend time with him the more he will want to be with you and will feel safe with you as well as the cage. Patience is key in taming birds. I would continue to let him fly around the house. Spend about 15 minutes one-on-one time with the bird everyday. You don't have to do the 15 minutes all at once though. Take the bird to a small room, like the bathroom, and just let him sit on your finger and whistle and talk to him. This will get him more comfortable with you and will eventually make him more tame. Once he is calm and comfortable around you then he will probably come to you without hesitation. With only having him a week he seems to be very tame. You seem to be doing everything right. Just be patient and be sure to spend at least 15 minutes of one-on-one time with him. Hopefully within about a month or two you will have an extremely sweet bird.

Hope this helps!
Thanks for the question!

(Any other questions feel free to ask!)

Calyopea

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for yur quick and helpfull response, I just have one more question I forgot to ask. Is it okey to give him any kind of toys at this point, such as bells and mirrors made for parakeets? We have alot of mirrors in the kitchen. The backsplash is all mirrors(very 80s)is it okey for him to see his reflection? I have read that a parakeet won't get tame if he sees his own reflection all the time because he will think that it's another parakeet interacting with him.He has not discovered these mirrors, but in due time I'm sure he will. He seems very intelligent.

Answer
Hello Katarzyna,

Yes, make sure he has plenty of toys to play with. Mirrors will make him think there is another parakeet. I don't think he won't be tame but he will be mesmerized by this. Until he is completely bonded to you and your family maybe just get him toys with bells and ropes and leave mirrors out. Just for a little while though. Until he is bonded more towards people. Be careful he doesn't fly into the mirrors too. He might not even realize they are mirrors until he hits into one.

Hope this helps!
Thank you for the question!

(Any other questions feel free to ask!)

Calyopea