Caging and Taming

Question
Hello,
I was thinking of getting a budgie and I already got a cage 24 inches long, 16 inches deep and 16 tall. I was wondering if it was a good size for one Budgie. My second question was how easy it is to tame an untamed budgie and how long it would take?

Thank You Very Much  

Answer
Hello Mark! The minimum dimentions for a keet is 20 inches long, 12 inches deep and 18 inches high. Your cage meets these standards perfectly. This cage will accommodate the bird only for eating and sleeping. Make sure your keet will have plenty of outside cage time. For an untamed budgie it could take years. Unfortunetly birds that have not been hand tamed when young often cannot be handled. Its a slow process for them to trust you. You can start by just talking to him softly every day, let him come out and explore on his own, and if he happens to fall on the ground rush to his aid and put him up high. A bird will relize your hand is a way of getting up and will gladly jump on to your hand. This may take a while but it is very important you keep his trust. Feeding him treats will also help, lettuce, parsley, grass seeds, millet spray are all favorites enjoyed by keets. Never rush your bird into being handled. If he flies away from your hand then he is not ready for you to pick him up, if you do this too soon the trust you gained will be broken and you will have a nippy and unhappy bird. Get him used to your hands being around his cage. Sooner or later when ever you come home he will puff out his feathers in relief to see you. good luck with your new friend!