Letting your budgie out of its cage for the first time is usually an exhilarating experience.
However, if proper measures are not taken, this flying freely can easily turn into either a terrifying injury or your bird leaving you for good.
In this article you’re going to discover the following
- Is it okay to let your budgie out of the cage?
- How to get your budgie out of the cage?
- When you should let your bird out of the cage?
- Should you let an untamed budgie out of their cage?
So if you’re interested about all the things you need to know about your budgie coming out of the cage for the first time then you’re going to love this article!
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
Is It OK To Let My Budgies Out Of The Cage?
Bird parents are often sharing stories like “How a budgie disappeared in some corner and was never found”.
Despite that,
Letting your budgie roam outside its cage is quite a healthy activity.
Why?
Well, because:
- Flying is part of a bird’s natural routine. And so, depriving a budgie of flying is not fair.
- Birds sitting in cages all day tend to become overweight. Consequently, they become prone not only to heart and kidney diseases but also to tumors.
- Lack of activity and stimulation may cause boredom or depression to the bird. Therefore, such budgies become aggressive biters or shouters.
- Also, spending time with your budgie outside its cage will allow you to form a special bond with your budgie.
Therefore, I do recommend you let your budgie to play outside its cage.
Of course, this may have raised safety concerns.
Especially if this is the first time you’re doing this
Not to worry because we’re going to talk about how you can get your budgie out of the cage
And also what you need to do when they are flying about
Carry on reading..
How To Get Your Budgie Out Of The Cage?
The key is to be patient and calmly set boundaries.
You can do so by following these steps:
Step: 1: Applying Safety Measures
Here are a few of the things that you ought to do:
1. Bird Proofing
The area that your budgie will be scaling should not have any escape routes or harmful substances. So,
- Close all doors and windows.
- Unplug all electronic devices.
- Remove any heated or liquid-containing utensils.
- Draw in curtains and cover the mirrors with sheets to avoid confusing your budgie.
- Put netting or soft materials at places to avoid a brutal fall.
- Secure away any other pets such as cats or dogs.
2. Clipping the Feathers
Unless your budgie is too weak to fly, clip those feathers.
This ensures that your bird does not fly too high.
But,
Don’t try to trim those fluffs on your own.
Take your bird to the vet.
3. Familiarizing with Surroundings
Put your budgie’s cage in the same room where it will roam freely, for at least two weeks prior to opening the cage door.
This way your bird will take in all its surroundings.
The chances of your budgie hitting a wall will lower significantly.
4. Taming the Bird
Ideally, you should let your budgie get familiar with your presence.
A trained budgie will step up onto your finger on your command.
Therefore, handling such a bird outside its cage becomes quite easy.
But taming a bird requires patience.
To train your bird, you must treat it with its favorite treat every time it responds to your command.
5. Setting Up Play Area
I recommend you install a bird play station near your bird’s cage.
This will make your budgie’s time outside its cage quite entertaining.
Also, add different toys in that area to give your bird maximum stimulating activity.
6. Others
You may ease your bird’s transition outside its cage by:
- Setting up a perch that leads the bird out of the cage.
- Getting a bigger cage to enhance your bird’s navigation skills.
Related article – Do parakeets like tall cages or wide cages?
Step: 2: Opening The Cage Door
Open the cage door and follow your routine.
Your budgie needs to understand that opening the cage door is neither dangerous nor something special.
Try adhering to the same schedule.
If your bird does not come out for say one hour, close the cage door.
In time, your budgie will come out on his own.
But don’t force him even if you have hand trained your bird.
It’s because coming out of the cage may still feel dangerous to your budgie.
Step: 3: Letting The Budgie Explore
Once your budgie comes out of its cage, let him explore the room freely.
Since a bird feels safe in higher locations.
Therefore, your budgie may try to sit on high spots such as bookshelves or curtain poles.
No matter how long your bird takes for its first time, don’t pester or spook it.
Step: 4: Putting The Budgie Back In Its Cage
Your budgie will exhaust itself and will return to the cage for food.
But if he delays coming back, try not to run after him.
Otherwise, he may associate you with forcibly being taken into the cage.
I advise setting up a timer for one hour and call your budgie to come back only after the timer goes off.
This will make your bird adjust to one hour roaming period.
My Budgie Hit a Wall, What Should I Do?
Don’t panic.
Since budgies are quite good at navigation.
Therefore, odds are that this bump was not as dramatic as you deem.
So, pick the bird in a towel and inspect it for any injuries.
Now, even if you don’t see any injuries, schedule a visit to your vet’s clinic.
It’s better to be safe than sorry
Related article – Do Budgies fly into walls?
When Should I Let My New Budgie Out Of The Cage?
Ideally, after at least 2-3 weeks of settling inside your place.
This may also depend on your budgie’s age.
Since younger budgies have lower or no expectations of what may seem normal.
Therefore, they may take shorter periods to adjust.
And so,
You may allow your baby budgie to come outside its cage as soon as it starts weaning.
However, for an older budgie training may be more straining.
Your old budgie may not have had any prior interaction with humans.
Therefore, you grabbing your budgie without gaining its trust may traumatize him so this is a big no no
That said, female budgies are quite hard to train especially during the breeding season.
Nevertheless, you must give all your budgies time to adjust.
Wait so, “How long should I let my birdie roam?”
I recommend thirty minutes to one hour, at the same time every day.
What about untamed budgies?
Should I let them out of their cage?
Good question
Let’s find out..
Should I Let My Untamed Budgie Out?
Only if its wings are clipped and there is no escape route.
However, handling an untrained bird outside its cage can be quite challenging.
And so, I discourage letting your untamed budgie out.
Of course, keeping your bird inside a cage for longer periods of time may seem a bit cruel.
But your bird’s safety cannot be compromised.
Besides, you cannot train a bird before it’s at least 6-weeks old.
So, I suggest you stimulate your bird’s activity by:
- Breeding more than one budgie at a time.
- Bringing in new toys.
- Setting up a range of perches.
- Letting your budgie forage pellets through a mix of pebbles and marbles.
- Spending one-to-one bonding time with your budgie.
But,
My Budgie Is Not Coming Back, What Should I do?
If your budgie is not coming back to the cage, I suggest you wait for your bird.
It’s because your budgie is bound to tire out and become hungry.
And so, it will come back to its cage on its own.
You can have a read of my article – How to get an untamed budgie back in it’s cage
Conclusion
Letting your bird outside its cage is beneficial for your bird’s health.
However, if you do allow your bird to roam freely, you must budgie-proof the area.
Otherwise, this exciting experience may turn into a horror story.
But, no matter how your budgie reacts you must deal with him calmly.
The best way is to never rush your bird.
Take your time
Patience and perseverance is key here
Related articles you may be interested in
Should you let your budgie be free?