When you adopt a budgie it can be very exciting!
Especially as we all know how sociable they are and how much fun they are
Easy to take care of and they bring lots of joy to the household
Now of course, you want to pet your budgie and build that close bond
But here’s the thing – You budgie hates being touched!
This can make you very upset and worried too
You may have have your budgie for a couple of months now and yet there is no sign of your budgie being used to you and allowing you to pet it
I’m here to bring you good news
You got nothing to worry about!
This is actually normal
“What normal?!! My budgie won’t bond with me!”
I hear you!
You have to remember though, it takes time
There are many reasons why your budgie doesn’t like being touched
Let’s find out why
Why Doesn’t My Budgie Like Being Touched?
There could be a number of reasons why your budgie don’t like being touched
Here are some of the reasons
Scared
Your budgie is new and is scared
This is normal
I mean, think about it, you’re a big giant compared to your budgie
Your budgie is in new environment so they’re obviously frightened and cautious
Now imagine a big hand coming at it to pet it, your budgie will get scared
That’s natural
Just Doesn’t Like It
Some budgies just don’t like being petted
You see, mammals like being touched
A dog, cat, a horse!
These are all mammals and touching them and petting them, no problem at all
They are used to it from a young age
For example a cat, from birth the mother would lick their kitten to give them a bath
So they’re used to it
A bird is not a mammal
Budgie parents don’t excessively touch their young
So imagine a big clumsy hand going in to stroke a budgie that’s not used to it!
But this doesn’t mean they are not affectionate
Budgies are very affectionate!
Bad Past
Unfortunately some budgies may have had a bad past
And this can cause anxiety and stress when they see another human trying to touch them
These are the possible reasons why your budgie don’t like being touched
Don’t worry! All hope is not lost!
You can work your way around this
I’ll explain
How To Get My Budgie To Trust Me?
If your budgie allows you to touch it then that means they trust you
So it’s all about trust
If your budgie is new to the house then you’re going to have patience
Patience is key
Don’t expect your budgie to straight away let you handle it
It can take months!
Yes months!
But trust me, the wait would be worth it
What you do is, let your budgie be used to your presence
Stay with your budgie and talk with it in a soothing voice
Don’t get your budgie alarmed by making sudden movements or sticking your hand in the cage
Give your budgie their favorite food and treats
And then slowly extend your hand towards them
This part is important
See how your budgie reacts when your hand is extended out to them
It’s all about reading your budgies cues
If your budgie is happy then you can start to slowly touch it
How To Pet a Budgie
Once your budgie is used to you being near their cage and your hand inside, this is a good indication
Important – if your bird resists when your hand is extending towards them, retreat and don’t panic or force your budgie!
You can try by lightly touching and petting your budgie beak
If your budgie allows this, then slowly go to the skin of the face just behind the beak
You can then work your way around the side of your budgies head (that’s only if they are comfortable)
If at any time your budgie gets scared, stop and try again another time
Never force your budgie
This will make things worse and make your budgie scared of you
Take it easy and slow
Another you can try is to get your budgie to stand on your finger
This would be awesome!
Pretty much the same thing but this time stick your finger out and see if they hop onto it
Keep food in one hand and see if your budgie hops onto your finger to eat the food
If they do hop onto your finger, you can then try and slowly pet your budgie
If your budgie resists, stop immediately
Take it slow and easy
Remember – Patience is key!
Before You Go..
Some budgies don’t like being touched
This is normal so if this it the case, you might just have to accept your budgie just doesn’t like being touched!
But this doesn’t mean they won’t be affectionate with you
If your budgie likes you (Which I’m sure your budgie does or will definitely grow to like you) then your budgie may land on you and press their head against your neck
This is called the budgie cuddle – Pretty cute right?
I actually have written an article about getting a budgie to like you which you can check out by clicking the link below
