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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not know what to do with Perry the Parrot?

42 replies

Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:26

I purchased a blue male budgie last week as Dh and 14 year old Dd wanted one and we named him Perry the parrot😂
He’s youngish and very , very cute. He has this lovely periwinkle colour (which is why we named him Perry!)
I change his water, food and clean cage every morning, he’s looked after and has toys in his cage but he doesn’t seem to like us 😞 He also doesn’t seem to be drinking either 😢
Whenever daughter tries to feed him some millet he gets scared and flies around. Whenever I let him out to have a fly for a few hours (with windows and doors shut and all hazards removed!!) he just stays on the top of the dresser and doesn’t come down for a while.
Are we doing something wrong? Dd wants to teach him little words and perch on her hand but he doesn’t 😔 We love him though.

OP posts:
ViciousJackdaw · 28/05/2021 14:39

Apparently, when a budgie feels threatened or scared, it perches itself as high as it can. Perhaps let the poor bugger settle in first before trying to get him to perform. Keep noise to a minimum too. Did it not say any of this in the literature you read before buying him?

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:42

Ah thank you Smile Yes I read that new budgies can be very nervous. I bought him on a whim without doing much research, silly me Sad I’m doing research now though because it’s better late than never!!

OP posts:
user1473878824 · 28/05/2021 14:42

Don’t budgies need a friend? You’ve only just got him, don’t let your daughter bother him, he’s settling in. Did you do any research before getting a budgie?

user1473878824 · 28/05/2021 14:43

Cross posted with you OP, sorry but that’s hugely irresponsible.

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:44

I got one because I’m a stay at home mum and daughter is at school twice a week atm so we can talk to him often and he has company

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 28/05/2021 14:45

Where did you get him from? Has he been well raised?

He sounds very scared, from what you’ve said.

TaraR2020 · 28/05/2021 14:45

Which op had acknowledged and is now amending so give her a break.

Know nothing about birds im afraid op but good luck with yours and enjoy educating yourselves :)

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:45

All the owner of the pet shop said was to hand feed him some mullet for a few weeks, let him fly around the house and he’ll be tamed Confused

OP posts:
Laufeythejust · 28/05/2021 14:45

I once read that a Budgie only talks to you if it’s on it’s own (no idea if it’s true). Made me feel sad that they’re lonely- I agree with PP definitely get another.

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:46

I got him from the local pet shop, there’s lots of budgies and love birds for sale.

OP posts:
PoppysMummy2021 · 28/05/2021 14:47

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Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:47

Thank you poppy much appreciated 😇

OP posts:
Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:48

I have a tiny hand mirror would that work?

OP posts:
HoldingTheDoor · 28/05/2021 14:50

What food is he eating?

How big js his cage?

ViciousJackdaw · 28/05/2021 14:51

This Wikihow link seems informative - written by a UK vet so I expect she knows what she's talking about.

www.wikihow.com/Tame-Your-Budgies

Touloser · 28/05/2021 14:51

Bird tricks on YouTube have good videos on bonding & training budgies

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:51

His cage is large enough for him to fly back and forth and it doesn’t seem to be an issue for him. He eats a seed mix that I bought from the shop and the occasional sunflower seeds.

OP posts:
BusyEvenForBee · 28/05/2021 14:51

I had a male blue badge when I was a child. From what I remember you first teach him to perch on a stick from the branch (similar thickness to the one he uses in the cage). One he learns that and you can carry him around on the stick move towards perching on the finger/ hand.

If you want him to talk, always talk to him and repeat works you want hi, to learn. Somebody told me that if you cover the cage, sit by and keep taking it helps as well. Well, mine did learn to talk and he was fantastic bird.

We had to get him a female companion as well.

Enjoy but give him time to adjust.

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:54

Bee that’s lovely thank you for sharing, I’ve just put a small mirror in his cage x

OP posts:
user1471447924 · 28/05/2021 14:55

Fairly sure that buying Priscilla could help! 😍

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 14:56

Awww 😂 Priscilla and Perry 😂

OP posts:
AlternativePerspective · 28/05/2021 14:57

Long time bird owner here. Budgies, cockatiels, and African grey parrot.

For starters the pet shop owner sounds like a moron. So now that’s out of the way…

If your DD wants to tame him she needs to start out slowly slowly by introducing her hand into his cage. Just sit with her hand in the cage very still, and when he flies around just keep still until he settles.

Once he’s settled just sit for a bit longer. Repeat until introducing her hand no longer makes him flap around madly, then once he settles she can gradually bring her hand closer and closer to him.

Bring her hand close to him but lining up with his perch, so eventually once she’s really close she can put her finger next to his claws and encourage him to sit on her finger.

Once she has him used to going on her finger in the cage she can gradually move her hand closer and closer to the door until he comes out.

He likely will perch somewhere, that’s what they do. But she should then be able to bring him back to the cage by encouraging him back on to her finger.

The more he becomes used to her, the more she will be able to do such as stroke his chest etc.

Remember that she is about.a thousand times bigger than a tiny budgie, so to suddenly have this human looming over him is likely to make him even more nervous as he doesn’t know he’s not about to become dinner.

PS: I used to live in Namibia and we used to get love birds in our back garden. I would never ever buy them.

Graphista · 28/05/2021 14:58

We used to have budgies as family pets when I was little. They need a companion budgie to be honest they don't do well alone at all. Whenever one died parents would quickly get another. My parents are quite good on nature and animal knowledge and they always said budgies need a friend or they pine away.

A quick google to confirm agrees apparently.

Think you'll have to get him a wee pal.

I bought him on a whim without doing much research

I'm sorry but NO pet should be bought on a whim without researching if it's the right type of pet for your family and knowing what their needs are - that's the basics of responsible pet ownership to be honest.

Do your research now, you could even perhaps contact rspca or rspb for advice. RSPB in particular I've found to be very helpful at points

and he has company

He needs another bird preferably another budgie for real company humans simply aren't enough I'm afraid

Sounds like a poor pet shop too. Good responsible pet shops with knowledgeable staff will question and advise and will generally refuse to sell social animals solo.

Honestly get him a wee pal (from a different pet shop I would say) and give him time to settle in, do a lot more research on his needs and what will keep him healthy.

Graphista · 28/05/2021 14:59

For starters the pet shop owner sounds like a moron

Totally agree! This is another job I think should have registration/licensing.

Original poster
Periperiparrots · 28/05/2021 15:00

Thank you all so so much!!! This is fantastic advice Smile

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