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Here is the simplest, easy, way to make a feathered friend.

Budgies are rewarding pets. When you first get one you might think the little ball of feathers cowering in the corner of it's cage will never be a tame, friendly pet. Don't worry. all it takes to have a playful, maybe even talkative budgie, is a little time and patience. Once you have a tame bird, youre holding a lifetime friend right in your hand.

After a young budgie is tame it is your friend for life. You can always tell it your wishes and dreams, it will never tell anyone else and will listen with sympathy to any thing you say

Here is a list of great budgie books that have info. on everything from breeding to taming.

Parakeets
by: Annette Walter

Parakeets Today
by: Elaine Radford

Budgerigars
by: George A. Radtke

The Essential Parakeet
by: Betsy Sikora Sino

Care and breeding of Budgerigars, Canaries and Foreign Finches.
by: R.B. Bennett, F.Z.S.

Parakeets a Complete Pet Owners Manual
by: Annette Walter

If you have any other great budgie books, tell me in the guest book.

Amazon.com (where you can buy budgie books)

My Budgies

Taming a budgie

Here is the simplest step by step way to tame a budgie. First make sure its wings are clipped. Have the seller or other knowledgeable person do this first so your budgie wont associate you with an unpleasant experience. For the first few days, let the budgie get uses to its surroundings. Talk soothingly to it when you clean its cage or feed and water it. Give it food like fruit or millet between the cage bars ever once in a while.

Slowly open he cage door while talking soothingly. When your bird starts to panic, because you're getting too close, stop moving your hand. Dont remove your hand, but wait until the budgie stops panicking. Slowly move your hand towards its chest and make sure the budgie can see you. When it lets you gently and softly stroke its chest. Slowly and calmly push up on the budgies chest. Whether it steps onto your hand or not, look at the time. If 10-20 minutes have passed put the budgie back on its perch and praise it for doing a good job. Come back in a few hours or the next day.

Once your budgie goes on your finger, keep letting it get on and off until it can do this pretty easily and without being too scared. Now, slowly move your finger around in the cage with your budgie on it until it gets used to that. This may take a few days or even weeks. Dont let your training sessions go any longer than 20 minutes, because its better for the bird to have many short sessions than a few long ones.

When your bird seems pretty comfortable with its new home and your finger, bring it (still in its cage) to a small room. Make sure all windows are closed and covered. And any mirrors are covered. Make sure any lids such as toilet lids are down. Lock all the doors to make sure no other pets, including birds, can get in.

Now try to take it out of its cage. It may try to flutter away. If it does get it back on your finger and talk soothingly to it. After a few more tries it will become tired and understand that you're safe. Put your budgie on one finger then the next, after you get it out of its cage, all the time slowly moving you hands upward until they're over your head. This is called ladder and it teaches your budgie to trust you and give it exercise.

Once your budgie is tame you have made a friend. Dont hesitate to try taming your budgie, because with a little time and patience your bird will become your friend and steal your heart away!