My budgie is soo super shy. He will come out of the cage with my hand, but only through the top (removeable top)not the front two doors. He never plays with his toys, only his mirror. when he comes out, he sometimes flys back to his cage. Im not sure what im doing wrong. I have had him for about a year and it has always been like this. I want him to be like everyone elses budgies, super playful and whatnot.I have just ran out of ideas of what im doing wrong. PLEASE HEEEELLLPPP!!!

I know how you feel. My budgie, Jazz, was super shy, not to mention he bit the crap out of me in the first few weeks of our living together. We went through frustration and tears before we got along. I tried various methods to keep him comfortable as well as show him that I wasn't a threat to him or his environment. You have to take it slow and be patient!

I first started by sticking my hands in the cage and playing with his toys with my fingers. You know, ringing his bells and stuff. (This is a suggestion I got from this forum.) This is something you can do to show him that there are other lovely toys to play with, instead of just gazing into his mirror. My budgie used to do that a lot. If you choose to do this, talk to your little budgie while showing him that other toys are fun too!

Has he always been attached to his mirror? Your little budgie could be longing for another bird friend, for that is exactly what he sees when he stares into his mirror: another budgie! If you choose to get him a friend, make sure you keep them separate before putting them together. You may need another cage for quarantine purposes until they are ready to live together. This could be the reason that your budgie flies back to his cage. His "budgie friend" is in there.

For your budgie to be playful and care-free, you must put forth the effort to get to know your little friend. With Jazz and I, we spend about an hour a day outside of his cage. I hold him and let him sit on my shoulder. Throughout the day, I randomly put my hands in his cage to pet his chest and ring his toys.

You have to ask yourself these questions...

Do I really spend enough time with my budgie?
Do I have time for him?
How much time have I spent with him over the year?

These are questions I had to ask myself before I got a budgie.

However, it could be that your budgie is depressed and needs more time with you or needs a budgie buddy.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Jazz and Jess <3

Jess gave some good advice.Some birds just don't know HOW to play with toys until you show them. Like Jess said, talk to him while you play with his toys and sound as if they are the most fun things ever!
You might even put things to play with, and some treats/veggies or what not on top of the cage so he has something to do while he's out. Or have treats of some kind in your hand and let him sit in your hand and much for a while.
As for him being "like everyone elses budgies"...well, honestly no 2 budgies are alike. They each have their own personality, likes and dislikes.
To get him to come out on his own more often, maybe a platform or rope perch on the outside of cage near the door will help?

these are all great ideas - but I have to point out that not everyones birds are friendly, playful and friendly. It depends on the bird. I have four birds and they are all completely different from one another.

thats for the help everyone. I'm really grateful. I didnt know playing with his toys made him play with them lol. Ill put a picture of him on the site soon. Aufweidersehn!

i just feel bad when i take out the mirror becuause i think he will get bored or somthing. Well, now im trying to make more time to be with him. Is there anything i can do to make sure he doesnt get bored? like what kind of toys should i get?

i know this has nothing to do with ''help'' but i just wanted to say, instead of 'talking' my bird barks like my dog lol

Preston, I think a couple of helpful things I did with my keet were the following.

Buy a small perch or bird gym that you can put on the table where you can sit near it and eat or play with bells and toys you hang on it. Bring your bird to that perch away from his cage.

Make sure you have a mirror on the gym to make him feel safe.

Put out seed and veggies and treats for him and eat your food while sitting there.

Ignore him and just let him sit and watch you at first.

brush your hair and play with the toys and talk to him.

When he is used to that and doesn't fly away, take the mirror and hold it while he perches on your finger. That way he feels like he has a friend while on your finger.

You are basically doing bird things with him. You are doing things he likes as a flock.

Don't force him, just get his interest up.

They are curious and he will try to eat seed off the table if you skatter it around. Let him explore by himself.

Also buy a little cage mate to put on the gym. A fake bird he can play with.

I would like to say that you guys have made the biggest impact it is unbelivable. He absolutly loves being outside of his cage. When i take him out, i let him play with his mirror. I move it around and he drags in, and sings into it.

That's awesome Preston. Keep up the good work
joandboys, I never thought of the mirror while perched on finger. Good one!