To get a budgie is to pet him/her. But, do budgies like to be touched? There are times when budgies may or may not like to be touched. If you have budgies at home, you should know how, when, and where to touch to express your love and affection for the little one.
As you read till the end, you get to know tips that worked for my budgie and will work for yours too.
Do budgies like to be touched?
Tamed budgies like to be touched while budgies, in general, might prefer your touches based on your interaction, comfort level, and experience with him/her. When your budgie gains that trust and warmth from you, you can touch or cuddle without a second thought.
If you are new to raising a budgie, you should look at this exclusive article that answers – how to train a budgie to come to you?
Some budgies do not like to be petted because they are basically scared and do not gel well with everyone. In order to defend the self, they tend to strike the person with the beak.
When to touch a budgie?
The best time to touch a budgie is during his relaxed time when he comes near you. This is usually at a quiet time in a comfortable environment when he roams and explores the place.
Find out the usual time when your budgie plays and enjoys himself. Begin talking and striking a conversation so he listens to you.
When the budgie is around 6 weeks, begin extending warm touches and start with the finger training. This can be extended to minimal conversations to make him listen to you and adapt to your commands.
Where to touch a budgie?
Budgies are gentle creatures longing for attention. The best spots to touch a budgie are sides and back of neck and head.
Some budgies love to get completely petted but they belong to the category of well-tamed and highly comfortable ones. A new budgie has restrictions on where to touch and where not to.
| Touch budgie here | Do not touch budgie here |
| Ears (in a few cases) | Legs |
| Back of head | Beak |
| Back of neck | Head |
| Eyes |
How to touch a budgie?
The best method to touch a budgie is to get your finger closer to the neck portion to find out if the budgie is coming forward to be petted. If the budgie doesn’t come, it indicates that you have either not created a reliable relationship or you need to give time as the budgie is not in the right mood.
Always remember the following –
- Do not go forward with a towel to touch a budgie. There are more chances that the bird can get scared.
- Do not go in groups to touch a budgie. It can again create aggression and enable defense mode.
- Do not touch a budgie as soon as he steps out of the cage.
- Do not touch a budgie with any other tool or in a confined space. It can hamper your relationship.
Give the little one enough time to explore your space and people around. Then, give him a chance to explore you. While baby budgies interact quickly, adult budgies need time and comfort.
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Frequently asked questions
Do budgies like to be petted?
Budgies like to be petted when they feel safe, healthy, and happy in the environment. As they are social and compassionate towards humans, most budgies permit humans to touch them and pet them over time.
If you are unsure about your budgie, remember to interact as much as possible.
Here’s my story.
I had a budgie called Watt who was an unhappy kid when I initially adopted since he was domesticated and then abandoned by his previous owner. I was so desperate to pet him but I decided to do it step by step.
I interacted with him constantly and let him stay and explore my room. As he started watching movements and gained comfort, he made weird noises simply to gain attention. In a span of 3 weeks, he got my attention and kept scratching his head and neck on my hand simply to express his affection. And then, it was a fairytale. We lived happily ever after.
While this is not the timeline for all budgies, it is an indicator that they like to be petted and cuddled too.
Note If you have several birds at your home, you should take a look at this article – What birds can be kept with cockatiels?
Do budgies like to be kissed?
Chuffing (kissing style of birds) is quite common and they completely adore it. However, a human kissing a budgie is not encouraged due to the transmission of microorganisms that can be uncomfortable for both.
Pet your budgie, cuddle her, or even play but kiss at a distance. Budgies kissing each other is common but a kiss between a human and a budgie isn’t. Some budgies can even find it foreign!
Do budgies like to be sprayed with water?
Budgies like getting sprayed during the initial stages and once they enjoy it, they step onto a little pool to get drenched.
If you have recently brought in a budgie to your home, you can use a misting bottle to spray water slowly and find out if the budgie wants more or is scared. If she likes, repeat this procedure twice a week and over time, the budgie might start choosing the routine to bathe and enjoy in the water pool.
Note – Remember not to include any other liquids or ingredients in this water pool.