Home » How To Put Budgies Back in Their Cage [Hints, Tips + Advice]
how to get a budgie back in its cage

How To Put Budgies Back in Their Cage [Hints, Tips + Advice]

Although easy to train, budgies can sometimes be obstinate and disobedient.

Behavioral problems can become an issue when it’s time to return a budgie to its cage. Due to budgies’ playful nature, a budgie may be disinclined to reenter its cage because you’ve got other things to do.

You’ll need to change the living conditions so that it believes it’s time to sleep.

Another effective approach is leaving food and treats inside the cage or having the budgie perch on something so that you can put it back in the cage.

Budgies are temperamental birds that respond to their owner’s behavior. So, the wrong approach will make your budgie more disobedient and could affect your bond.

How to Get a Budgie Back in Its Cage

You can get a budgie to reenter its cage by tricking it, using food and treats, or taking it there yourself. Much depends on your available time and which strategy works for your budgie.

Here are the different ways to get your budgie back inside its cage:

Treats

Foods your budgie doesn’t usually get to sample are an effective way to get its attention. So, you can leave a treat inside the cage and let it enter when it feels ready.

Let the budgie sample a small portion of the snack if that doesn’t work. That way, it’ll know what it’s missing out on by being awkward and staying out of its cage.

Some budgies are stubborn enough to ignore their favorite treats, but if you introduce them to something new and tasty, they may be curious enough to get inside the cage to sample it.

Perching

You can carry your budgie to its cage without using your hands. Many budgies will instinctively perch on a branch or stick you’re holding.

All you have to do is lightly press the stick/branch against the budgie’s stomach. The budgie will feel like it might lose its balance, so it’ll step up onto the item.

Then, you can carry the budgie while it’s perched and put it back inside its cage.

Time To Sleep

You can trigger instinctual behaviors in budgies with tricks involving food, touch, and sunlight. Budgies are diurnal and have an internal clock that lets them know when they should sleep.

So, trick your budgie into thinking that it’s time to go to bed inside its cage with these steps:

Step 1

Close the door to the room and any windows so your budgie can’t escape. Budgie-proofing the room is essential if you have predatory pets, such as cats, in other rooms.

Step 2

Make other perching spots inaccessible, as the goal is to have the budgie choose to sleep inside the cage. If it finds another place to sleep, block it off to ensure it has no alternative.

Step 3

Turn on a dim nightlight near or inside the cage. Since budgies are diurnal, they have poor vision in the dark. The nightlight will help both of you navigate the room and avoid injuries.

Step 4

You should turn off the lights and close the curtains to make it look like nighttime in the room. After a while, the darkness will signal to the budgie that it’s time to sleep.

budgie won't go back in cage

Grabbing

Grabbing a budgie and carrying it in your hands is the method of last resort, as this action could scare or injure a budgie’s eyes, bones, or limbs.

It should only be done in emergencies, as it could reduce your budgie’s trust in you. You don’t want to do anything to compromise the close bond that you’ve nurtured with your budgie.

Why Won’t My Budgie Go Back in The Cage?

Some budgies can be difficult, enjoying the extra attention that their bad behavior brings.

Usually, your budgie doesn’t want to return to its cage because it’s curious and wants to explore places it rarely sees. You can never remove its desire to fly around and roam, no matter how tame a budgie is.

Budgies love playing and exploring as it makes them feel free and relieves stress. Going inside a cage takes that away. Sure, it’s for their good, but they don’t understand.

If getting your budgie inside its cage is an everyday struggle, it may be because it doesn’t spend enough time out of its cage. So, increase the time your budgie gets to walk and fly.

Tips For Getting Your Budgie Back in The Cage

Your enthusiasm, the way the cage is set up, and positive reinforcement can aid the situation. These tips and advice can make it easier to get a budgie to return to its cage:

Energy And Emotions

Budgies are emotional creatures that are highly attuned to the feelings and emotions of their owners.

If you’re emotionally charged when it’s time to get your budgie back inside the cage, your budgie will respond by being more energetic. So, budgies bursting with energy are less likely to be compliant.

Positive Reinforcement

Give your budgie a snack each time it enters the cage, not just when it doesn’t want to go inside. A treat will mean it associates going inside the cage with positive outcomes.

Open Top Cage

Budgies will be far more inclined to enter their cages on their own if the cage is open-topped because it feels safer and more natural. So, consider getting your budgie a cage with a top opening.

Cage Mate Compatibility

If your budgie has a companion, ensure that the two birds still have a good relationship. If there’s any bullying or they’ve become enemies, the other budgie may be too afraid to return to its cage.

It’s always a sign of fighting if you see the one budgie pecking aggressively at the other’s head or feet. Examine the budgie closely and check for physical injuries, such as flesh wounds and lost feathers.

Interesting And Comfortable

No budgie wants to stop exploring and go inside a boring or space-limited cage, especially if it’s still full of life and unspent energy.

So, make the cage environment fun for your budgie to explore by adding toys, bells, and perching areas. Get soft, bendable perches that are easier on the feet.

Budgies prefer to perch in elevated positions, so ensure you provide more options toward the top of the cage. Birds feel less vulnerable when high up, which is why they prefer tree tops.

With these tips, you can get your budgie back into its cage without upsetting or harming it.