My blue and gold macaw finally let me pet their head!!!

I literally cried. After two to three weeks of patient work, Mochi finally let me pet their head today. I know it sounds small but if you've been through the bonding process with a nervous bird you know how HUGE this is. Never give up, it's so worth it.

Reading this hit home. My Pionus went through the same phase around the same age. What helped us was target training first, then building up to step-up. Also just accepting that birds are gonna bird, you know?

So I had this exact problem about a year ago. Let me share what I learned. The key thing is offering chop first thing in the morning when they're hungriest. A lot of people also recommend joining an online support group for budgie owners. My avian vet in downtown Toronto also suggested checking for the cage being in a high-traffic or drafty location which can sometimes be an underlying factor. Good luck — feel free to DM me if you have questions!