One day, a friend of mine came over for coffee. She was looking for somebody who’d be interested in taking a cranky Budgie in for a pet. Her neighbor was looking for a home for this Budgie aka a Parakeet.
I agreed to take in this bird. I didn’t know how our lives would soon be changed for me, my son and daughter. I never had a pet bird in my life, mostly dogs and cats. This was going to be a learning curve for me.
It all began on that first day of this Budgie’s arrival. He didn’t have a name, so I named him Mr. Willoughby. I heard about Mr. Willoughby—the little budgie came with a reputation that he was prickly as a thorn bush. I was told he was cantankerous, prone to biting, and generally not a fan of human company. Still, I agreed to take him in, curious about the tiny creature behind all the fuss.
I placed his cage on top of the refrigerator, figuring he’d like the commanding view of the sunny kitchen. I used a curtain as a cover to drape over his cage at nights. The instructions were simple: cover him at bedtime, remove the cover in the morning, food, and water, and let him settle into his new home. I followed these directions carefully, eager to respect his space, and getting to know him.
That first morning, I gently uncovered his cage, and immediately, Mr. Willoughby announced his displeasure with a loud, sharp squawk that echoed through the room. I approached slowly, offering my finger in a tentative gesture of friendship, I hoped. He eyed me suspiciously, then, with a quick flick of his head, pecked at my finger—a sharp, tiny bite that made me flinch. “Alright, then,” I murmured with a smile. “Not a fan of new friends yet.”
He was noisy—constant chatter, squawks, and occasional sharp pecks whenever I tried to get close. He kept his distance, refusing to let me near. Every attempt to bond was met with a warning nip or a fierce glare. It was clear Mr. Willoughby was convinced I was an intruder—and he made sure I knew it.
Days turned into a week. Despite his grumpy attitude, I kept trying. I would sit quietly near his cage, talking softly, offering treats, and respecting his boundaries. But he remained distant, stubbornly refusing to be tamed. He continued squawking, chirping loudly. I guess that’s a bird’s way of snarling?
Then, one day, I decided to try a different approach. I opened his cage door, but instead of reaching inside, I simply walked back to the table and sat down and ignored him, talking with my son and daughter. I had started teaching them their alphabet, and counting. It was our meal time routine. I was intent of learning how to befriend a pet that seems annoyed with my presence.
Mr. Willoughby, curious and cautious, sat at the entrance of his cage, watching us with a wary eye. Minutes passed, then longer. To my surprise, he sat quietly—no squawks, no bites, no fierce stares. This went on for about a week.
Eventually, he fluttered out of his cage, landing cautiously on the table, we let him be. The children were just wide-eyed with wonder. They all made me smile. Later, he started landing on my shoulder, gripping gently with his tiny claws, and looked around at the family gathered there—my son, daughter, and me. His little head tilted, and for the first time, I saw a glimmer of curiosity instead of suspicion. I just smiled at him, nodded my head at him, saying, ‘Hi Mr. Willoughby’. My children were absolutely thrilled, laughing and smiling. I do believe, I finally managed to befriend a pet with my morning greetings and starting with an open cage door.
From that moment, everything changed. Mr. Willoughby’s personality began to shine through his feisty exterior. He loved sitting on my shoulder, playing with my dangling earrings, and rolling peas around the table with his beak with my son, during dinners. He’d fly to the table or land on my son or daughters head and sit or walk a bit, then flutter to their shoulder. He was playful, lively, and surprisingly affectionate—once he trusted us. I smiled and watched him interact with my children. Again, I believe I had finally managed to accomplish reaching a true friendship and love between all of us.
Every morning, he would wake me with a loud, insistent squawk, as if to say, “Good morning! Are you ready?” I’d chuckle, rubbing my eyes, and say, “Yes, I’m here. Let’s start the day.” He responded with cheerful chirps and would often perch on my finger or shoulder, basking in the attention. My daughter even discovered he liked raisins. She had plucked a few out of her porridge, and put them beside her bowl for him. He came over, and looked it over, nudged it with his beak, then just ate it. I guess he figured out that this wasn’t going to roll around like a pea?
He was mischievous too. He loved sitting or walking about on the table, watching us eat our meals, and sometimes rolling peas around the table with his beak, as if he was a tiny chef examining the quality of his ingredients. Other times, he would sit on my shoulder, playing with my earrings or preening his feathers, content and playful. He never dropped bird do-do on any of us at any time.
Over time, Mr. Willoughby became a beloved part of our family. His quirks, his feistiness, and his unexpected tenderness made him more than just a pet—he was a tiny, feisty friend who brought joy and laughter to our days.
But one quiet night, everything changed. I found him lying on the floor of his cage in the morning. Despite efforts to help, it was clear he had peacefully passed away in the night. The room was filled with a heavy silence, and our hearts ached with loss. He was 12 when he came to live with us. We had been together for 14 months.
I hope you found this article informative, and gained some new insight in befriending a pet like a Budgie. Please feel free to leave your comments and Share your new found knowledge with others. Use the ‘Ask A Question’ form to make a request on a topic of your own interest. It is FREE to subscribe to my RSS feed.
Learning in Motion
How to Bond with and Tame Your Budgie – Gaining their Trust
Extra Learning Resources
Bonding with Your New Budgie: 7 Essential Tips (2025 Guide)
New Budgie Behavior | What do Budgies Do on the First day at Home?
Budgies as Pets: A Beginner’s Complete Guide
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