Show cage training

At this time of the year, most serious exhibition budgie breeders will be well into the breeding season, and will just about be completing their second rounds, it is around this time the thoughts turn to the first round youngsters as these will form the basis of the breeders early young bird show team.
Some birds will be natural showmen/women and will adapt to the show cage with absolutely no problems whatsoever, others though will be just the opposite and will not like the confines of a show cage; it is these birds we need to give some show cage training to.
It is no good just placing this type of bird in the show cage and leaving it to get on with it, thinking it will get used to it in time, it won’t, all that will result is a bird that has so many bad habits, it will be useless at any show. I suggest short periods of no more than tem minutes at a time, and only when you the breeder is present. It is important to make sure the bird gets on the perch, use a judging stick to do this, just place the stick between the show cage bars and touch the chest of the bird, if you are lucky the bird will hop onto the stick and you can then lift it to the perch, it should the step onto the perch it’s self.
If the bird will not get up, try tapping the front of the cage below perch level, this is what a judge will do at a show, and the birds will get used to the tapping. Once the bird is up, stand back for a while and view from a distance, so as not to crowd it at first. If the bird drops to the floor, just repeat the process of getting it up on the perch again, remember, no more than ten minutes at a time, when the time is up, place the bird back in the same stock cage it came from, have another session with this bird the next day.
If you have a budgerigar that despite all your efforts will not perch, one trick you can try is to get and old stager, an adult show bird who is used to a show cage, place both him and the baby in together, the calm of the adult can help the youngster, and quickly teach him to calm down. It is amazing how soon a nervous baby can learn the ropes from an old hand.
One practice that must be avoided at all costs in my opinion is that of placing stuff on the floor of the show cage to stop the bird sitting on the floor, I have heard of all types of practices from filling the floor with ping pong balls, to actually putting an inch or more water in the cage, I strongly recommend you do not go down this route.
Once you feel your bird is reacting well to being in the show cage, start to move the cage around the bird room, this will get them used to being moved, banged around etc. Take it in the house and let the kids run around it, obviously do not over stress the bird, again just short spell, then back to the shed and his/her mates.
One other practise is to take the bird a ride in the car, no not to go shopping with you, but to get it used to the noise, the darkness, and the movement of the road. It would be a wasted effort if you spent all the time it took to get your best baby used to the show cage, spending six to eight weeks preparing and getting him in the best feather for the show, only to ruin it all because he panicked on his first outing and smashed his flights, or banged his head and had blood everywhere when you got to the show all.

If you follow these tips, and get your bird to the show in his best suit as it were, and have him/her standing steady on the perch, looking at the judge as if to say, look at me, give me the rosette, the chances are he will, and you will have a very well deserved winner on your hands, if so, give the bird and yourself a very well deserved pat on the back.