My bird wants to return to cage. Does it mean he doesn't trust me?

The best thing to do is just spend time with your birds as much as you can. You can offer a treat every time you come by, or talk soothingly and quietly when you are around them to help them get used to you again. If you can't always be there paying attention to them, making sure they have other enrichment such as extra toys, a playpen, treats, etc can help with boredom.

Time, patience, and lots of treats. If you notice Curio has a favorite food, you can start by offering that favorite food only when you're interacting with him. IE, when you pet him, approach his cage, let him out, etc. This can help him to associate you with something fun/good and also make him more curious every time you come by to spend time with him. The same can also be done with toys he likes to play with. Sitting near them when he's out of the cage playing, and feeding a treat every time he comes close or shows interest in you can help teach him that you are safe to interact with and play around. If at any time Curiou becomes nervous or scared, stopping the activity and letting him calm down is best. From there, you can go back to the previous way he was OK with (IE just giving a treat from your hand but not petting) and work again from there.

In order for your bird to trust you you will need to work with him daily. If you are worried that he may fly away when you let him out of the cage you can clip his wings so he will not be able to fly. This is a completely painless procedure and the feathers will grow back if you decide at a later date to allow him to fly. This way you can let him out of the cage to explore but won’t have to worry about him getting away. The more interaction you have with the bird the better. Offer him treats while you are working with him so he can start building some trust in you. I would assume that after a month or so of repeated interactions you bird will be much more comfortable with you. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Patience is best when getting your budgie used to handling. If he has a favorite treat you can offer it every time you approach the cage or every time he sits up on your finger. Once he is comfortable there, you can begin to then offer treats after you pet him, to teach him that this is a rewarding behavior. It can take some time, and if your budgie is too stressed simply take a break and let him calm down a bit before trying again.

There is truth in the phrase "Birds of a feather flock together". As long as Alfred has his flock to be with, he will likely choose them over you. Don't take it personally, it's just how some birds can be. If he is happy, enjoy his happiness. You can try spending more time with him and offering treats, but do not be discouraged if he doesn't regain that "trust" again.

Thanks for reaching out about Polie. Winning the trust of a bird requires time, to decrease stress. A book entitled "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" is a good start. Trimming wings might decreased the flight potential when scared. Offering treats by hand can win trust. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Summer. Parrots sometimes find change difficult. The first thing that should be tried is returning Summer back to the previous location, then bringing her out when you are in your bedroom. Gradually, as she becomes more acclimated to your bedroom, then you can try moving her cage into your room. Good luck.