I think clipping will help. I would wait for other people's advise before clipping.

It's your decision really. It's possible to train a bird without clipping but it usually takes longer since the bird has more freedom of choice in the matter. You can try it for a while without clipping and see how it goes. Using the cockatiels and food treats as bait will help. Many people find that their birds are calmer and more cooperative in the evening, so try working with him them. It can also be helpful to work in a small room where there aren't too many other things to do and places to go.

Okay. Thank you. I'll try that.

This is the most bizarre "argument" for clipping I ever read... and I read many

Yes, Barb, I know you're anti-clipping and I generally am too. What I meant by that was if he would learn to trust me more, and I could introduce him to more in life instead of just sitting on his cage and going back in. In a way, he is very cage bound. Poppy is definitely not, and asks to be let out often. I don't feel like he is having fun. All he does is sit in his cage and in a way, it makes me sad. He never leaves it.

I feel horrible now for even suggesting it. But I know Beck was calmer with clipped wings. I would never clip Poppy. He is a very sweet boy, but Beck is incredibly flighty and cage ridden.

Some birds do seem to be calmer when they're clipped. I don't understand it, but it seems like if they can fly they feel obligated to spook at every little thing. If they can't fly very much they're much more likely to just stay where they are when something happens, without looking particularly scared. If something really scary happens they'll take off, but they don't seem to worry as much about the small things.

Well, I decided not to clip. It crosses my mind every now and then, and I end up having an argument with myself and it usually ends in me not doing it. I don't think it would be fair for Poppy to fly and Beck not to. I have 3 months of summer, so I'll just take it slow. I also ordered a bird training/parrot psychology book on Amazon. I figure it deserves a read to see if it will appeal to the budgies.

Now, how do I go about breaking a cage ridden bird? Beck has the opportunity to come out everyday. He takes it about 30% of the time, and when he does all he does is either sit on his cage or go and sit on the cockatiel's cage. It saddens me that all he feels confident enough to do is be near cages. That's not how birds are meant to be. They are supposed to fly, explore and forage. Not cling to their cages. Beaker and Jaid fly to their cage as a checkpoint, then come down and bother us, and wander the house. Poppy takes the opportunity about 70% of the time, but like Beck, he sticks to cages. Although he doesn't know how to land on other things. Beck very well does.

Birds don't know the meaning of the word "fair.' Only us humans. But its your choice.

I am not sure how to deal with cage bound birds. Have you seen Casey's thread on her taming her lovebirds? She had amazing results.

I don't know if this idea is good or not, but ill state it anyway.
When he is out, can you quickly cover the cage? Then, the only familiar thing he will see is you.

Which book did you get? This one is my favorite: http://smile.amazon.com/Clicker-Trainin ... 890948152/

Being cagebound is treated by having good experiences outside the cage, which is hard to do when the bird doesn't want to come out of the cage. It's a vicious circle. You can conquer it slowly in tiny increments, by putting tempting treats a short distance from where the bird is willing to go and gradually extending the distance as he gets braver. Or you can do it faster by putting the cage out of sight. Covering the cage is OK, but taking either the bird or the cage out of the room would be better IMO, because the bird will know that the cage is still there under the covers and might want to just sit on top of the cover. Make sure that the time out of the cage either is enjoyable or looks like it could be enjoyable, by having a nice social time with as many birds as possible and passing out nice treats. At first he might just sit there being miserable because he wants to be in the cage, but eventually he'll realize that nothing terrible is happening to him and there's actually some good stuff going on, and he'll relax.