Take Care of a Budgie

Budgerigars, or budgies for short, are delightful birds that make great pets. In fact, they are the third most-kept pet after dogs and cats. This Australian bird costs little to keep, is happy in a home environment and will even try to copy your words over time. If you've just brought home your first budgie, you will want to ensure that it stays healthy and happy.

Steps

Setting Up Its Home

  1. Buy a big cage. Birds need to have some space to play and stretch their wings. If you care about their well-being, try to find a model which lets the light go through. The cage should be at least {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} D x {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} H x {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} W.
    • Try to buy a cage that is wider than it is tall and with a square top. Budgies fly horizontally, not vertically like quails. Fancy-topped cages are simply a waste of space and money.
    • Do not buy a circular cage, as a budgie cannot stretch its wings and fly properly in one. The bird will also feel insecure and scared, as it has no corners to hide in.
    • Your budgie must be able to spread its wings and fly. Do not crowd the cage with toys, perches or other budgies.
    • Test a few cages and look for one that you can clean easily. Can your hand enter the cage easily? Can you use a brush inside it? Remember that budgies defecate every ten to fifteen minutes!
    • You should buy a bigger cage if you decide to have one or more budgies.
  2. Add a bath. Budgies might defecate a lot but they also like to stay clean. They even like to go under water for fun. Look at your favourite pet shop for a stable mini-bathtub made out of plastic that you can hook to the cage. It must be accessible for the budgie and easy to refill from the outside.
    • Don’t fill the bath too much. You don’t want the budgie to spill water on the bottom of the cage every time he goes in its bathtub.
    • The bathtub must be roughly the size of the bird so he can immerse himself in the water.
    • A bathtub is great for your pet budgie and they are sure to love it but make sure it doesn't take up a lot of room in the cage. Budgies will clean themselves if you spray some water onto them, it's not a must for them to have a bird bath.
  3. Add a few toys and perches of different thicknesses, shapes and textures. Natural perches are great, especially compared to dowel or plastic perches. They also look far better. Make sure that the perch is stable to avoid any injury.[1]
    • There is a great variety of toys. Look out for ladders, bells, balls, etc. They will keep your budgie stimulated.
    • Check that the wood is safe for the bird, such as eucalyptus. Dowel perches or plastic perches can cause foot problems due to the lack of foot exercises.
    • Avoid perches and toys made out of Prunus trees as they might contain cyanogenic glycosides. Also avoid oak because the wood contains tannins. There are no confirmed bird deaths, but it’s always better to be on the safe side.[1]
    • Try to avoid concrete perches, as they are hard on the bird's feet, but if you must use them, position them at the lowest point possible.
    • Don't give the budgie too much toys or perches. Two or three different toys are perfect for one budgie, but you don't want to fill the cage up with unwanted toys so that the bird feels crowded. Budgies should always have toys in their cage for 'mental stimulation', no toys can cause boredom which leads to feather plucking.
  4. Think about the room. Try to put the bird in a warm room where there is no temperature fluctuation. A light room will keep your bird stimulated and happy, and a room close to family activities will prevent your bird from becoming lonely, and will get an untamed bird used to humans.
    • Avoid placing the cage in front of a sunny window or next to an open door. Cold drafts and over-exposure to the sun can kill your bird.

Taking Good Care Of the Budgie

  1. Feed your Budgie properly. Good budgie food mostly consists of seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables. You can purchase budgie feed from your pet store or grocery store, this will make up most of your birds diet but you can also supplement it with other types of food like coriander leaves, greens etc., Try to introduce pellets in the diet as well as a seed-only diet can lead to obesity.
    • Never feed your budgie avocado, chocolate, onion, garlic, caffeine, alcohol or human junk foods. These are toxic to the bird.[2]
    • Make sure the budgie has enough water to drink in its dispenser. The bird will know how much to drink. Change the water daily to prevent bacterial build-up.
    • Add a cuttlebone. This is a good source of natural calcium for budgies. Mineral blocks can also be bought too. Some people may use liquid vitamin and mineral supplements, but those will be consumed through the fresh fruits and vegetables.
  2. Clean out the budgie's cage at least once a week. This will keep the budgie safe from disease germs. Clean only with mild dish soap and water and avoid using any cleaning products unless you are one hundred percent sure that they are safe for birds.
    • Try misting your bird with a fine spray from a misting bottle to keep the bird cool.
  3. Create the good environment for sleep. When it's time to sleep, simply throw a light towel or blanket over the cage. Make sure there is sufficient air ventilation - you don't want to suffocate your new bird! Make sure that the bird cannot get its nails caught in the fabric.
    • This is also helpful when it’s noisy. The blanket will muffle most sounds, and will also keep cold drafts out.
    • If your budgie is frighten by the dark, add a little night-light. Don’t let your bird panic. It might fly around the cage and injury itself.[3]
  4. Don’t forget to monitor its health. Take the budgie to the veterinary surgeon at least once a year for a check-up. If your bird acts weirdly or if you spot anything unusual, go to the veterinary surgeon as quickly as you can. [4]
    • Look out for abnormal breathing, discharge from the eyes or the beak, mucus on the feather, abnormal behavior and a loss of weight. If any of these symptoms occurs, call the veterinary surgeon immediately.

Settling In

  1. Make sure that the budgie is comfortable on arriving at its new home. Give it some time to get used to its new surroundings - about three or four days at least. Never rush your budgie. It will adapt on its own.
    • Stay close to the cage. Talk to it sweetly and quietly as you wait for it to adjust but do not try to handle it. It will get used to you in the course of a few days or weeks.
    • Keep the bird in quarantine for four weeks if you have other budgies. Once you are sure that the bird is free from disease, bring the cages closer without mixing the birds. Your new budgie will slowly familiarise with these new friends.
    • Avoid loud noises and screams. Your budgie is likely to be stressed by this new environment.
    • Name your budgie. Say it often, especially when you feed it, so that it get used to its new name.
  2. Introduce your household progressively. Your budgie might be overwhelmed if there are too many people around. Bring your family members once at a time and make them repeat its name. Let your household feed the bird to gain its trust.
    • Be careful if you have another pet, especially a cat or dog. Cats and dogs are natural predators and they are likely to find your budgie suitable for their next meal. Keep the cat or/and dog in another room at all times to avoid any unnecessary stress. Dogs are also likely to get excited, and may accidentally or purposefully hurt your bird. Their bark can also frighten the budgie.
    • Check that your children treat the bird with respect. Little children can get overexcited when they have a new pet. Always make sure to be in the room when they look at the bird. Don’t let them hit the cage or try to grab the budgie.[5]
  3. Seek to win the budgie's trust. Put your hand in the cage after a few days. Just place it there and don’t move it for some time. Repeat this for some days, to allow your budgie to get used to you.
    • When the budgie seems okay with your hand, place your finger inside the cage. Then push it slightly against your budgie’s chest. This will encourage it to climb on your finger. Do this for some days.
    • Feed your budgie from your finger. Dip your finger in water and put some millet grains on it. The water will make the millet grains to stick on your finger. Place your finger near the budgie’s mouth and it will eat them if it's grown used to you.
    • After doing this a few times, hold the budgie gently in your hand. Do this briefly at first, then extend the time.
  4. Don't handle the budgie too much during its first two to three weeks. Eventually as it becomes used to its new environment, start interacting with it more and more and eventually it will know you are a friend and not a predator.
    • If you rush things, the budgie may start being a little anxious and afraid. This will cause it to fail to bond with you.
  5. Always treat your budgie with love and kindness. Remember that the bird is fragile given the strength of a human hand and therefore requires that you handle it with care.
    • Always remember to teach people new to birds how to handle and properly play with this delicate little creature.
    • Never kiss your budgie, human saliva is toxic to budgies and they might carry easily transmittable diseases.

Keeping Your Budgie Stimulated

  1. Weights the pros and cons of a mirror. Adding a mirror in the cage of your budgie can keep the bird entertained for hours. They love to look and talk at their reflection but be aware that there are debates about potential psychological damages.
    • Instead of a mirror, consider a second bird. Budgies love company and will probably welcome a new friend.
    • A mirror will most certainly with male, often also with female budgies lead to crop infections as parakeets regurgitate to feed their mates. A mirror (the feeding bird itself) will not provide the needed feedback that has to come from a real mate.
    • If you decide to install a mirror, make sure that it’s fixed to the cage and doesn’t present a risk to your bird.
  2. Talk and play to the budgie often. Your bird will love the interaction and the games and is likely to become very chatty. Move your finger in front of it–– if it is shaking its head in the same direction, it means that it loves to play and is very active.
  3. Let the budgie fly in a room. Once the bird is at ease with you and its environment, you can let it fly in a room with all of the windows and doors closed. To call it back, switch off all the lights and the curtain of one window open, but remember the window must be closed. The budgie will be attracted towards the light. Hold it gently and put it back inside the cage.
    • Make sure that the bird is safe. Put the cat or dog away and look out for potential escape routes.
    • Think about own hygiene. Your budgie is likely to defecate on the floor. Don’t let it fly in a carpeted room. If there is faeces on a solid surface, you can wet a paper towel and wipe it away.

Tips

  • Work out a routine for cleaning the cage, water, and your bird to help you keep track.
  • Cover your hand if you have a fear of being bitten.
  • Be very patient with your new budgie, if you're frustrated, don't show it! You will stress your bird.
  • When bringing the budgie home, refrain from talking to it until after settling in. Not doing so could cause your bird to associate your voice with stress.
  • Never hold a budgie tightly by its chest, unlike us they do not have have a very strong chest and don't have a diaphragm, holding them too tight could suffocate them easily, when restraining a budgie I prefer to cup the bird into my hands covering it gently and then carrying on with what you are doing.
  • Bend your finger to hold a budgie to show that you are calm and they can be comfortable.

Warnings

  • Do not clip your budgie's wings or claws unless you have extensive previous experience with handling budgies and really know what you're doing.
  • A budgie may bite you if scared or as a warning, so try to keep it calm when handling it. Don't worry about getting bitten by your budgie, their bites rarely draw blood. Just talk to them in a gentle and calm voice. Never pull away abruptly when they bite, just tap them on the beak or gently blow but do not pull away. Do not overreact, or the budgie will think it's a game.
  • If you are buying just female budgies in one cage you will get quite a lot of fights so buy males and females in one cage as the number of fights will reduce.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.nlpr.org.uk/education/wood
  2. ↑ http://birds.about.com/od/feeding/tp/poisonousfoods.htm
  3. ↑ http://pets.thenest.com/symptoms-stressedout-parakeet-12555.html
  4. ↑ http://pets.thenest.com/symptoms-stressedout-parakeet-12555.html
  5. ↑ http://www.birds-online.de/allgemein/geschenk_en.htm

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