SundayGirl

WHat a lovely little budgie.....he's just gorgeous...I hope you have many lovely years together

LOL. That cracks me up....those are the exact type of pics I get too!

LOL...careful, they may be planning a mutiny!

She's adorable...love the photo of her looking at you from the top of the curtains! ha ha ha

Hi All the info is great above and these boards are a treasure trove of great information. Just pipping in here to let you kow that I introduced my budgie and dog and they are best pals now but it is a slow process and you do need to monitor them carefully every step of the way. I introduced my boy when he had his wings clipped...every day we would have playtime with him and the dog - we would all sit down on a square of fabric on the ground with the budgie's toys there for him to play with...at first i didn't let the dog close to the bird but, overtime, they got used to each other and the budgie was allowed to go to the dog as he felt comfortable. In addition my dog would sit on my knee and watch the bird in the cage as I practised talking to the bird...but I stayed calm assertive every step of the way and didn't allow the dog to get in an excitable state at all. I have to say though - the budgie is the boss between the two of them and the dog just coasts along with whatever the bird wants it's great seeing these two so cool with each other but it is only because i have the wolds chillest and most laid back dog in the world - although I confess I still keep an 'eagle eye' on them when the bird is out of the cage.

Oh what are budgies like eh? they are sneaky buggers . Have you tested the doors where you pop food and water in? if they are too easy to open you can guarantee they will. Also, don't take this the wrong way please, but was your neice around each time he escaped? she wouldn't be playing a little trick on you would she? Hope you figure out what your budgie is up to soon...sounds like you need 'budgiecam'.

I don't breed budgies but whn I was choosing my boy he was the only bird in the cage to come up and land on the bars and let me stroke him....all the other birds had coniptions when I went near the cage. I was looking at all the other beautiful budgies wondering which I preferred and he just kept coming up to me and trying to get attention...how could I resist? it was obvious he had decided I was the one rather than the other way around! LOL. He is a fantastic little boy who took very little time to tame and talked within 2 months. What a good boy!

My lad has a grate at the bottom of his cage and a pull out tray beneath that. I put a large sheet of butcher's paper on the bottom of the cage on top of the grate and it makes it super easy for me to clean the cage...I pop him out in the morning for his play outside the cage and then I reach in, roll up the paper with one hand, deposit it in the bin and slot a clean butcher paper in to the cage. The paper doesn't cover the entire area of the cage but it covers enough that only seed falls through to the tray below. I prefer to clean his cage every day as 1) he lives inside and 2) I think bird poo turns in to cement if you leave it sitting around for a few days so easier to clean regularly for me. I play with him everyday so this little routine works for us.

My boy does this when he wants to come out of his cage and play

I gotta admit, they are all gorgeous but Cloud is a real eyecatcher!

He's a handsome boy and looks quite young....not baby but not old for sure. Yes, he is lucky he found your home but it is going to be your family that bless the day he arrived...budgies are so much fun you are just going to love him. I dunno about pellets - my fella gets seed, seed still on the stalk, lots and lots of veggies, boiled egg (when he moults...a tip I picked up here only about a month ago!) and he is the picture of health so would recommend that for yours as well. Best of luck with Sol, he's beautiful

All good words of wisdom, thanks Kaz very much appreciated. Will go looking for moulting aid, I'm glad you mentioned there was a difference between that and vitamins as I'd not been aware. Mashed boiled egg coming up for my lad for his breakfast this morning - thanks for the tip! He seems happy enough although he's more low key in his behaviour (not in talking though, he talks for hours).

Kaz, I'm so glad you posted those pics (as awful as they were!). My boy is similar colour and he is going through a moult now (why I was looking at this thread). He isn't as bad as that poor bird but I was wondering if it were normal for the feathers to be so pinky/red...now I know it is so that has made my mind rest. I've bought some vitamins from the pet store yesterday and am treating him well, hopefully the moult will be over soon and he can be back to being his beautiful self...Im worried that he is moulting in the middle of winter but I'm keeping him out of drafts and in comfortable temperatures.

It's the luck of the draw....it's like the question: 'why did my grandfather smoke every day like a chimney and he died of natural causes in his 90s?'....for some things there is no reason. I think you are a responsible and caring pet owner...so you keep doing what you are doing and don't listen to anyone trying to wind you up. Best of luck

Oh they are sweeties! Welcome to the forum