Shann

Awwww, they're gorgeous! I miss breeding my birdies, the babies are always so cute

Here are a few pictures of my current flock, and some old photos as well seeing as its been ages since I've been on. I'm not breeding anymore because I just don't have the time to be able to do it properly at the moment and their cage isn't big enough either. Lucien unfortunately passed away a bit over a week ago from unknown causes (he was fine one afternoon and I found him dead the next morning), Casper got away one night after a branch fell on the cage during a storm and George had to be put down at the beginning of the year due to a stomach tumor. I also no have a number of finches (Zebra and Bengalese) and a Rainbow Lorikeet named Shia. Cyrus, I just put the second one in because in the corner one of the finches flew past and I thought it looked pretty cool... Kailani (Little violet bird) and Orrin (the green one) Jack Briar, this was taken this morning after Jack attacked him. They've all been in the same cage for months and months and there's never been a problem, but all of a sudden Jack just turned. I thought his skull was broken but he's perked up a lot in the last few hours so hopefully he'll pull through. Bloody birds, clearly its extremely hard just to be be nice to each other... Fatty (Old Photo) Lucien (Old Photo) Casper (Old Photo)

I had a budgie that looked similar to that (although not quite that puffy). I thought she was overweight but the vet said she was just a stocky bird. But as Kaz said, cutting down on oats and sunflower seeds might be a good idea and replace those with lots of green veggies.

Yeah, I have a feeling that the surgery I mentioned before is the only one in the area. She's stopped throwing up for the moment though, since I've been giving her the tea and she's looking a little perkier, but still not well.

Hey everyone... Haven't been on in a while (what with work and the HSC I've barely even been on the computer since november last year, (Laughing out loud).) I am in desperate need of an Avian Vet in the wollongong area that isn't the Cannon and Ball surgery (they don't do appointments on sundays and at the moment I really can't afford the fee they charge just to walk in the door.) One of my budgies has been throwing up since last night and I'm quite worried, all the other vets I called told me they would most likely just have to refer me to Cannon and Ball. At the moment I'm keeping her warm and giving her warm tea with honey when she'll take it to keep her energy up but I don't know what else to do. I can get in to see a vet tomorrow morning but I really don't want to wait that long considering we all know how fast the little guys go downhill. If anyone knows of an avian vet in the wollongong area could they PLEASE let me know. Thanks, -Shann

When I bought my first budgie, Rover, he had something like that... except it was in both wings and his tail. He didn't get his proper flight feathers until he was about a year and a half old and when he got them before that they would fall out and be all bloody. The breeder I got him from called him a "hopper" (cause thats all he could do) and said that it can sometimes happen if they are inbred, which I know a lot of show budgies are... This may not be the case with your budgie, but its just a thought... An avian vet might be able to give you a more conclusive answer though. -Shann

Yeah, you can usually see the insides of a baby budgie for a while after it hatches... and Im pretty sure that the bit of orange in its belly is some of the yolk which hasnt been absorbed yet. -Shann

They are, but they don't have a breeding box and dont breed in general... Winnie has quite severe splayed legs and is crippled so I dont let them breed. George II tried to mate with her for a while but then realised that she would fall off the perch if he tried so he gave it up Im keeping a close eye on the little ones to make sure that they dont get attacked again, but its not like George II to do something like that, and Winnie wouldnt be able to catch them so Im not too worried... -Shann

Kailani and Lucien's first clutch has been a nightmare! okay, so they started off with 5 bubs. One died when it was a few days old because Kailani neglected to feed it (I started to hand feed it but the little guy wasn't strong enough), another left us because it ventured out of the box too early (at about 4 or so weeks) and somehow got itself lodged between the back of the cage and the box and was out there for the whole night upside down... the eldest bub was lost when my brother was handling her and when trying to put her back didn't hold onto her quite tight enough and she flew away (it was her first fly by the way and she wasn't weaned yet) and for the next few night there was ridiculous wind and rain... and now, the last two (still alive... although hardly) They are both pretty much out of the breeding box but still like to go back in a night and are not completely weaned. Yesterday I go to check on them and find the eldest of the two covered in blood, puffed up on a perch. I brought it inside and kept it warm but thought I should put it back in so Lucien could give it a feed... the moment I put it back in it started to make frightened screeching noises and mum (Kailani) pounced on the little one and started to attack it! Without any provocation... And this morning When I went out the same had happened to the other bub and it was sitting down the bottom in the corner of the cage fluffed up, covered in blood and shaking violently. I don't understand it! She was actually a pretty good mum up until this point... I've moved them out of the cage and into George II and Winnie's where they are recovering now. George II has been feeding them (he's a lovely little budgie) as well so hopefully they will be okay... Does this kind of thing happen to anyone else very often? Or is Kailani just a bit (or a lot) temperamental? -Shann

Thanks guys, It will be an outdoor one... we have one at the moment in the backyard where we're renovating but mum thinks its an eyesore (which I have to admit it is) so Im going to build a new one when we move back in and I get the time... so, probably next year some time, (Laughing out loud), when school's over and Im free. -Shann

Hey guys, just wondering, if I was to build an outside aviary for my budgies could I use untreated pine? Is that safe for them to chew on (because they inevitably will) or should I stick with something different, or use plastic or metal of some description? I wont be building it for a while but it just popped into my head so I thought I'd ask. -Shann

Im so sorry to hear that, he was a nice looking bird too...

It looks to me as if the beak is growing, but the rest of the body isn't? If thats the case I'd say its probably got some sort of genetic disease or mutation, probably not just underdeveloped... You could always take it to an avain vet and see what they say, but chances are there will be little they can do and will probably recommend putting the little one to sleep. Its your choice though, it might pull through you never know... -Shann

They're all lovely... isnt it funny how theyre all so incredibly attracted to anything shiny??? -Shann

Well, turns out it was a bit of a problem... I found one of the bubs this morning somehow lodged between the back of the cage and the breeding box... I have no idea how he got there as the gap between them is no bigger than a centimeter, but he somehow managed it and unfortunately didnt make it. The poor little guy. The one night I dont check on them before bed something like this happens! Oh well, thanks for your feedback anyway guys. -Shann