Buying A New Budgie

[Lilysbudgie 0]

Hello

My name is Michelle and I came accross this forum when doing some research about budgies.

 

We are buying my daughter a budgie for her birthday on Monday. We pick him up tomorrow. I am so excited I had trouble sleeping last night (Laughing out loud). My daughter will be beside herself when she knows what she is getting.

We already have a dog, fish and 4 chickens.

 

I am also starting to get very nervous about picking him up. It's probably too late now but exactly how will I know that we have been sold a male. The lady we are buying him from said she has been handling him so he is being sold as hand tamed. I just hope we aren't taken for a ride...

 

This forum is so informative. Thanks. I hope I don't become too addicted.

 

Michelle

[Bec Sta 0]

Hi and welcome to the forum Michelle, I suggest you start with the FAQ's and checking out some old posts, they are full of heaps of useful info .

 

And I'm sorry to inform you, but you will have caught the bug already. Your symptoms will begin to show any where between 1 day to a few weeks and may include behaviours such as: buying more budgies, spending excessive amounts on budgie toys and accesories, filling up your camera memory with budgie photos and spending the majority of the day on BBC forum .

[deb 0]

hi and welcome to the forum. i hope your daughter loves her budgie, i bought my son a budgie for his birthday 5 years ago and now i have 12.After you get the budgie if you post a picture we will be able to tell you if is male, male budgies have a blue cere but if it is a young budgie the blue would not be showing yet.i am also sorry to say but this forum and budgies are addictive. i have more photos on my computer of my budgies than my children and my husband is planning on buying me a laptop because he does not get to use his computer anymore because i am always on this forum.

[HurdyBirdy 0]

Hi -- I hope that everything goes well. A young male will have a pinker cere (fleshy area above the beak when the nostrils are ) and will not have white rings around the nostrils. May be harder to tell to an untrained eye -- but they aren't that hard to pick out. A female can also be a good pet budgie too.

[Elly 0]

In our FAQ section we have pictures under Sexing Your Budgies, if and probably so your budgie is young the cere will be pink in both males and females the intensity of the pink can be an indicator of a male along with nasal rings. At this point you are going to have to trust the breeder/pet shop and hope for the best .

[maesie 0]

Hi and welcome! I have some very bad news for you... You are already addicted!!! But I'd rather be addicted to this than something else like drugs or alcohol... Congrats on your 'nearly' newbie. We'd love to see pics when he arrives. As he will be young, make sure you can still see the bars on his head (they'll be on his forhead) as this means he is young) Good uck and keep us updated.

[birdluv 0]

Hi, welcome to the forums

that is so good that you are reading up before getting a feathered friend.

l can hardly wait to see tons of pictures.

[Lilysbudgie 0]

Hi, welcome to the forums

that is so good that you are reading up before getting a feathered friend.

l can hardly wait to see tons of pictures.

 

 

Thanks everyone for your welcome.

 

This is our little boy, "Jack"

 

 

He is just gorgeous and has really taken to my daughter, and her to him. He has been quite content sitting in her lap, hiding in this cloth and sleeping !

 

His colour is a beautiful lilac body with gray and white wings. Once he is settled I will post a better picture.

 

Michelle

Edited March 2, 2008 by Lilysbudgie

[birdluv 0]

awww......Jack is a little cutie.

[Elly 0]

what a doll

[Bec Sta 0]

Jack is such a little cutie .

[**KAZ** 0]

From that photo, Jack looks like a JILL

 

More photos please.

[Neat 0]

Hi, welcome to the forums that is so good that you are reading up before getting a feathered friend.l can hardly wait to see tons of pictures.

Thanks everyone for your welcome.This is our little boy, "Jack" He is just gorgeous and has really taken to my daughter, and her to him. He has been quite content sitting in her lap, hiding in this cloth and sleeping !His colour is a beautiful lilac body with gray and white wings. Once he is settled I will post a better picture.Michelle

Hey Michelle ..... Beautiful baby Budgie Jack But I think it is mokre like Jacky ( female ) But wait until someone else sees they should let you know ...I can't wait to see full body picture She sound stunning .....>>>> I should have read Kaz post before replying (Laughing out loud) <<<<<<

[Lilysbudgie 0]

This is another photo. Not taken at a very good angle, I can assure you though he/she was quite happy.

 

 

So if he does turn out to be a she is it still possible to have her tame. As in nursed by my daughter, and out of her cage when we are home ? Also will it affect being able to teach her to talk ?

 

Is it from the colour above the beak that is making you think that our Jack is actually Jackie ?

 

I was told he/she was approx 6 weeks old. Can you tell if this even looks to be the correct age ?

 

Thank you so much for all the help.

 

Michelle

[Neat 0]

Hi Michelle ,

 

To me ( only a novice Breeder ) She doesn't look Young ... 6-9 weeks old I am sure one of the other breeders will be able to tell you a better time frame ....

 

With Trainging and bonding - It is fine still the only thing that I have found is that female take a little bit longer, which isn't a bad thing it just means more time together ....

[**Liv** 0]

Hi Michelle and welcome

I agree that Jack looks like a Jill/Jackie too

There is nothing wrong with having a female. they are just as lovely as the boys when tamed from a young age - Its only the wild grumpy females that tend to bite hard

As for the age of your new baby... my first impression was 4-5 weeks old. looks like it's JUST out the nest, especially the way its snuggling into that cloth. Is Jack cracking seed (eating) yet???

Edited March 2, 2008 by **Liv**

[Lilysbudgie 0]

Yes he is eating seed, but he picks it from the floor of the cage. The lady I bought him off said to do this until he was a little older and then he would use the proper food / water containers. I do have his water and seed in low dishes on the botttom of the cage.

 

He spends alot of time "snuggled" in his face washer. Even when we nurse him he is happiest sunggled with just his head showing. However when the house was all quiet last night, I caught him on his perch (which I have down very low) My daughter said he was on it this morning when she got up and checked him. It just seems to be when there is noise he hides ! He should be happy, the place he came from was soooo noisy. (Laughing out loud)

 

I was told he was 6 weeks approx, and he doesn't seem to have his balance properly yet. But wouldn't that mean he couldn't sit on the perch ?

 

I hope I haven't been sold a "dud". We still love him to bits. He is so cute.

 

I can see how this becomes addictive. If I can't have more chooks maybe I will get more budgies !

 

Michelle

[**KAZ** 0]

She is young and most likely as suggested at the 6 week stage. I would be concerned about the lack of balance....that can indicate weakness, and eating problems.

Always check a budgies bottom for signs of illhealth. Like when people go pale when sick, budgies get poopy bottoms. Also feel her bodyweight. Feel for the sharp bone running down the front of her chest vertically. If it feels sharp and not padded with flesh she is losing weight, and that would be a concern. Budgies often appear to be eating properly when they are not.

Does she has her full flight feathers ? Its hard to see from that photo but the wing flights look a little odd in that photo.

I dont think you need to be babying her with the cuddle cloth.....the behaviour may mask symptoms of illness. What looks cute and cuddly can actually be a not well budgie. So get rid of the cuddle cloth and especially so she can do more perching and exploring the cage. Amongst other things they can get caught up on fabric from their claws.

[Lilysbudgie 0]

Thanks KAZ.

I have felt the breast bone and it feels padded.

 

Ihave checked the bottom and there is not too many feathers. There is a covering of short soft downy feathers. Bottom does not look pooey.

 

Flight feathers - there is feathers on the top of the wings but the under line of feathers have been cut back on both sides.

 

What angle photo would be best for you and I will try and get one.

 

I have seen him eating and standing and walking around. I just assumed the cloth would be good to hide in because he is so used to being in a cage with lots of other little ones. The woman I bought him from said they all snuggle together on the bottom of the cage.

 

I am a bit sad that I bought him from this woman to be honest but at the time I knew no better.

 

At least I know in my heart that he will be very well looked after and spoiled with us.

 

I will still call him a "him" for the time being just for ease (Laughing out loud)

 

Michelle

Edited March 3, 2008 by Lilysbudgie

[**KAZ** 0]

Thanks KAZ.

I have felt the breast bone and it feels padded.

 

Ihave checked the bottom and there is not too many feathers. There is a covering of short soft downy feathers. Bottom does not look pooey.

 

Flight feathers - there is feathers on the top of the wings but the under line of feathers have been cut back on both sides.

 

What angle photo would be best for you and I will try and get one.

 

I have seen him eating and standing and walking around. I just assumed the cloth would be good to hide in because he is so used to being in a cage with lots of other little ones. The woman I bought him from said they all snuggle together on the bottom of the cage.

 

I am a bit sad that I bought him from this woman to be honest but at the time I knew no better.

 

At least I know in my heart that he will be very well looked after and spoiled with us.

 

I will still call him a "him" for the time being just for ease LOL

 

Michelle

 

okay...sounds fine. Pity its wings have been clipped so young though. I prefer mine learn to fly upon fledging. Even though I never clip wings, if you are going to, its best they learn to fly first I think. Surprising that the woman said they all snuggle together in the bottom of the cage. That is not normal behaviour for a fledged baby budgie...maybe for younger budgies in a nest but not for fledged babies. Weird.

[**Liv** 0]

Thanks KAZ.

I have felt the breast bone and it feels padded.

 

Ihave checked the bottom and there is not too many feathers. There is a covering of short soft downy feathers. Bottom does not look pooey.

 

Flight feathers - there is feathers on the top of the wings but the under line of feathers have been cut back on both sides.

 

What angle photo would be best for you and I will try and get one.

 

I have seen him eating and standing and walking around. I just assumed the cloth would be good to hide in because he is so used to being in a cage with lots of other little ones. The woman I bought him from said they all snuggle together on the bottom of the cage.

 

I am a bit sad that I bought him from this woman to be honest but at the time I knew no better.

 

At least I know in my heart that he will be very well looked after and spoiled with us.

 

I will still call him a "him" for the time being just for ease (Laughing out loud)

 

Michelle

 

okay...sounds fine. Pity its wings have been clipped so young though. I prefer mine learn to fly upon fledging. Even though I never clip wings, if you are going to, its best they learn to fly first I think. Surprising that the woman said they all snuggle together in the bottom of the cage. That is not normal behaviour for a fledged baby budgie...maybe for younger budgies in a nest but not for fledged babies. Weird.

 

 

Thats why i said it looks 4-5 weeks old

I dont feel there is any way that baby is 6 weeks old.

I think its JUST out of the box, If that

Keep a close eye on its eating and its weight - it may be pecking but not eating enough.

Edited March 3, 2008 by **Liv**

[**KAZ** 0]

Thats why i said it looks 4-5 weeks old

I dont feel there is any way that baby is 6 weeks old.

I think its JUST out of the box, If that

Keep a close eye on its eating and its weight - it may be pecking but not eating enough.

 

Very true...if this baby is still at cuddling stage it has left home too early ( BAD BREEDER !! Smack. smack !! )

Still should not have a cuddle rug. Signs indicate it is eating...as lack of eating will show in a poopy bottom as well and the sharp keelbone...but apparently that is all okay.

Really bad thing to do, to clip the wings of a baby that age. It has never learnt to fly !! That is not good

[HurdyBirdy 0]

Aww.. Jack is a cutie.. I agree looks pretty young.. but you are in the right place for advice, etc. I'm actually going to say that Jack looks boyish to me -- based on the shape of the head.

[**Liv** 0]

Very true...if this baby is still at cuddling stage it has left home too early ( BAD BREEDER !! Smack. smack !! )

Still should not have a cuddle rug. Signs indicate it is eating...as lack of eating will show in a poopy bottom as well and the sharp keelbone...but apparently that is all okay.

Really bad thing to do, to clip the wings of a baby that age. It has never learnt to fly !! That is not good

 

I agree big smack with no warnings for the breeder!!!

They lied about age, sex and cliped its wings before it could fly AND has rehomed it too early... very upsetting

 

I am so pleased Jack is in your good hands now Michelle. You are basically her new mother until she is old enough to care for herself. Babies are normally weaned after they are fledged about 6-7 weeks old.

 

Oh and your new bub will be VERY tame and very bonded to you which is a big bonus

 

Kaz, do you think Michelle will need to hand/crop feed Jack??

Edited March 3, 2008 by **Liv**

[Lilysbudgie 0]

I can't thank you all enough for your help. You are lifesavers.

 

I have to rush to organise a 6 year old birthday party now but will come back in later tonight and tell you a bit more about the "home'" our little one came from. You will be horrified I am sure. My husband and I were and we are not even "budgie people" If you know what I mean.

 

I am a bit embarrassed to tell you actually. Lets say that a pet shop would possibly have been a bettter option - even though I am so against them

 

Chat later, and thanks again

 

Michelle