Budgie Weightwatchers

[Cheeky 0]

Hiya, took my wee Oscar to the vet last month as he was starting to run funny and kept crash landing. Was absolutely devastated to find out he was obese! He weighed 64g and should be around 40. Couldn't believe what I had done to my little guy, but I stupidly thought he would only eat what he needed. felt so guilty. So, he has been in a diet and exercise and got weighed again yesterday-now 58g so he's list 10% of his body weight which is great! Still a long way to go but it will b with it! He's a much happier boy now! Any hints and tips on trying to get him healthier would b greatly appreciated!

[**KAZ** 0]

Make sure he gets lots of flying time and his cage isnt too crammed with perches and toys.

Make sure there isnt oats in his seed mix.

[Hezz 0]

Hi Cheeky and wee (or not so!!) Oscar, I can only recommend more flying time, cut the millet if he gets it, more fruit and vegs. If the worst comes to worst I suppose you would have to restrict him to a set amount of food for the day, but that would be at the say-so of your vet.

 

I've been trying to get my little hen to exercise more, but don't think she appreciates being turfed off my hand and have to fly home!!! She doesn't fly nearly as easily as my other bird and can't at all when she's wet!

 

Didn't the vet give you any tips to get him moving more?

[Cheeky 0]

thanks guys, we let him out first thing in the morning and he goes to bed when we do so he gets plenty of flying time, although he mainly runs! Will try and encourage him to fly more. Good idea bout the oats-vet thinks he is picking and choosing the fattening seeds so we r trying to change him onto pellets which is a nightmare-however after reading the,pinned post I'm not so sure this us a good idea. Still battling to get him to eat any fruit and veg but he just refuses. Have tried everything I think! Tried it all when hr was a baby too! He's v fussy!

[*Nerwen* 0]

give him Finch or Canary mix seed rather than budgie. This doesn't have the oats in it, but still safe for them. it was a tip given to me by an avian vet when i had an obese hen - and it was safe for her while breeding.

[stace 0]

I just realised Oscar is that little cutie I said looked like a Teletubby when he was a wee bub! Not so wee any more, huh. But still tubby!

 

Have you tried different ways of feeding him veges? Just for instance, mine loves playing with metal things. His skewer kabob thing is one of his favourite toys. So if I put thin rings of carrot, beetroot and corn on it, he ends up eating stuff while he's playing.

 

Before that, when he was just a baby, I had to chop his veges up into really, really miniscule little pieces. Like the size of tiny millet seeds. Even had to buy a special little paring knife to do it. He's a lot better with bigger chunks now.

 

I didn't realise Finch and Canary food was less fattening. I'll have to remember that in case I ever need it.

 

Don't feed him any of those budgie treat things. They full of honey and fattening seeds.

[Finnie 0]

I have my budgies on a blend of Finch seed mix and Canary seed mix. The Parakeet blend just had too much extra junk in it!

 

But I would keep an eye on him, if he is losing weight too quickly. Especially if you are trying to convert him to pellets and he puts himself on a starvation diet. They are known to starve themselves, rather than eat food they don't like.

[moglet 0]

Oh dear! I think I have a big fatty too. Possum is getting like a tennis ball... she is in an aviary of six and they have loads of flying space. She does love to get out so I might let them out to fly a whole lot more and is quite active. She loves to eat ANYTHING. Fruit, veg, seed heads. Her beak starts watering at anything she sees me bringing over.

 

Do you think I should be concerned about her?? She is just coming up for a year old soon.

 

[stace 0]

Possum is definitely looking a little porky. More of an apple, than a pear. Time to bring out the elastic pants!

 

 

 

 

[Hezz 0]

Thank you from me for the tip with seeds Nerwen. Smudge has the "cleavage" and it doesn't seem to be getting any less. Although I would have thought her diet was quite good.

 

Vet recommended getting my other budgie onto pellets too, thought to start with it had worked but now that it is mixed with a bit of seed, the pellets don't seem to be getting any less!:(

 

Does Possum have a little "cleavage" on her belly? You will know what I mean if she has. Have you weighed her? Although I have read so many different opinions on what is the correct weight range for a pet-type budgie.

 

Should add also, that while I will give the pellets a go, I will never ever give my birds only pellets. What on earth is that beak for if not for cracking seed??? I'm going to give it another week and then give it up (regardless of if the volume of pellets starts to fall.

Edited April 1, 2011 by Hezz

[maesie 0]

Do a search on pellets here... There are many threads on the debate! I don't like them at all, by changing your seed and adding more fruit and veggies I think you'll get a better result than stuffing around trying to convert them to pellets. Can we see a photo of your 'fatty'. Also, any out of cage time is good... even if he is just running! Like us, any movement is better than none. If he is big, he may even have a hard time flying. Good luck!

[moglet 0]

She seems to be really porky around her chest and back of her neck. We have been calling her mate, Whizzbang The Terrible, a chubby chaser!! LOL. He just adores her.

[Cheeky 0]

Thanks for all your advice guys ill let you know how he gets on at his next weigh in in a couple of months. The vet showed me how to check if they are too fat-have a feel of the tummy and you should be able to feel the bone running down the middle. If you can't they are too fat. Wet down the feathers on the tummy, the skin should be pink but if they are too fat it looks yellow.

[moglet 0]

Gee Possum will just loooove me doing that. I will attempt to feel and wet her down this weekend. I don't think I'll be popular. I might do Cosmo too, he's always been a huge boy so I'm not sure if it is just his body build or if he's a fatso.

 

I have been putting seeded fresh grass heads in every day. Should I knock it back to just every few days? I just assumed they'd only eat what they needed. I really do think Possum is a porker though....

 

This is Cosmo.

 

[**KAZ** 0]

Reading material http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showtopic=18890

[Cheeky 0]

Aw cosmo is a cracker!

Yeah thanks kaz, I had read it and it put me off the pellets. It's so hard to know what to do with conflicting information.

[Hezz 0]

I totally agree, Cheeky. I am going to back my own gut feeling and stick with seed but will give the canary mix a look in too - probably mix the two up. They get as much fruit and vege as they will eat, there is always leftovers, with branches of eucalypts once or twice a week, depends how often I remember to stop and steal! :P

[stace 0]

Moglet, I doubt the fresh seeding grass would be a problem. It's more likely the fattening dried seeds types they put in the commercial mixes, as well as those seed treat stick things.

[moglet 0]

Thanks, they just looooove the grass heads.

 

I might take the advice here about the carnary/finch mix and use that. They also have a container of pellets in there, but I don't see it go down very much so I don't think anyone is really bothering with it.

 

They don't get stick treats, all I give them is the seed mix, fresh fruit or veg – whatever I have going that day that is safe, a bowl of pellets and a bunch of grass heads most days. Possum is ALWAYS first over to investigate the fresh stuff or grass heads. She seems to love anything that doesn't run faster than her!!

 

Maybe someone needs to invent a little budgie rowing machine!!! LOL.

[moglet 0]

Hey Cheeky, how is the little teletubbie Oscar going on his diet? Possum is just as pudgy as ever, despite my encouraging her to come out to fly daily and cutting out the fatso foods. She just eats more of everything else I think!!!

[stace 0]

Maybe Possum is just big-boned

[moglet 0]

Ha ha! Maybe. Or she might be going through the budgie equivalent of teenage awkward years. Whizzbang adores her though. Maybe he likes 'em big! She is quite a bit bigger and taller than he is.

[Cheeky 0]

Hiya its still going well I think! Hasn't been weighed again but he is due at the end of the month so ill let you know how he gets on!. Still not eating veggies but i'll keep trying. Have you had possum weighed? I'm noticing that Oscar is scaveging off the carpet a lot more since putting him on the diet-poor little guy is still hungry!

[moglet 0]

No, I haven't had a reason to take her off to the vet.... She looks like a grey tennis ball when she sleeps. I'm hoping she'll lose a bit of it in spring when I put her and Whizzy into a breeding cabinet. I am dying to see them parenting as she is SUCH a sweetie. She is so gentle and friendly even though she's not been trained. I think she will make a lovely Mum with her nature.