Budgies And The Heat

[Karyn 0]

Hello

 

I moved by budgies into an outside aviary in October so they are experiencing their first summer outdoors. I am a little concerned about how they will go in the heat. I have a misting system which I can turn on when I am at home to give them a bit of relief but am worried about when I am away at work. How common is it for a budgie to die or become ill from heat stress and what temperature would something like this be expected to occur in?

 

Thanks Karyn

[Budgie_Mad 0]

I have had mine in 36ish degrees, outside and they have been fine, however I have a bit of breeze and a shade clothe on the front as to stop the sun a bit.

[Pebble 0]

My birds have access to shade all day as a result of a half solid wall in my aviary. If you don't have one, I would set one up using shade cloth. On really hot days, I go into the aviary and mist them with water every 2 hours or so. I also put out a little dish for them to splash about in if they want to. I take this dish away at the end of the day as I don't want them drinking from it once they have bathed in it. When I am talking about hot days, I do it any day when I see them sitting with their wings out off their body. I try to make sure they are never so hot in the aviary that they pant. I have not lost any due to heat yet.

[Karyn 0]

Fortunately the birds have access to shade all day too and the aviary doesn't get much direct sunlight except in the morning when its a bit cooler. We've had some hot days here in Perth but luckily they have been days I have been at home so have been able to keep them cool with a bit of water from the misting system but its days like today where it's 38 and I am away at work all day I worry about. They do pant at times and that worries me. I've left 3 water bowls for them to swim in but they just don't seem to get in the water. I also thought they might spend some time on the aviary floor if it was too hot as I have heard some birds do this but haven't seen them do that either.

[Budgie_Mad 0]

You just have to realise, there bodies, were designed to withstand the great Australian desserts, without water for days and sometimes a week or two. I know they are domestic, but they are a desert/dessert, cant ever know which is which. anyhow, I am sure they will cope with the heat, and use the water when necessary.

[Flip 0]

Hi Karyn. Melbourne has just had 4 consecutive days of 40 plus temperatures which is pretty extreme for here .I have 3 outside aviaries - holding Aussie/pet budgies, English budgies and cockatiels respectively. All 3 aviaries have plenty of shade. In the heat I disturb my birds as little as possilble. When they are disturbed they tend to fly and become hotter. All feeding, etc is carried out early before the temperature rises. I provide extra water which the can use if they want. I topped the water up during the day - not because they had used it all, but just to provide some fresh cool water. My English budgies spent the hottest part of each day on the sand covered floor of the aviary - looked quite funny. My Aussie budgies and cockatiels stayed on the perches. They did hold their wings out from their bodies and the budgies did pant. As Budgie_Mad said, Australian budgies are designed to withstand temperature extremes. Bear in mind that the larger English budgies are not. All my birds made it through the heat okay. I did have to move all my breeding cages inside into my air conditioned family room however, and then watched TV with the subtitles on for the duration of their stay indoors.

[Pebble 0]

Hehehehe. The things we do for our little mates Flip! That is really funny albeit necessary

 

[Karyn 0]

I like your comment Flip about watching the TV with subtitles, that is what we used to do when our birds were inside with us! They are such happy characters the budgie. Thanks all for your replies. It has given me some peace of mind.