Rainbow

I'll try to keep this brief. Rainbow did not have a mirror until I happened to purchase one of those plastic ladder toys that had a small spinning mirror on it. He was about 6 months old at the time. Within a month, you could not change his food or water without him lunging from one corner of the cage to your hand in his attempts to protect his "birdie friend". Even if you tried to talk to him from outside the cage, if you got too close he would lunge. Heaven help me when I tried the daily cleaning of the #$%^ mirror because it was filthy. I ended up bleeding every time. He spent most all day with it. He would sleep near it, and ignored any other toys. He eventually didn't even want to leave his cage. I would take him out anyway, but he would fly back to it and hang on the outside of the cage near the mirror toy, very agitated. Needless to say, I took the mirror out. He was so enamoured of the mirror though, that I would take him into the bathroom and hold my finger against the mirror so he could "talk" to the birdie in the mirror. He would've stayed in there all day if I had let him, poor little buddy. But, without the mirror in his cage he once again became a sweet little bird. My idea of a compromise was to take him to the mirror once a day, I felt so sorry for him. It worked out fine, and he seemed to appreciate it. When he was about a year and a half old, I purchased Skittles. She did not get a mirror, even when they lived in seperate cages. Rainbow remained tame, Skittles remained flighty. I still took him in to see the birdie in the mirror, and he still would pin his eyes and have a grand ole time - even with another budgie for a companion. When was about 3 Rainbow and Skittles mated and I acquired my current flock. They have never had a mirror, and when I would take them in the bathroom to see the "birdie in the mirror" they could care less. They expressed no interest at all, only Rainbow. I guess it was because they had other birds around all the time, even when I couldn't be there. Eventually though, he didn't want to spend as much time talking to his mirror friend, which was fine by me, so I quit taking him in to see it. I think he was confused by the mirror, and I really wish I had never given it to him. Boy, was he mean when that mirror was around. I am of the opinion now that if a toy has a mirror on it, it should be given outside the cage so that the bird only has supervised access to it. I would not leave it in the cage.

BudgieLover, it might be hard to get your bird to eat any variety, but it really is well worth it. I found that once mine began to accept cooked foods, they will eat pretty much anything I stick in front of them now... On a daily basis, mine get Beak Appetit (cooked diet made of pastas and veggies) in the morning for breakfast. They have access to organic pellets 24/7, and I also add some dried eggfood in with that. They then get raw veggies/fruit in the afternoons (the Beak Appetit has cooked veggies in it also) which gives them veggies twice a day. They also eat sprouted seeds a few times a week (whenever I can grow a good batch). The raw veggies they eat consist of baby spinach leaves, red leaf lettuce, green or purple kale, carrot tops, baby carrots, broccoli, red and green pepper, apple, plums (no fruit from near the pit though), maybe banana and very occasionally a bit of parsley. I feed them seeds by hand in the evening. I have spent a lot of time getting them to eat better, but I firmly believe it was definitely worth it. They have much more energy.

This is a Cage Connection T5 flight cage. It is about 24" x 18" x 33" ? and the thing I especially like about it is that is opens from the top. The front door has a brace on it so that when it is opened it acts as a landing platform. It also has a breeders door on the right side at the top. It comes with 3 dowel perches (yuk, but at least they aren't plastic) and two big feed cups. Two sides have vertical bars, the other two are horizontal. It comes with a grate at the bottom, and you can get a stand for it as well. Bar spacing is budgie sized. It's a good size for 2 - 4 birds, I get away with 5 in a cage due to perch placement and the fact that they are out of it most of the time. I will get some better pictures in a sec......... EDIT This is a link to a little larger (800 x 600) picture of them to give you a better idea. Note they all insist on being on the same cage, silly little birds.

Nerwen, I have a gram scale like they use at the vets. This is what it looks like. I got it from Drs. Foster and Smith website here in the US, but I didn't find it on their site anymore. This link is more expensive. Anyway, if you can find something like it - it is a very good scale. It weighs in ounces and grams, and has two tops you can use, depending upon if your bird will sit on the T-stand for weighing or not. I use the flat one and tare a plastic tub and lid on it, then weigh my birds. No math involved that way, LOL.

Looks like a skyblue dilute in those pictures.

Good eye, for noticing the cere color on #1. I think most people don't. But all pieds will have the spot, recessive or not.

I thought the stem contained more nutrients than the leaf? My birds always eat the stem first. They do the same with broccoli too, they eat the insides out of the stalk and then nibble on the flower part.

A budgies cere color is determined by hormones. I have never heard of a budgie changing it's cere color to mimic being a bird of the opposite sex. I have seen them act like birds of the opposite sex on occasion, but will maintain that since the brown color of the cere is due to the presence of elevated levels of estrogen in the birds' body, that if a male budgie has a brown cere it is most likely due to tumors of the sex organs. Michael, I think you are correct and the bird was misidentified as male when it was younger.

Either that or after you cut your hole modify the box so you don't have to slide it out. Would it be feasible to hinge that end of the box so you could just flip it up (or down) to see inside and for cleanouts? You could latch it so your birds can't open it.

Hmmm, what's the latest Lin?

Azale, all those things you read about it only taking a few weeks are the exception, not the norm. And I would bet the budgies had trimmed wings. If you don't want to have Nikko's trimmed for the initial taming process then it will take you a bit longer. 6 months wouldn't surprise me a bit. Your budgie is normal. Just keep being patient, and practice step ups in the cage with millet or some other treat he really likes as a reward. Eventually he should settle down.

Congrats, JJ2571!!! Perserverance is the key. I agree, if you just keep offering fresh foods in different ways eventually they will try them.

Well, I would say male too after seeing those! Lovely pics, Julie!

kathy, are you thinking of adding to your flock again?????

Many parrots live longer than 35 years...Amazons and Greys will live 50 or 60 years will good care, macaws even longer.

lovey, I really enjoyed reading your post. It brought back memories. When I was small (4 or 5 maybe?) my parents had a normal blue budgie, he had a cage that hung from a stand in the living room, and as far as I recall never came out. He might have, but I don't remember that part. We always talked to him when we were in the room and I don't think he was neglected, but I would bet he only ate seed. And probably grit. You are right - that's how people thought birds were kept. Thank goodness we have learned! I'm sorry about Sam, but it sounds like you did all the right things to bring him 'round once you got him. I love happy endings.

Daz, very glad she is on the mend.

No. She has no interest in it now anyway. She will be fine if you remove it.

Their feather quality looks beautiful. They look so soft. But I would wait at least until next summer/fall before giving them a nest box, if your intention is to breed them.

Your hen is much too young to breed now. I'd guess she is only about 5 or 6 months old. Did she recently go through any kind of molt? When you got her, did her bars go all the way to the cere? They both are very pretty birds. Is the male about the same age as your hen, do you think?

Your setup looks great. I'm sure they are all happy there. Did they adjust to being moved quickly?

Since you are not sure of her age right now, I'd take out the box. We can give you a better idea of things after you post a picture of her and her mate.

Thanks hath. Who is the author?

Lucky you. Blinks is a good boy!

Hmm, how old is she? Has she ever had a crusty cere? How long has the box been in the cage?