Rainbow

I get lots of stuff from them, aren't they great? I know they have those that are open on both ends that some 'keets like, but since that particular one looks closed except for the hole, I'm thinking someone may think of it as a type of nest box and just envision some fighting going on. Maybe one of the ones that are open would be better...I'm not sure about the size though, because if your birds are anything like mine, once one of them decides they like it, they ALL will like it and again...well, sharing is not a concept my birds have grasped very well. Maybe you could get two - would that would be big enough for all five?

It all depends on how quickly your first bird takes to you. Some take quite a while to tame, others not so long. Once you have your first bird tame, then get your second and place him in quarantine where he has no contact with your first bird at all (ie - different rooms). Your quarantine should last at least a month, and during that time you tame your second bird, while reinforcing the training with your first bird. Just interact with your second bird after the first one, so if he is sick you will not infect your first bird. It all depends on the bird though, as you might find the first bird bonds so strongly to you that he or she is perfectly happy being the only bird in the flock. There are lots of single birds that are that way. To introduce them, just bring the second cage into the same room and let the birds get used to each other. After a few days you can let your first one out to 'inspect' the newcomer through the bars, and after a few days of that you could let them out at the same time. They may prefer each other's company in the same cage or they may prefer to be housed seperately - it just depends upon how they get on together.

They come out the same size as the egg, don't they? They grow very quickly - you'll be amazed. (It is exciting.) I started to handle mine when they were feathered all over - I think it is about three weeks.

I wonder why that is? Depending upon which lighting you use, hath, do you find that to be true?

How old is he?

Well, I'm going to stop back in today and tomorrow to see if she is still laying. If she is, I will have to give them another lesson in budgie care. I don't think it's intentional, I think they just don't realize how draining it is to her.

I was back in the pet store tonight, and the same hen was sitting on yet another egg... There was a **** who fed her once, but he was also chasing other hens around so I'm not sure if he was her mate or not. I asked how many eggs she had laid and they didn't know. I thought budgies were determinate egg layers (unlike cockatiels who are indeterminate egg layers - they will keep laying if you take the eggs away until they are exhausted)...could she be on her second round already since the eggs are taken away? Anyway, I asked them if she laid another to seperate her and the male from the other birds, as she was very stressed.

You are very lucky indeed he returned. I'm glad to hear it. Most budgies fly straight up when they escape and have no idea where they are or how to get back.

Congratulations on all the new eggs!! It's very exciting, isn't it? I left all the eggs in for about a week after the last chick hatched, but I did not candle mine. If you keep track of the hatch dates and count backwards to when the first egg was laid, you can pretty much tell when they should be hatching. If any of them begin to turn dark grey, remove them first.

Your budgies' beak should be pointy on the end. It's rare that a healthy bird's beak becomes overgrown as they usually keep it the right length by themselves. If it looks to you that the top part extends much farther below the bottom, I would have your vet check him out. You might go to the Budgie Picture forum and look at some of the pictures of everyone else's birds and compare the beaks to yours to see if they look much the same. He's probably fine. If he's drawing blood I'm guessing he knows how hard he is biting...Is there a pattern to when he does it? Is it just when he's out of his cage, or every time you put your hand near?

Mine did too...but when he reached about 9 months of age he got very possessive of his mirror and would sit by it all day, and sing to and feed his reflection. If I got close to him or the mirror (it was attached to a ladder) he would attack. (ouch!)

I think it would always be worth it to tame your budgies, no matter what their age. It will take longer, and since you have two older birds together, it will probably take longer still. Can you get your hand inside the cage without them flapping around, or do they just move to the other side of the perch and watch you?

That's funny about Sweetie watching the fish. I've never heard of sewing the tail feathers together. If you think there is thread, take it off. As far as the length of them, in a very young bird (under 6 weeks or so) the tail just hasn't had a chance to grow to full length yet. It will just look short. He sounds beautiful.

Awwww! Now you know you can't go anywhere without her...

Not to worry you, but I did some research today to see what you could do about that beak, and most every site mentioned a dietary vitamin A deficiency or liver problems as reasons a budgie's beak and nails will overgrow. Hopefully your vet has ruled these out???

I didn't know that. That's quite a bit of growth! My birds have never had a problem with an overgrown beak, most of them don't even peel, so I'm not sure what to suggest. However, in their cages they have the usual manner of wooden toys and branches, a calcium perch, cuttlebone, and a concrete perch. Maybe you could add an 'edible' type of perch if you don't have one already. I'll look around for some other suggestions.

Has your vet run any tests to determine why your budgies beak is growing too fast?

Why is she a danger to herself?

The angle should be the same as how the feathers look in a fully flighted bird. I guess that would be angled in toward the body, so that when the wing is folded the longer side of the feather is towards the outside. It's hard to explain in print, isn't it? You are probably doing it right, because as you clip from the outside in, I think it's natural to clip it that way. I've always had the vet trim them, but that's how mine looked when they were done. Maybe she just gets very stressed. I think I would leave her untrimmed.

Beautiful. What's the size?

Do you think she plucks them? If you clip too short or at the wrong angle the feather shafts can bother her and she will continually preen them to get them to "feel right".

It sounds as if she started to molt shortly after you trimmed.

So it may really depend upon how it is planted, and the total perching area of whatever type perches are placed in it? I was hoping it would be big enough for my crew plus a few more, but it seems it would reach capacity pretty quickly.

Yes. Although I think it helps to handle them some in the nest box once they are fully feathered.

Congratulations!!! I just love babies!!