Rainbow

Thanks, hath. I didn't know that.

I am looking into building/buying a small aviary. I'm still undecided whether it would be indoor or outdoor. I'm just trying to determine a good size right now. If I have something like 8' L x 6' W x 5 1/2' H, how many birds would be comfortable (i.e. not at all crowded) in something this size?

Those are so cute! I just love the second picture-his expression looks sooo mischievous! He is a very pretty teapot.

I was at the pet store today, and saw two beautiful normal green budgies (paired) that the hen had laid an egg in the floor of the cage and was sitting on it. The **** was feeding her, and there were about 8 other birds in there with them. They seemed fine, and the other birds weren't bothering them (yet). He was feeding her, and going over to the seed and eating, then feeding her some more. She would leave the egg while he was eating (but not going far) and begging more food. Then they would both lightly beak the egg and she would sit on it again. It was so touching. I'm sure their odds of raising any young in this situation are slim to none. So I started thinking - what if someone bought one of them and not the other, how would that affect them? Would anyone have bought them so they could stay together?

How big is your cage and what do you have in it now? A few perches of different sizes and textures are good, as well as toys and maybe a swing should be fine, as long as you have the room. Like julie said, you need to be able to easily get to things in the cage, as well as having plenty of space for your bird.

Your male is probably ready to breed again and the babies are getting in the way. A larger cage is usually always good, but I'm not sure if it would prevent him from bothering the babies right now. You could get one and put the male in it until all the babies fledge and then put them all together, or put the babies in the bigger cage (after they fledge) and move your male back in with the female in the cage they have now. If you don't want more babies, seperate him. If you can't seperate him, put something on the floor of the cage the babies can hide in to get away from the male.

Oh, I am very sorry to hear that. Are you okay?

Me too!

lol I guess not! More pictures, Adam???

Mine don't like to be spritzed or sit under the faucet as it drips, but some budgies like it. Some of them use their water dishes as a bathtub, and there are also budgie baths you can buy and put in your cage. Mine only like to take baths in food. I put some good lettuce (like red leaf or red romaine - something with some color to it) on a plate or in a bowl with a little water and they take a bath in the leaves (and eat it as well). Sometimes I hang some big lettuce leaves near a perch inside the cage and they hang from them and take a bath that way. They also like to roll around in the tops of carrots. You will have to experiment to see which way yours likes best. But since he is so new, he may not like any way yet.

If you really think your bird has mites, take him to the vet and let them treat him. I wouldn't just put medicine on him without knowing if he needs it or not. Birds don't always stand on one foot when they rest, and I think if you have only had yours for five days he is not comfortable enough around you yet to relax. It can be a sign of illness, but is usually considered in addition to other symptoms. As far as the scratching, it may be a normal part of preening. Does he seem agitated when he does it, or is he preening other feathers as well? Birds sometimes engage in displacement behavior if they are nervous or don't know what to do, and a quick preening definitely falls into this category.

I got a "birdie pinata" awhile back, but Rainbow and Skittles were afraid of it so I put it up. I decided to put it back in one of the cages to see if the younger birds would play with it, and they love it! Especially the hens, but the **** babies play with it some too. It is quickly becoming very shredded. Bhups, sometimes single birds don't play with toys too much. They seem to need to see another bird having fun with it before they decide they want it too. Just like little kids. But you could try olympic rings, lattice balls with bells in them, or something like that. Maybe your bird just doesn't know what to do with the toy. Sometimes you have to play with it and act like you are having the time of your life before your bird will play with it too.

But, the chicks would be growing already!!! I wouldn't be able to get rid of those eggs now... You never know what you will get - they could be exactly what you want.

I wondered what color mine would be also - and they were nothing like I thought they would be! That's part of the fun, I think, the waiting...

Hello and welcome! Can you post pictures of them? Maybe we can tell from looking at them. Depending upon the type, cere color is only reliable about 80% of the time. If they are young, they will still bond to one another and feed each other without mating. Normally they will not lay eggs without a nest box, but if you have any doubts about their ages (you think they are too young) don't give them a nest box, or keep them in seperate cages temporarily. Most people will say don't breed your hen until she is over 12 months, but I still think that is young. As far as their approximate age, again it depends on type. Very young birds have pinkish ceres and bars that go all the way down the front of the head to the cere. They begin to molt between 3 and 4 months of age and slowly lose the bars. At about the same age, usually the iris will begin to lighten as well. Starting with a very dark grey so as you'd hardly notice it, the iris will lighten until you can see it well in an adult bird. Once they are over 7 or 8 months old I think it is difficult to tell their ages. Male birds' ceres will usually turn blue, whereas the female's will start to turn whitish around the nostrils, then turn white or tan, then finally brown when in breeding condition. But again, cere changes like I described don't always happen. She should be capable of caring for however many eggs she lays, but there is a good chance that all of them will not hatch, so I wouldn't worry about that yet. Good luck! Have you had budgies before?

My male stayed in the nest box the whole time anyway. Some females will let the male in, some will not. If he is allowed in, he shouldn't break the eggs.

Of course you can keep them!! I kept all of mine (5 from 1st clutch, 4 from 2nd). I had to go out and buy another cage once the second clutch was being laid because the babies were annoying the parents with trying to go back in the nest box to check out the new arrivals. Everyone gets along just fine, although now I have all males in one cage and all females in the other because I couldn't stop Rainbow and Skittles wanting a 3rd clutch... The cages I have them in now measure 24" x 18" x 36" (which I think is 61 x 46 x 91.5 in cm for everyone not in US-but don't quote me-my conversions might not be right) which is okay, but they are let out a few times a day to interact together so it is not an issue. It was a great size when there were just two of them. I have chicks from each clutch mixed in with each other as I had 4 females and 1 male in the first, and 3 males and 1 female in the second) There is very little sqabbling-usually just at night after I cover the cage and they all want to sleep in the same spot or if someone doesn't want to share a toy... The females sing just as much as the males do, and play more with toys. Whether this is common or not I don't know, as the babies were hatched in late Feb and late April of this year, so they are not even mature yet. If I were ever to breed any of the babies, I would purchase more birds instead of allowing them to mate with each other, but as they are seperated for most of the day I'm hoping not to have to deal with that issue. I've taken all mine to the vet for a new baby check up, as I thought I might be able to sell them and I didn't want to give anyone a less than healthy bird. (But I can't part with them. :bluebudgie: ) Sorry this is so long, but hopefully I've answered a few of your questions.

I think that females chew a lot more than males do, but I have noticed especially when Skittles is in breeding condition she chews most anything she can get her beak on to shreds.

Around here all the 'keet boxes that are the right size are just flat inside. 'Tiel boxes have the hollow, but not the budgie ones. Not that it mattered, but I looked everywhere for one and couldn't find it. Has anyone else used a nest box without the hollow for the eggs?

jonny, don't let them raise more than 2 clutches in a year. You may have to seperate them after this clutch (if you allow them to raise the second clutch). Will you be keeping all of them too? :bluebudgie:

I think if the babies have been eating on their own for at least 10 days you can move them to another cage. If you can, I'd keep their cage right next to the one they're in now. It may distress the parents if they just suddenly "disappear". I tried moving mine at about that age and ended up putting them back in the original cage for awhile because it really distressed Rainbow to have them gone. But he was feeding them regularly.

What exactly do you want her to do? If she won't step up onto your finger yet, I'd begin there. Easiest if she stays in the cage to do it also. Have you had her the whole time? If so, I'm sure she must trust you by now. I'd start by giving her treats by hand-if you can already do that it may not be as hard as it would be if you can't get your hand near her.

ginny, I think it is wonderful that you opened your home to unwanted budgies. I can't imagine any budgie being unwanted... :bluebudgie: ... but it is very good of you to make sure some of them aren't unwanted anymore.

That happened to me. I didn't have a nest box, but my birds began breeding (constantly) anyway. (I ended up giving her a box since she was going to lay - the first egg was in it the next morning. Now instead of 2 birds I have 11. :bluebudgie: ) I think it is unusual for a single pair of budgies to breed, especially without a nest box, but I can attest that it can happen. I'm pretty sure if she lays any eggs on the floor of the cage they will be ignored. If you don't want babies and she does lay, I would do as hath says.