Missy

Mine are always outside, underneath an awning which has protection against rain, but not so much wind. They seem to be doing okay

Well, l've had Fizzy for a month yesterday, and l managed to take some pictures (sorry they aren't the best quality, l took them with my phone) P.S. Fizzy is the one with the black/grey tips on his wings. Geez, l hate getting my photo taken :glare: Fine, alright, alright. I'll pose for one if you leave me alone. Come on you two, be nice. Get a little closer together for the camera.. Thanks See? Being together isn't THAT bad surely.. Well, besides the fact that Sherbet has hogged the seed treat. Anyway, thats all of them! Fizzy has gotten into a bad habit of making a huge mess with the seed from the dispenser, so l've stuck a lot of sticky tape around the edge so he can't fling the seed out with his beak. He would waste almost a whole dispenser! Luckily l have two in there just in case.

Sorry about the photo being too big, l completely forgot to resize it I was just about to head off to bed when l uploaded it. The ingredient list is: Corn Flour, Rice Flour, Oat Flour, Salt, Malt Extract, Vitamin B-1, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-2 Supplement, Folic Acid, Niacin, Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavours. http://www.pennplax.com/ - thats the website. The company is in america, manufactors in china.

Their correct name is "Birdie Noodles" They come in 3 colours l think, yellow, orange and green. They kind of feel like a corn-flake, but more flakey and with more air in them, they are really light. Heres a photo: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y256/mist...xx/Image100.jpg It looks kind of dodgy - l am pleased that sherbet doesn't actually eat it, she just destroys it by pecking at it and spitting it out. I do have two other photos, but photobucket was being slow, so l only got one uploaded.

Are those budgie noodle things classified as pellets? I bought them one day (the disgustingly green food) and Sherbet just picks at it, then flings it away, she hasn't eaten it yet..

They sure are! Sorry about the quality - it looks better if its viewed with the screen smaller - it doesn't look as pixelated.

Thats Sherbet, she tends to head-butt it a lot!

I know everyone already knows what they look like, but l got a new camera phone the other day with the cable to connect it to the computer so heres my video

well done,a big pat on the back for you! Just curious as to how old the sales ladies were?

I just thought l'd give everyone an update on Sherbet and Fizzy's friendship. I decided *please don't anyone get mad* to put them together a little less than 30days. I put them in together after 3 weeks, l couldn't see any sign of infection or anything on fizzy, his eyes were clear, his poop was normal looking, he was active, there didn't seem to be any health concerns so l decided to take the plunge. At first, l had Fizzy in the small cage and Sherbet in her larger one (l call it the mansion) and every afternoon after work, l'd take fizzy out of his cage and put him in with sherbet - to see how they went. They had of course had their cages next to each other for a while at this point, and l knew they were eager to meet. The only problem was, Sherbet wasn't willing to share her home with Fizzy. Poor Fizzy was so frightened, sherbet was trying to bite his little feet off She kept chasing him around the cage. I tried this another 2 nights (with full supervision of course at only 10mins each day) until l thought of the idea to switch the two around. So l put Sherbet in the smaller cage, and took all away her mirrors, and only let her have one toy. This meant that Fizzy was now in the mansion with lots of toys. He eventually got to know his way around, so l was confident to put sherbet in his cage for a change, and she was better behaved - not fully at first, but now she's fine. They are getting along pretty well, having their little arguments every now and again, and Sherbet trying to let Fizzy know she's boss, but in the end, l'm just pleased they are being civil to one another!

Fizzy is getting even more vocal today, Sherbet is outside, chirping away, and Fizzy heard her through the open door, and he's happily chirping back

No, definately not a mirror :)He's still sitting there up on his high perch, surveying his new home :rip: How cute! Must have been hard to teach...

Thats a great idea! I'll try the wolf whiste first, as you said its the easiest. :rip: I haven't given him any toys yet, l don't want to crowd his cage, should l put one in - like the three balls with the bell at the bottom? Or the olympic rings? I'd also love for him to be able to use one of those gym things, the wooden ones, but l'd be scared he'd fly away. I got his wing clipped, but still. That would be a dream for him to play on a gym!

Good idea about the higher food/water bowls, l will have to buy some, l don't have any with hooks. He is chirping though he has such a different chirp to sherbets

Thanks I hpoe thats the case. I have 3 perches in his cage, 2 dowel and a natural (which is the highest) and l haven't seen him move from it to the food/water containers which are at the bottom of the cage He does like millet though :rip: l let him nibble on some earlier - he was quite hesitant, but l waited and he nibbled on it and realised "hey, this tastes good!"

I have just taken some quick pictures - sorry they aren't the best quality.

I have bought a baby male budgie, the cere is still bright pink. I've decided to call him Fizzy, only because sherbet is fizzy tasting (and the brand wizz fizz) so Fizzy it is. When l am able to take some pictures l will. He is currently indoors on a hook in our sunroom. I'm not sure if he has touched his water/food yet, but he still might be scared. I have been able to get him to perch on my finger a couple of times, and he's comfortable with me rubbing his chest. Also when l do both he's fine. Still a little unsure, as he sometimes puts one foot on my finger and hangs onto the cage with the other but thats to be expected. He's a cutie! :rip: But l'm not neglecting Sherbet either, l bought her a new toy today (to join her other million in her toy chest!) and some new cuttlefish. She's my special girl!

Thank you and yes l did buy it from a pet store, the same brand also has lots and lots of other types of treatments for birds, more than 10 l'd say. Thats why l chose them, they seemed to look like they knew what they were doing

I just finished reading this too, and it is so very frustrating. When l was 16 or 17, l put in a complaint in writing to the RSPCA about a local pet shop, who had around 20 birds in a very very small cage. Same with some goldfish they had there - there were so many in the tank, you could barely see the picture on the backdrop behind them. Because l wasn't 18, my complaint didn't go very far. I received a letter back saying "because you are under the age of 18, we cannot legally follow up your concern". Why? Would l be that immature and waste my time by writing a letter, finding out the address for the RSPCA, mailing it to them, because it was some sick joke? That really bugged me that did. As for the lady in number 2, l can kind of see her concern (not that l'm sticking up for her or anything) but as you said she did see you with the small cage, which you said is the transportation cage. However, she should have contacted the RSPCA after you told her this and she should have withdrawn her complaint and put it down to a little misunderstanding.

Ouch Both of those stories are very sad With our hook for the cage, its well underneath the awning, right underneath the eave of the house. We don't get any birds that far in, barely any under the awning at all, our awning is partically closed in, and the birds tend to avoid it because they get confused once they are in on how to get out I also read in the Quarantine Program, that l need to use a disinfectant spray to clean the cage as preparation for the new budgie. I haven't got the same brand as what Daz recommends, but l do have one called "Cage Cleaner Spray" by Aristopet. It says on the label that it controls the spread and growth of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Is this one okay to use?

Thanks Kaz, l read over the FAQ "quarantine program" while l was awaiting your reply. Just wondering how much distance is the minimum? I'd like to keep them both outside if possible. We have a rather large awning in our backyard, its approx 8mx10m (l just went out and paced it). Sherbets cage is on wheels so its no problem moving her to one corner, and hanging the other birdcage with the new bird on the hook that Sherbet used to be on. This will be a distance apart of approx 13m... is this enough?

Thanks Kaz, but what exactly is the quarantine for? My understanding of quarantine is to ensure that the animal isn't diseased and will not disease the existing animal. Am l right? Sherbet is outside 24/7, so would it be bad for me to put the new budgie outside too, but not close? Maybe so they can see each other, and hear each other clearly, but not be close - say... from one side of the awning to the other? Would that be enough or is that too much too soon?

Thanks for your help lonebudgie I have one other concern - Sherbet can be a little aggressive - with me, with her toys. However, she's never aggressive with her mirror. I'm worried she may be aggressive with the new bird, however - the new bird may stick up for itself? Its hard to tell and l think the only way l will truly find out is if l give it a shot? I have another cage, one thats smaller that l used to have sherbet in, do you suggest l buy the new male, put him in this cage, and have the cage near hers for a few days? Just so she gets used to another bird being near her turf? I'm sure two birds would make much more mess than one! What other extra work would be involved, other than cleaning the cage more often? I am strongly thinking about buying the male tomorrow, thats why l thought l'd better ask the professionals on here before l buy.

Thanks for the fast reply Just wondering - will she lay eggs if l get her a male friend? She doesn't have a nesting box, and l don't want her to go beserk laying eggs. Also - how old should the new budgie be?

I'm not sure if this is the best area to put this in, but here we go, First of all Happy New Year! Secondly, l have noticed recently that Sherbert is getting lonely in her cage. She has a million and one toys, which l rotate everynow and again. I was thinking of buying a second budgie to keep her company. My cage is big enough, which isn't a problem, l have plenty of toys, l just don't know if l should. She is about 5 months-6months old. I bought her from a pet shop, and since then she's been on her own. I have a mirror in there for her, which she loves (she talks to "it") and l really think she'd benefit from having a real friend. I'm just not sure (if l get one that is) if it should be a boy or girl? I think l've read somewhere that two girls dont mix, so would a boy be better instead? Simply, l have two questions: 1. Should l get Sherbet a real life budgie friend, and 2. Should it be a boy or girl? Thanks everyone