kim

Hi All We welcome your opinions as we always have. It has been awhile since I posted last....but we have a 14 - 16 month old female budgie (Benny) and I did post back in October last year about us getting another budgie to help tame her....We took all your advice and tried everyday to help her to become a little more social and accepting of us, but to date, we have had no such luck. We clipped her wings twice and I have chosen not to do this again..... She is okay with our hands in and around cleaning her cage, she has little spurt flights every couple/few weeks or so around our dining area, eating / drinking and poop is all good...she loves millet head Thus, we now would like to know for companionship, would it be okay to introduce a second budgie.. This is purely, as we think that because maybe she has not bonded with us, as much as we would have liked, that she may be lonely??? (Theoretically, we are here, but she just doesn't want to socialise with us ) Just a couple of sub related questions too, if this would be okay in obtaining a second feathered friend 1. What gender is best to get 2. What age bracket 3. When can you put them into the same cage ( a new one will need to be purchased as Benny's is too small for two) Appreciate your thoughts everyone Cheers Kim & Benny ps: please ask any questions that may pertain to our request or that a relative to this decision

okay, Hi all So Im reporting in for Feb...and there has been no further advancement with Benny She is still eating millet head from our hands and flying around the house like a bat out of *** She turns 1 year on 27th Feb, so I hope we haven't left our run too late to train/tame her But even still, we have had progress I have been flicking her with water and she loves that, its no major bathtime, but Im pretty sure, she appreciated it on those very hot days of late Pesistance pays off...... Hope everyone is well and that no-one has been affected by the recent fires.......god bless Cheers Kim

Hi, well its nearly been a month and only tonight has Benny eaten Millet Head from me, for 3 minutes exactly Its been a long 3 weeks.............and I tell you she's stubborn, but every day has been an advancement for us She's coming out of her cage again, now that we have taken the Xmas tree down....don't think she was too keen on that being up with its lights and all Hope everyone had a great new year and wish you all much happiness for 2009 Do have a question though, she (that we have/haven't seen) has never had a bath, so, is it too soon, seeing she has only just starting eating from my fingers, when I should maybe introduce a bird bath (the little plastic ones?????) ????????

Hi All We have got no further with Benny, since the last post. She ate then and hasn't since...Nevermind Plus we did get a little complacent with it and now have probably fallen behind, so its not her fault. She is coming out of her cage alot more though and seems more comfortable with us walking around near her etc. Anyway....also wanted to wish you all a Very Safe and Magical Christmas, hope its filled with much happiness and plenty of wonderful memories to treasure Cheers Kim, Pete and Benny :28:

News just in...........Benny ate millet head from my hand today too...yay I was so excited, that I was the one that froze instead of her...hahaha I cannot wait until she does it again, I keep just touching her belly with the millet, and now she too is kinda snapping at it. I hope this is a good sign of more to come from all of us.. Yipppeee

Just an update how our taming of Benny is going...... Well we have diligently been sitting with her each morning before work and after work (with millet head) Im now able to put my hand completely in the cage without her going crazy around the cage. She either preens or sings while its there. But with Peter, she is now eating millet head from his hand....typical....another lovely falling for my partner.....I think again I will be the other "chick" She is flying around more confidently, but we have had one accident of her flying into the glass sliding door - thank goodness she was okay but boy did it give me a fright.I cannot beging to tell the guilt I felt afterwards. I was sitting reading, didnt hear her come out of the cage (normally we have a grand performance of squawking and wing flapping just prior) and Pete ducked out to put the rubbish in the bin and it was that quick.....mental note to close the curtain at all times.......regardless of how quick we are going to be..?? Totally our fault, but she is okay, maybe a slight headache, but we have monitered her since and there doesn't seem to be any symptoms.... Otherwise all is going well. She loves soft gentle whistles ! She wasnt very partial to the introduction of vegies and went stiff while it was in her food bowl. So I just took it out straight away. Maybe I think it may have been too much at once, with our hands and then vegies etc.....but will try again at a later stage. Anyhoo, will write again and keep you posted.

Hi Thought we would keep you posted in a bio of our taming training with Benny. She is currently near on 7 months old Over the past two weeks, we have gone right back to scratch with our training. As we went overseas and kind of lost everythingwe had done prior. But every morning before work, I sit with her and just talk to her through the cage for 15 minutes. Then every night either my partner or I sit with our hand just inside her cage door with millet head between thumb and pointer fingers. Peter is getting closer, but he is male and I think she is falling in love...lol....he can get the millet up against her belly and she looks down at him, longing to eat it, but not quite yet ready Me on the other hand....I'm just holding it below the stick she is sitting on at the time, as she does a runner if I try to get closer...talk about favoritism..hehe But we are loving the connection and response's that we have achieved in just two weeks and although we have heaps of work to do (thats all of us) we will persist. Im going to introduce her to some veggies this weekend and see the outcome....maybe she will favour me for once, the mother budgie with the good food..haha She had a 3 minute fly around last Sunday twice and flew back to her cage of her own accord, which we were really pleased about. As we didn't want to do the whole running around the room etc chasing her...as I think that would be another set back. But anyway....will keep you posted and thanks to the FAQ Taming your Budgie - I refer to it almost every second day, just to retrace and refresh

I have learnt that you guys are so well informed when it comes to our little feathered friends I too learnt that both my budgies were/are girls - with boy names I learnt that no matter how silly (being a one budge owner) my question may seem, your kind heartedness shows through The main thing I have learnt of late is that I have become a BBC junkie...haha I keep learning new things everytime I sign on for the night and will continue to do so I'm currently learning the patience and time its taking to try and tame our Benny....but its worth it

Hi All Just a quick question, with the heat of late weeks, we are having an influx of spiders and flies in and around our home Does anyone know of a fly/spider spray that can be used around budgie's. Budgie friendly.... I dont want to use the current coles/safeway products as I have concerns on how they affect Benny. I live in Melbourne. Is there anything out there??? Kim & Benny

thanks all for your suggestions. We did have her wings clipped back in July, so I dont really want to do this again But now that you have mentioned it, I might reconsider. Will definitely try in the mornings before work and just after - say around 5ish at the latest. Never thought of trying in the morning. We will not get another one, as I agree, it could hinder more than assist I will endeavor to do our best 100% efforts Appreciate all you help once again.....thank goodness you here to help us one owners- Yay Ciao for now Kim, Pete and Benny

Thanks again - We were only doing that small amount of time, as we didn't want to stress her out to much, especially while she was moulting at the same time. But we are more than happy to do it for longer - any suggestion on how much longer we should? Our last budge (without trying to compare) was very tame, he ate tea with us, flew around the house as if he owned it, sat on our shoulders, ran around on the floor etc, and although Benny we know will not be exactly the same, we would love if we can get her to be trusting and land on our shoulders, waddle around unperturbed, fly around as comfortably as our Lukey did. Benny did come out of her cage about two weeks ago and flew around for about 2 hours, but mainly stayed ontop of the curtain rails - so we couldn't reach her - but we let her make her own way back to the cage, as opposed to trying to catch her and upset her that here comes that hand to grab me again....hope that makes sense. We would just love her to be trusting I s'pose is the word we are looking for. I don't believe that its going to be her nature anyway to be lovey dovey, as our last budgie was, but we would love her to be running around as if she owns the house a little....just to be okay that we are going to be walking around, or sit with us while watching tv on our shoulders etc Cheers Kim

Hi again We are trying to tame her. But we are taking it very slowly. We ( my partner and I) take it turns every night for 10 - 15 mins each time - every second night I do it and so on. My partner can get his hand closer than I can I can only hold mine near the door, but Pete can put his hand on the perch she is sitting on. But she doesn't move and watch's his every move...haha.....with me, she goes to sleep...lol, I think that she's thinking if Mum thinks I'm asleep then she will go away and leave me alone...hahahahahaha Mind you - she was just starting to come out of her shell and then we went oversea's for 5 weeks and she stayed with my parents in August/Sept. So we are kinda starting from scratch again. But we are trying definitely..... :parrot:

Hi We will welcome your opinions on us getting another budgie. We currently have a little girl (Benny) who we believe is about 6 - 7 months old. But, we are still not getting anywhere in taming her. She is very cautious of both of us, but eats/drinks and sings away happily. Everytime we put our hand near the cage or even just walk past, she still runs to the back to be safe. We where thinking if we were to get another hand reared baby budgie, it might help to bring her out of her shell also....What do you guys think? I did read in the Budgie FAQ's about this and saw that it may go pear shaped and they may just bond together....or may not bond at all - which is a chance we would have to take...plus the quarantine part also Could you please in you expertise, let us know if maybe its too late to introduce another? Should we go for same sex, as we are not in a position to breed and that would be unfair ?? If the new budge is a baby and tame, will this more so help with Benny than not?? Sorry for all the question, but we want to do the right thing here and your web page is the best for these kind of answers to come too Look forward to all opinions given. Thanks in advance Kim and Benny

White budgie to Blue....."Open the door, this is not funny anymore"

Hi Everyone Now that we have been able to get some decent photo's of our new family member We thought we would drop in a photo, for you all too see her. She is now just on 6 - 7 months old and starting to get her own personality and making her own rules too Just thought we'd let you see, what she looks like Kim and Benny

Hi, I let Mum and Dad know last night, that they would be true Grandparents to Bennie while we are away and they are more than happy with the idea. Plus my partner was more comfortable with the idea that Bennie would have people around all the time,like it is with us. I have not seen the list that Elly made - where do I find this??? Ever so grateful for your thoughts and ideas

thanks all for your help.....I was having a strong gut feeling anyway to leave her with my parents And thanks for your generosity in offering to budgie sit for us to Melbourne budgies and Angelic Vampyre. Couldn't bear the thought of us being away and her sitting there during the day & night with no - one to talk too...... You all confirmed my instinct anyway and glad you did....really now that I think about it, it was a no brainer But appreciate your input once again...............

Hi all Its been awhile since I have written and now I have a question. Would appreciate your thoughts on the best way to handle this. My partner and I are going away for 4.5 weeks oversea's, we have a budgie that Im torn between whether to leave her at our place and have a family member come to visit,change water/food, clean cage etc Or do we take her to my parents house for the whole time - they currrently have a cockatiel and two dogs - but Im thinking the companionship would be better in this case. What if the family member cannot make it for a couple of days ??? - What then ??? We got Bennie back in late March and although there has been some improvement in her trusting us, Im afraid that she may withdraw if left alone at our house......but then on the other hand, Im worried she may withdraw because of fear of the dogs etc. Any suggestions/ thoughts would be greatly appreciated..........

Well Done Misty........that was so a winning photo So Cute and drenched....lol

I'm so over salad greens, why can't I have pizza !!!!

Luke

Name: Kim Pets: 1 budgie and 1 dog Favorite Color: Blue and Burgandy Astrological Sign: Pisces Age: 36 Weakness: Can be a little to honest Strength: Love my family and will do anything for them Favorite Animal: meerkats and elephants Favorite T.V. Show: Ummmm. Neighbours ???? No jokes please Live: Melbourne, Australia How long have been a BBC member - Since Jan 2008 Anything else: Used to be an Irish Dancer

thanks to you all......... I was doing the whole gender thing - pink for girls and blue for boys As in my previous posts about Benny, we love her just as much Thanks again, that link helped explain it far more clearly, than my niave way did !!!

Hi Im very curious on how you can actually tell whether a budgie is male or female When we bought Benny - he was under a sign "Male baby budgies" and when we took him to the vet a week later (just for a checkup) they were unsure also But after posting a photo the other day, everyone seems to think he is a she I have gone just by the colour of the cere, which in the photo seems to be pinkish - but to look at in person, is light bluish Im finding this a bit confusing - as I was looking at a post re: an owners male budgie and it had a very distinct pink cere...I'm confused on how this is actually worked out.....any advice would be most grateful