Jen144

My apologies if this isn't allowed, but I hope it's alright to post here. I paint people's pets for a small price, and have just done a cockatiel for a customer. I unfortunately don't have any examples of budgies I've done yet, but will soon. In the meantime, here's an example of the quality of work you could expect: Please email me (as I don't check this forum all the time and would like to get back to you ASAP) at: jenna @ thecumminsfamily.net (no spaces) if you're interested in commemorating a past bird or having a portrait or group painting of your flock! Thanks!

Two males, both under 3 months old. The yellow one is a Lutino, and I think the other is a Grey Dilute. Cute!

No doubt about it, a gorgeous hen.

What size leg rings fit a normal pet type budgie? What about an English budgie? I'm looking around on some sites and they all seem to have different sizes. 3.4mm, 4.5mm... Thanks.

I have a couple of birds in an aviary that are showing signs of scaly face. It would be very difficult to catch each bird one at a time to treat them, so I asked my dad to drop by the vet and see if they had any scaly face treatment that could be given in water. He comes back with Ivomec for orally treating sheep, but with a print-out of how much to give in water for budgies based on their weight. According to that I need to give 175ml (I have 20 birds) but I don't know how much water, or if it is a one-time treatment only or not! And I've heard that this stuff doesn't dilute in water and doesn't treat scaly face so I'm a little confused now. Any help?

Thanks for your reply! I did figure that not many people may have an idea of what caused this to occur, but I figured that it was worth a shot asking--couldn't do any harm, and someone may have had something similar happen to them. Regardless; this hasn't happened again, luckily, and she is as healthy and normal as ever. I did record it, to make sure I remember and can keep an eye on her for similar attacks.

I checked on my budgies this morning because they were making a lot of noise. One of the birds was on the floor of the cage, and it was as though one of her legs was paralysed. She was flapping around and kept falling onto her back, seemed to be having some kind of epileptic fit I think. Within minutes however she seemed to regain control, and although her balance was all over the place and she kept twitching her head slightly, she made her way back onto the perch. And now, an hour later, she's fine. Any idea what happened? I looked up budgies having strokes or similar, so could that be it? I don't want her to appear fine right now and then have this happen again, and her die. Thanks.

No. 1--Looks like a hen (not 100% sure on gender), a Mauve Recessive Pied. 2- Male. A Skyblue Opaline double factor Dominant Pied Greywing. 3- Female. She would be a Creamino (which is a Yellowface Albino), as the yellow is a creamy colour and restricted mainly to her face. As she gets older, it will spread over most of her body, but she will never be an even golden colour like Lutinos are.

LOL my apologies Kaz, I must have missed that...can't believe I did! I'm still leaning towards male for the Dominant Pied, but it's that difference of colour (as opposed to the other) that has me doubting..

I'd tentatively say two males. Definitely the yellowface is one, not sure about the Recessive Pied.

So let me see if I understand you correctly. Because the Lacewing is a hen paired to a male that is not split, I would get normal males split for Lacewing and TCB, and all the hens would be TCB? Yes?

Heck yeah Gotta love the pretty birdies. But yes, you are right I don't breed for showing, I breed for the fun. And that combination certainly sounds like fun. At the very least it sounds interesting, looking forward to replies if anyone knows what the outcomes will be.

Definitely Recessive Pied. See no iris rings, and in fact her eyes appear to be a plum-red colour (since I'm assuming you used the flash on your camera) which is actually the eye colour Recessive Pieds can have when they are hatched as babies.

Just a random question. Doesn't really matter, does it. I don't know what the outcomes would be for that however (as I asked) since I know ino reacts not as usually predicted when bred with TCB, and Lacewings are a composite of Cinnamon and Ino....

Another vote for Recessive Pied. Nev, what makes you say Cinnamon? I would have said possibly FBC Greywing, as her markings are grey and her colour doesn't appear to be less?

Alright thank you! By the way, what would the outcome be if I paired her to a male Texas Clearbody?

I'm going to be getting this budgie from someone. She called it a Cinnamon Lutino, and so I asked her to send me a photo. This is the bird; I believe she is a Lacewing? Or a Fallow? From my experience Fallows have darker markings so I instantly thought Lacewing, but don't Lacewings have purple-ish cheek patches? Not sure, regardless. I defer to the greater wisdom of you guys. Here's the photo:

1- Could be a DF Dominant Pied. As above, check for iris rings (though she is obviously young). No iris rings means Recessive Pied, one or both eyes with a white iris means double factor Dominant Pied. As she's young you may have to wait a few months to make sure. 2- Skyblue Opaline Texas Clearbody 3- Cobalt Yellowface Dominant Pied

I'd say male. A Recessive Pied, and that is why his cere is not completely blue.

Albino hen to Violet Cobalt FBC Greywing: All blues, (half having a Violet factor) All split for Greywing, all males split for Ino. Albino hen to Cobalt Dominant Pied: All blues, 50% Dominant Pied All males split for Albino. So if you were looking for interesting colours, (the above is estimates, assuming the Albino hen isn't hiding anything or the males aren't split for a colour) then I'd say Vanilla with Sky, you'll get some Dominant Pieds instead of all Normals.

That's a pretty comprehensive list...I didn't see blueberry ash however. Anyone have any experience as to its safety/lack thereof?

Oh yes, I know this and do check every day. This would merely be for research or such, not as a replacement for regularly checking nests. It does have infrared/night vision, otherwise yes it would be rather useless. I am just thinking it would be cool to observe them without interrupting, although I think that it wouldn't be terribly exciting watching her incubating the eggs lol, but perhaps once there are chicks. Also help in identifying an egg-eater or one that just accidentally breaks eggs maybe. Colony breeding--Nope, not going to breed in this aviary. Planning on putting breeding cages in the side area so the birds can hear their flockmates.

Cool, thanks. Any other ideas? I am thinking of purchasing this: http://www.mwave.com.au/sku-15040432-Wi_Fi_Remote_Wireless_IP_Camera_One_Of_The_Smallest_Wireless_IP_Camera_(Ai_Ball) To put in a nestbox, this would be a great tool in personal research, accuracy of breeding records of that pair, and early detection of any problems (like a chick not being fed) without having to disrupt the pair if they are the kind that do not tolerate that. And besides all that, I think it would be pretty cool to be able to see what is going on in the nest. Anyone else done this?

No photos as of yet, will provide at the nearest opportunity. The kind of mesh? I bought a 30 metre roll of 'aviary mesh'...the normal size of mesh that I've always seen (don't know exactly how large that is?) For predators from outside--I'm putting a double layer of mesh with a small gap inbetween to stop hawks from getting at the birds. Difficult to give you exact measurements as it hasn't been built yet, but I have a lot of experience keeping hawks from getting the birds...Have a number of ones that tend to visit every few months! For rodents--That is a little more difficult and an area I would very much like advice in. Keeping mice away from the seed is quite a task... Sorry about you having to repeat yourself regarding the putting in branches etc, just trying to clarify and ask everyone's opinions whenever possible. No, not a covered patio. Basically, I'll be pulling down that section of outside wall of the house to put mesh over. It just faces the yard (between west and northwest approximately, if that helps) Honestly a mesh wall with a plastic covering is better than the wall that is currently there. We live rather rural, and our house may be (accurately!) described as a shed--large in shed, and even normal house, terms however. Open-plan, you could say. Mesh and a covering when it is cold is infinitely better for the birds than what is current: Cement-rendered hessian cloth basically stapled to the wood frame, constantly dropping dust and obviously not very healthy for birds' lungs or to chew.

Thanks Kaz, great to have another opinion too. Okay in regards to growing plants inside an aviary with a cement floor, what I meant was that I would have trees (obviously not huge ones) inside pots. That way there is no need to have a dirt floor (an idea I don't much like due to bacteria etc), and the plants can be taken out if needed. One entire wall of the room is open to the outside (with a mesh covering) and thus sunlight is not an issue. A plastic sheet will be installed on the outside so I can cover the wall if it rains, or when winter approaches and it begins to get cold, to stop the wind. Also with them eating the plants--I fully realise they will do this and mainly want to allow them some to gnaw (not expensive ones) and tear apart because they love doing it. Another vague idea, and one that sounds increasing good, is to have most of the plants not in the aviary and prune them, giving the branches to the birds. So no baskets with plants in it. Good to know. And with the waterfall, it is only about 2 inches deep at the most, so it's more of a small shallow pool for them to bath in. I shall remove it if there are babies or young fledglings present, thanks. As you have shot down most of the ideas, what would you suggest instead? Keeping in mind I would like the aviary to be as natural and full of things to keep the birds amused (despite them being destructive little creatures)? Thanks.