Finnie

Did anyone notice the information about the "Misty" mutation in this link? I wonder if that would be a mutation we would be more likely to encounter someday. I once had a budgie whose black bars just weren't as black my other budgies. I kept staring and staring at her, and there was definitely a difference. But she wasn't cinnamon or greywing. Certainly not brownwing. She had 7 chicks, and some were greywing, so she was split to that. But I only kept one of the black wing chicks, and that one has normal sharp, black bars. I guess I'll never know if any of the other black winged chicks grew up to be like their mother. She probably could have been just "poorly marked" as opposed to a new mutation. And it wasn't really all that attractive on her. Nice sharp black is prettier.

Buy it, Jimmy! You NEED a budgie!!

So far it hasn't been too bad of a problem with the seed falling out. Mostly it's empty husks that sift out. They go down to the next level, then to the next and so on, but not too badly. It's not like the lower birds are getting rained on or anything. Now, if they were being naughty birds and kicking out lots of uneaten seeds, then I would have to try to do something to minimize the waste. (Or maybe the birds on the next level down would eat it! ) But their seed is in a feeder, so that's not the same as lining the whole cage with 2 inches of kitty litter. Anyway, the gap is too wide to seal with silicone, and I like that I can dismantle the whole thing for cleaning. The shelves just lift out. Throw away your sand sheets. They arent needed for budgies and can indeed harm them if ingested. they can also add to feet issues. As far as wearing down nails goes, that petshop blurb written on packets. Normal branches are good enough. A budgies nails and beak will only grow out of size and shape and control if it has a health issue causing the growth. No sandsheets or sandpaper in my aviaries and on their perches and none of my birds have long nails or beaks Oh gosh! I didn't know that. Damn that pet shop lady for lying to me! What do you recommend instead? I really don't want to put the grate in because without it gives him more room to play around in. You have to expect the pet shop people to try to sell you stuff, it's their job. There are tons of bird supplies out there that no one needs. Like Splat said, use newspaper. It's a lot cheaper, too. All you have to do is cut it to size.

I hope whoever buys your old house realizes what an awesome bird facility they are getting!!

Houman, I am SO sorry for your loss. I know Tammy was very special.

This has been a very interesting read. You asked about the genetics of the white birds a while back, and I just wanted to say, do you have any idea what their parents looked like? DF spangles and albinos mask what their real genes are. All you know is that they are all blue series. When you breed them, you will get some clues as to what genes they have. (Unless you put albino to albino, and then you just get all albinos. ) It does seem to me that you might have gotten your birds mixed up over the year that you've had them. Also, when you got them, did you get any of their non-white siblings? That would also give you clues as to their genetics. Have fun with them.

This one? okay a close-ish up picture of my cleaned and semi-prepped cabinet. I use kitty litter on the floor to absorb moist poops and scoop them out. Otherwise litter stays in until the end of the round. I guess I couldn't do that. My regular cages have slide out trays, with holes in the front, and my breeding cages are actually shelves, so the litter would fall right out through the spaces between the floors and the walls, and out the wire fronts. I see you have a kind of wooden slat on the front of yours, so the litter stays in. It looks like a method I'd like to try, though, if I ever get cages that can hold the litter in.

Well, just throwing in my 2 cents, Ratzy. I think it's hard to get colors to show up true in photos. Your new hen's tail looks greener in this photo than in the later photos, but it still looks kind of aqua. Same with the two other birds in the shop, kind of aqua. But you are the one with it in real life, and you are the one who sees Chubba Chubs every day. You will be the best judge of whether the new hen's tail looks like Chub's tail. The rest of us can wait until quarantine is over, and then maybe you could get a photo of both of them side by side. (Even then, no guarantees that it will show up on here properly.) By the way, does she have a name yet?

No, no dark factor there. From my understanding, if there were a dark factor, it wouldn't have the seafoam look, it would look more green.

This is interesting, Nubbly. Is that with a slide out tray? And do you use the clumping kind of kitty litter? I might want to trial this method, but with my slide out tray, I'd have to make sure there was only a thin layer of litter, so it doesn't get pushed out over the sides. Can you show us a photo?

I just wanted to clarify one thing, if the cock is split to ino, you only get 50% ino hen chicks. Also, if the albino mother is masking cinnamon, you could get a cinnamon male chick. (But I didn't go back to check, maybe you already know whether or not this albino hen is masking cinnamon?)

I think your hen is cinnamon split to greywing. In my very limited experience so far, when you have cinnamon and greywing in the same bird, you can't see the cinnamon. Just the greywing, and then it looks like dilute. I think both of your mystery chicks are cinnamon. (Keep in mind, my opinions are to be taken with a grain of salt, I'm still too new to all this, and I've only bred one greywing cinnamon chick so far. ) I agree with Kaz about the plum eyes. Do you have any newborn photos of them? No, they wouln't have darker markings.

Oh Dear, Kaz, all the stress you must be under! Has me a bit worried. Are you and Ken eating properly? You need to guard against getting run down. Nothing I can do to help from overseas, except to send encouraging thoughts! Such as "It's really really going to be great, once the major hurdles are over, isn't it?"

This is so exciting, Ratyz! Are your parents getting interested in the green tail genetics thing, like you are? (And like the rest of us are.)

I would put it in as soon as the first egg is laid. Actually, I would start out with nesting materials as soon as you introduce the box, but you can expect the hen to throw them all out. Then I'd replace the materials once she has an egg to sit on. Some materials, like oats and bran flakes are harder to throw out, so there is a better chance that the hen will keep those in.

Ciana, I don't think you'll find a calcium supplement in a pet store in the Indianapolis area. You will probably have to order on line. I got mine from Dr.s Foster and Smith, but I have also ordered from this company, which carries Vetafarm products. Calcivet link

Do you think the store owner would put you in touch with the breeder, if you explained to him that green tails are unusual and that you wanted more information?

Poor Jasper I'm so sorry, Birdluv.

Milletbudgies, you might want to try starting a topic of your own for this question. Also, any one wanting to see your photos would have to be a member of facebook to log in and see them. Do you have a photobucket account where you can post your pictures and then have them appear in your topic?

Hi Pandapaws! Welcome to the forum. I bet you have some pretty budgies there.

I think that if you're hoping to double up on the potential "green tail mutation", then Marigold is a better choice than Lexi, anyway. Theoretically, Chubba Chubs got it from his mother, but Lexi has only a 66% chance of having it. (Assuming it is recessive.) It doesn't hurt to wait. They might be in condition now, and in spite of the heat and his immaturity, things may go well, but it can't hurt to wait a few months till their next period of condition, to maximize your chances of success. Then again, you're on school holidays now, arent' you? I guess weighing all the pros and cons, it's your call.

Hi! Welcome to the forum. Your budgie looks cute. I hope you have a fun time with her!

Hey Cory, nice to hear from you! (I've been gone a little while myself, busy with Christmas and all.) As always, your pictures are awesome!

Dave, was this one born with plum eyes or black eyes?

He sure is beautiful! Nice to see how well he is doing.