Maddy

Yes, they aren't too bright are they? I had no doubt in my mind that it was dead, from what I saw in my rear view mirror Though this isn't the first incident I've had with a roo. I've had one jump out right in front of me and completely stop. Just watching me coming towards it. That one was lucky I'd just come out of a school zone and didn't have a chance to speed up to much. Its legs got caught under my bumper but it got up and bounced away lol The problem is, I live near a mental hospital that is situated in the middle of the forest. You go there in the afternoon and there is no less than 200 roos just sitting out in the open. Of course the chances are good that at least on of them wants to cross the road

I've decided adding to the journal everyday is pointless as I don't think amazing results are going to happen overnight, it will be gradual. So I've been continuing to give him treats and leave my hand in the cage. He still scurries when I get near him, but like I said before, it's not frantic. I'm trying to alternate his treats, so that he may get Pak choy one day and millet spray the next. Today, while putting his Pak choy in I decided to have a go at offering it to him. The leaf was probably about 15cm long, so thats how far away he was from my hand while I was offering it to him. Bula absolutely LOVES pak choy so when he saw it coming, he scurried away once (because of my hand entering his home I suspect) but that was it. I moved the tip of the leaf closer to him and he just watched it. A little closer, and he nibbled! I'm so proud of him I have some suspicions that even though he is not a baby bird, nor was he when I got him, that he was handled somewhat when he was. Otherwise he probably wouldn't be making such great progress

You have quite alot of little mouths to feed I will probably sell them at first but I would really like to get into show breeding. I also want to try and provide the best for the birds, which is why I'm planning ahead Thanks Kaz

Oh dear... I've been down that road before lol Thank goodness someone in my college class has terrible hair, so if it ever happens again no one can say anything lol She was listening to her ipod? Thats never a good sign

I am seriously considering going into budgie breeding. However, I would really like to know what I'm getting into financially, as I feel it is important to plan ahead for that sort of thing. Its the first hobby that I've become interested in that I'm willing to wait for So I was wondering if anyone is willing tell me how much they spend per week on their budgies, and whether or not you breed for pet or exhibition. Maybe including how many birds you cater for as well, as I know the number will vary accordingly, My parents don't think I'm serious about it, and I want to show them that I am I want to find as much information as I can, so that when spring rolls around I can make my decision based on what I know about it. Thanks, Maddy

So yesterday I was driving home from work. I use the freeway for most of the way but after that it's a series of unlit roads surrounded by bush. There is a strecth of road, about 1km long that is an 80 zone. Going down this stretch I saw something on the side of the road up ahead. My initial thought was that it was a big brown dog. It wasn't. It was a kangaroo, and it must of had a death wish because it started coming onto the road just as I was nearing it. I braced myself for the worse, but only whacked it in the head with my side view mirror. It was fine. I though for sure however that it would turn around now that I had given it a headache. No. It decided it would keep going and ended up being totalled by a car coming the other way. This person wasn't as lucky as I was, and the kangaroo landed in the middle of their bonnet. I saw all this happen in my rear view mirror, and the roo ended up on the side of the road that I was on (behind me of course) Now, kangaroos are extremely muscle bound creatures. They are like hitting a tree. So my initial reaction was to turn around and check that the people that hit it were okay. So I did a u turn and headed back, only to have a car coming up on the side of the road the roo was lying in the middle of. I panicked and flashed my highbeams as much as I could. This was an unlit road, so it would of been impossible for them to stop in time. Well, they ended up turning around too, just as the people who had hit it came down to inspect. Mind you, bits of their car were now all over the road. The people thanked me for flashing them, and luckily they were big guys and they dragged the poor creature off the road and into the brush. Either this roo planned to be hit, or its brain activity was nil. I had hit it in the head, so it was its own fault for continuing to cross the road.

So Kaz, does that mean that its really up to the birds whether it is the right time to breed? Do they go into breeding condition only when they deem the weather appropriate to do so?

Its absolutely beautiful. My goodness, I aspire to have an aviary as awesome as yours one day It looks like you've gone back in time, stolen an old, tin roof house and brought it back with you...especially with the skull hanging from the verandah. waaaaiiiit....Kazzy, did you go back in time?

So today I tried basically the same thing as yesterday. Only this time, he was inside I took out what was left of yesterdays treat (it seems he doesn't like his apple as much as his Pak Choy) and replaced it with a new one. I then kept my hand in the cage and let him get used to it being there. He would scurry to the other end of the perch when I went near him but it didn't seem as frantic. He would let me get a little closer before he would move, and would even put a claw on my outstretched finger in the process of trying to distance himself from it. Eventually he sat on my finger for a whole 5 seconds before jumping back onto his perch I think thats a successful session :hap:

Mine is a somewhat shortened version of my name, Madeleine. Origin is french, usually pronounced Mad-eh-lane. But mine is pronounced Mad-eh-len. I usually use PeridotKitty as my usernames, but I didn't think the name kitty on a bird forum would suit well lol

Oooh that is so true anne101, it is like candy to them

I decided to start a journal to keep track of Bula's training progress. When I first got him he was making some good progress with his training. But a friend came over and grabbed him out of his cage and I believe it has somewhat traumatised him, bringing his training several steps backwards. So I'm starting with him again I welcome any advice or criticism on what I'm doing *This morning* I took his cage outside (he loves to be outside) and cleaned his cage out. After I finished I put a cube of apple in there. He has a little clip on the side of his cage that is associated only with treats, and I think he knows that. I kept my hand inside his cage until he calmed down. He would watch my hand curiously, as he doesn't like hands. I slowly moved towards him and he would scurry to the other end of the perch where he would continue to watch my hand curiously. I would move slowly again, getting close enough to almost touch him before he would sidestep the perch again. So I kept my hand still, below the perch, before his knowledge of the treat clip got the better of him. He would slowly inch towards it before his feathers were touching the apple. He was still unsure, however, and would refuse to eat while my hand was so close to him. But I was patient, and after being set back by some car noises and some voices coming from inside the house, he eventually took a little lick. All the time I was talking softly to him, encouraging him. He took some more licks and a nibble and I was satisfied. He's never eaten anything while i was so close to him, let alone with my hand inside his cage

Welcome Your birds are very beautiful, especially the hen. I hear that rolled oats are also good for the bottom of the nest box

I found a cage and have put it on lay-by I didn't get the depth, but the width is 60cm (The depth is a little less than that i believe) It looks something like this Not exactly though. The one I got is wider and shorter, so the little pointy bits are shorter as well. $155 (with stand)....is that reasonable do you think?

That is a really nice cage Ratzy. How much did something like that cost? I think maybe the relationships that birds can develop with other birds is all about chemistry. I have a cat who follows my dog around all day and sleeps with him and smooches him repeatedly lol But like you said meeka, because he is not tame, I think I'm better off just getting another budgie

I read right through birdluv's post and it gave me some confidence that Bula will overcome his fear. He doesn't bite me, he simply flys away when I go near him. I think, because of the hand incident, I will need to start over. I will stop doing the step up training and go back to the basics. I will withhold his millet for a little bit and try to use it more of a reward, and give it to him after I've been there. That way hopefully he will associate me, not as a monster, but as someone that brings millet I think once I can get him to trust me enough with his treats, I might start a journal to keep track of his progress

I have been working on taming my bird for a while now, but he doesn't seem to be getting used to my hand. He must think its the devil or something as he's happy to sit n the bars of his cage near my face. I was making progress until a friend grabbed him out of the cage without my consent. Do you think maybe he's traumatised? He flys around the cage like a maniac whenever I open his cage door and when my hand is in there. With patience I can get him on my finger, but he pants heavily and his head swivels desperately as if looking for an escape route. Is it normal for an older budgie to behave this way? I know it may just be because he's grown up without people sticking their hands near him. Should I just continue getting him on my finger until he starts to calm down maybe?

I am ashamed to say that my budgies cage is one of those on the list. I am new to budgies and was fooled by the apparent "expert" in the store. Though he did steer me away from the decorative and round top ones (but I already knew that lol) What is the maximum width between bars that would be appropriate?

Thats why I asked. Male budgie it is Thanks so much for the input, i do appreciate it. The cage I'm still shopping around for, but I'll make sure its not a real tall one. Again, thank you everyone :bluebudgie:

How about lovebirds or other small parrots?

I am interested in getting a cage buddy for my budgie, Bula. I had though that he was bought as a baby, but it turns out the guy at the pet shop misinterpreted his purple cere. I know now it was just because of his colouring. So taming has become more difficult then I had anticipated. But he sings a lonely song everyday, mostly when he hears other birds outside. So I was planning to upgrade his cage size and get him a friend :glare: Soooooo I was wondering how sociable budgies are with other types of bird. Is it better to get one roughly the same size? Would it be better to get a female instead of a male? Or do they only really be friends with their own kind? I would like to look into getting a hand raised one, or if not that, a baby one

Hi there. I'm new to the forum and new to budgies I just got my first ever budgie today. His name is Bula He has been spending his time in the cage on the back perch. He seemed to breath fast at first but seems to have relaxed. Could someone tell me the best time to try and start taming him? To me he looks like a recessive pied...but i don't know much about them, so a second opinion would be greatly appreciated