stace

Firebird, Is the pumpkin or sweet potato feed raw or cooked? I haven't tried those. I just bought some of Rob Marshall's products online. They seem great, palatable for budges which is pleasing, and really easy to use. I've only been using them for a week so far.

If you haven't already, check out the Budgies FAQ at the top left. It's really useful to get you on track to ensure a healthy happy budgie. It helped me greatly when I was a newbie.

Aren't they handsome.

CAn't see her cere well enough to tell, but she looks happy. Chirping usually means happy.

Hasn't he grown up. He's lovely.

Kaz, do I remember reading you can put a little bit of vaseline around the vent too? You may have Stace..........BUT I wont put vaseline anywhere near my birds. Remember they preen their feathers with vaseline tranfered from butt to face to other feathers. Vaseline is a product I wont use. Thanks, Kaz. Don't know where I read that.

Kaz, do I remember reading you can put a little bit of vaseline around the vent too?

Mine likes strawberries (especially the outside with the little seedy bits), millet, and toasted wholegrain bread (especially if I'm eating it). And fresh seeding grass, washed.

Thanks for letting us know what happened, Jabberwocky. I'd grown very fond of little Dalek and your stories. And so had a lot of others on here. All the best.

I remember that Kaz. (By the way, I think Jabberwocky is a she). If you're reading this, Jabberwocky, I am very sorry about Dalek, and hope you're okay. It is very hard to lose a much-loved pet.

Thanks Cheeky, That's very sad.

I'm pretty sure budgies go through a biting phase as they grow from babies into terrible teens. It might also coincide with their first moult. If you work on positive reinforcement for good behaviour, and negative (but not scary punishment) for bad, your budgie will probably grow out of it. Mine went through this biting phase for about two months, from memory. They can get territorial over their cage, especially when happily playing with their toys, or settling in for a snooze. I just leave mine be when that's the case. I figure he just wants a bit of time to himself, just like we do sometimes.

We never heard anymore about Dalek and Jabberwocky. Hopefully they are both okay.

Hi there. If you haven't already, have a read of the FAQs on the top left. When I first started out, knowing nothing, I learnt heaps off here about food, health and taming, amongst other things. Here's the section on taming. http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/index.php?action=artikel&cat=3&id=155&artlang=en I also found a lot of other resources on the web. Just be aware that a lot of stuff on there is wrong. So you have to use your good judgement on what to trust, and if you're uncertain, ask on this forum where people know what they are talking about. You have to be patient with taming, but it sounds like you already know that. Also, there are different ways of taming, and you have to do what you think is working. It's not always a case of, this is right, or this is wrong. While they're young, also make sure you're introducing them to lots of different types of fresh veges, and some fruit. It might take them a while to eat it, but you have to get them started young, or they will forever turn their nose up at it. As you're taming two at a time, it might pay to get another cheap cage, and try to tame one at a time. Or let one out, and tame one at a time in the cage at first, then when they've mastered the step-up command, one at a time outside the cage. Here are a few things I'd kept to read when I was starting out. <u> A lot of people have recently been asking me how I tamed my budgies so here we go. I'm not saying these methods are necesarily the best way to tame a bird, there are many good methods out there and this is only my way which I find works well. The winking - I learnt this off of Bonesy (Sophie), I'm not sure if she has joined this forum but I met her on the other one and we are good friends on msn; she is a bird behaviourist and has a lot of good tips. When you first bring home your lil spudgie, spend some time sitting and winking/closing your eyes at it. It probably sounds a little strange, but this is actually the first sign to them that you are infact not trying to eat them, as a predator would stare unblinkingly at its prey in the wild. Hopefuly after a few minutes your budgie will start blinking back to you, your first little bond - he/she trusts you not to eat him/her while they have their eyes closed! Go and try it. The hand taming - Firstly only tame one budgie at a time, take him into a seperate cage and room where he can't hear any others. I find the longer you leave your budgie afraid of you, the more he will set into a routine of ''fear''. It is easier to tame them the day you bring them home than to leave them unsure of you for a long time. Many people are recomended to hand tame their budgies by leaving their hand in the cage near the budgie for a while each day... I don't believe this is the easiest way or even the least stressful way for the bird to becoming used to you. Each time you are taking your hand back out you are training the bird that its okay - the hand always just go's away after a while. Start each training session with a goal; don't take your hand out of the cage until you have achieved it. Follow your bird slowly around the cage with your hand making no sudden movements until he gives in and stays in one place (don't be scared of hurting or scaring him, it is more scary for them to live in constant fear than to get it over with!). Once he has calmed down take your hand out and let him think about it for a few minutes. Now he has learnt that the hand doesn't go away until he calms down and sit still. The next time you put your hand in he is going to sit on your finger; don't take your hand out until he has. Gently push your finger under his belly until he has to step on, once he has, put him back on the perch and close the door. Again leave him to hink about this - ''hey, the hand doesn't hurt me... I can just sit on it''. If give up you will be teaching him the opposite; if they know you will give up they will wait for you to give up the next time. You may have to repeat this excercise quite a few times before your budgie more willingly steps up. Budgies are inteligent little birds, once you get past this initial step they will be more ready to take an interest in you; their mind is moving forwards rather than being stuck in the ''omg!'' stage. And the quicker you do this the easier it is for them to adjust, new home - new rules. Once your bird is fully finger tame, i'd suggest creating a perch or area for him to land on in the room and close the curtains until he knows the area he can land; then take him slowly out of the cage and place him in that area. They do unfortunatley have some accidents the first time they are free of the cage; my Codi ended up behind my bed the first time he flew around my room but this is just how they learn. Pet Budgerigar Behaviour & Training by Nadine Arber INTRODUCTION The Budgerigar is one of Australia’s biggest success stories. It was during the 1840’s that the melodious little bird flew its way into the international spotlight and has since become the world’s most popular caged bird. For many it is a pet, for others it is an industry but for the majority, it is a new family member. Animal behaviours are often displayed for a particular reason, whether it is boredom, fear or excitement. These behaviours can be ‘translated’ and developed into a form of communication between pet and owner and used to assist in that animal’s training. The budgerigar is no exception to this concept. Their natural instincts to mimic and strong need for companionship make them excellent pets to train. This report outlines some of the behaviours displayed by pet budgerigars and the possible ways to interpret this body language and apply this knowledge to budgerigar training. In this article, ‘training’ does not refer to performance tricks; rather it means advantageous commands (such as "up" and "down") and a better understanding between pet and owner. (Spencer, 1993; Watmough, 1984) WHY OBSERVE BEHAVIOUR? Animals predominantly communicate with each other using body language and gestures. The various signals given by animals of many species often have significant meanings and their interpretation usually decides the fate of that animal. Much of the linguistic behaviours displayed by animals occur during confrontation or a meeting between two strangers. This is one of the many reasons why it is important for us, as animals and animal keepers, to correctly interpret and respond to animal behaviours. Sickness and discomfort are also stimulants to animal behaviour. An animal will behave in a certain way and may even adopt new mannerisms if they are not happy or healthy in their present environment. So-called "stereotypic" behaviours are such an example. These are noted as behaviours that are repeated continuously and are a good indication that the animal is bored and requires more mental or physical stimulation in their environment. By observing animal behaviours, we are able to better understand their way of living. Thus, we can alter the environment in which we keep them, to improve the health and well being of that animal. (Tribe, 2001) PET BUDGIE BEHAVIOURS AND INFULENTIAL FACTORS The most common influences of pet budgie behaviour are the presence or absence of other budgies, the size of the cage and the level of interaction between pet and owner. The more budgies present in a cage, the more ‘typical’ budgie behaviours are noticed, such as mutual grooming, vocalisations and courting behaviours. The more space a budgie has to move in also affects its behaviours. A smaller cage usually provides less interaction for budgies and they will get bored easily. Boredom in animals promotes ‘stereotypic’ behaviours such as pacing and gnawing, and the same applies to budgies. Keeping a budgie interested is easy and a toy will entertain for hours. Even a new sprig of parsley will be a great amusement. Interaction between budgie and owner is also very influential to their behaviour. When a budgie is purchased, it is usually pre-decided upon if the budgie is going to be just an ornamental pet or a new addition to the family. Budgies are highly social animals and require attention in any shape or form. If a single budgie is purchased it is likely that the family expects to interact with the budgie more and behaviours such as playing and vocalisations will be observed more frequently than an ornamental pet. (Spencer, 1993; Watmough, 1984; Tribe, 2001) Typical Behaviours Grooming- Self and Mutual - important social bonding (even with owner) Biting and Gnawing- either other budgies or a stick; demonstrates dominance; trims beak. Females will chew wood as an instinct to create a suitable nesting site Chattering or Soft Vocalisations- communication between budgies and ‘competing’ with louder sounds, such as a radio or vacuum cleaner. Feathers Puffed- content, happy; comfortable in the environment. Sleeping or Resting- often on one leg and sometimes with head behind wing. Play Behaviours Nibbling- at a toy or necklace; comes from the instinct to find seeds and nibble. Flapping without Flying- shown when excited; creates noise, movement. Bathing- although it is a natural instinct, many budgies will just do it for the fun of getting wet and being allowed to make a mess. Courtship Behaviours Chattering or Soft Vocalisations- usually from the male to win over the female. "Making Eyes" and Head Bobbing- the male’s pupils dilate and crest will rise; head bobbing precedes regurgitation. Regurgitation- male feeds seed to female; demonstrates fathering ability. Feathers Puffed- male will usually puff up to increase his size, again to impress. Stress or Fear Behaviours Biting- self-defense, usually fairly hard. Open Beak =>Head Up- attacking gesture; dominant and willing to prove it. =>Head Lowered- defense gesture; scared but standing ground.=>Squeaking- annoyance; warning sound before a strike or bite. Loud and Screeching Vocalisations- warning to others, cry for help; distress. Wings Held off Body/Panting- stress or overheating sign; scared and/or hot. Feathers Flat to Body- scared and ready for flight; usually scary object. WHAT IS MY BUDGIE TRYING TO TELL ME? Many budgies will display typical behaviours on a day-to-day basis. However, something to remember is that the budgerigar is considered one of the best actors in the animal kingdom. Acting healthy comes naturally to the budgie, a prey animal for just about any predator in Australia. Even their name (derived from the Aboriginal "betcherrigah") means "good to eat". (Spencer, 1993) So even if a budgerigar is acting healthy, it does not necessarily mean it is healthy. By learning to recognise the behaviours related to stress or ill health, you will notice even the smallest of changes in your pet budgie’s daily regime. If behaviours become excessive or more intense, it is possible that your budgie is not happy in his/her environment and investigations should be made with your local vet to determine the problem/s. USING BEHAVIOUR TO AID BUDGIE TRAINING By observing your budgie’s behaviour, you will start to understand budgie language. You will learn their likes and dislikes, what entertains and interests them and what frightens them. Many people clip their budgie’s wing when they purchase it as a pet with intentions to train it. This, however, is not the best thing to do. Wing clipping disables and disorientates budgies and if an owner wishes to interact with their pet enough to establish trust and improve their pet’s training, wing clipping is unnecessary. Their strong desire for attention induces some budgies to mimic their owner’s actions, speak human words and even misbehave. Many birds have been known to imitate the sound of splintering wood just to see their owner rush madly into the room and start yelling, much to their delight. Despite your best efforts to discourage the behaviour by yelling, something that humans find confronting, the budgie seems to enjoy it. In fact, they do. (Spencer, 1993; Watmough, 1984; Tribe, 2001) Repetition and mind games work well to train a budgerigar. Yelling and other forms of human discipline do not work on budgies. Outsmart your budgie by getting to know his/her personality and typical behaviour and use it to your advantage. If you know your budgie hates water for example, you can use a small water pistol to reproach a behaviour you dislike. You can also reward you budgie with a food he loves when he does something right. Training budgerigars is easy to start with, but if you take the time to watch his behaviour and learn his language, it will be even easier. CONCLUSION This report outlined some of the behaviours displayed by pet budgerigars and the possible ways to interpret their body language. Provided also were applications of this knowledge to budgerigar training and readers were encouraged to further develop the understanding between pet and owner. Behaviour is the language of animals. Unless we wish to remain ignorant of their needs and desires, we should start listening now. REFERENCES About the Author: Nadine Arber is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Applied Science in Animal Studies (Equine and Recreational Animal Management) with the aim of specialising in animal psychology and handling. She dedicates this module to Hero, the budgie who allowed her to explore human-animal communication without words. Spencer, Harvey (1993); All About Budgerigars, Dino Video, Parramatta, Australia. [video recording] Tribe, Andrew (2001); Lecture Material Viva Voce, ANIM 3005- Advanced Animal Ethology, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Australia. Watmough, W. (1984); The Cult of the Budgerigar, Nimrod Book Services, Liss, United Kingdom. </u>

Maybe he doesn't like the idea of an arranged marriage. Are you taking him away from his true love, perhaps.

That's a great clip. Love it. I will pass it on. Cheers.

Wait for the real experts to come on, but I know that those multi-vitamin solutions often contain things like sugar which is ideal for growing bacteria. That's why you have to change it out.

I rarely buy that kind of thing in a petstore as there is no guarantee that it is actually bird safe. Almost all of it is made in China, and if we cant' trust baby formula not to be contaminated, I wouldn't think of trusting anything for birds, which is way less regulated. All my bells, chains, quick links, kabobs etc are made from stainless steel, bought on line from a place I trust.

Hi Henrietta (and Del Boy) I'll leave it to the crack team to sex your budgie. But as you work for the Minister of Environment, I'll start with a couple of tips for Del Boy on the home front. I can't see the whole cage in your photo, but it looks on the small side. A cage that has length rather than height is best for budgie, especially if you're out often and will be in the cage all day. (They fly sideways, not up and down). Something like this: Also, throw in a few bird safe toys and perches. Don't use plastic perches or sandpaper. (No sandpaper anywhere) They're bad for their little feet over time. Natural ones are best. We use eucalyptus or similar down here. In the UK I believe Willow is best. If you can't make them yourself, you can buy natural perches online or at a decent pet store. If your budgie is going to be in the cage for long periods, make it an okay place to be. They're social and playful little things. If you really feel he's lonely, you can perhaps get Del Boy a friend. Check out all the Budgie FAQs up on the top left. There's heaps of useful info there. And if there's something you're uncertain about, just ask.

Oh my God! I don't know what to say. What on earth could have happened?

Must seem like a long wait when you're anxious. Fingers crossed.

thanks for that, fire bird. I hope everything goes well for you and your birds. Best of luck.

I really nice to see someone with such dedication to their animals. Good on you. Can I ask, how much is a trip to Dr Marshall? Just curious as I'm in Sydney too.

When mine was little, he would always head up to sit on the chandelier. They feel safer up there, away from potential predators. It wasn't a big issue with us, except that the chandelier is so high, I'd have to get a ladder and turn off all the lights to get him down when it was time to go to bed. He really wanted to roost up there for the night. Eventually he grew out of it, and now he heads off to bed by himself as the sun goes down. It's up to you really. If you don't want him up there all the time, train him the way you are doing to stay away.

Oh la la. Racey huh. Main thing is to give them fresh seed, veges and water every day, and make sure their water isn't contaminated with poop. Just one other thing. If you put seven layers of newspaper down on top of the grate (not under), just roll up the dirty one each day or so. Makes cleaning much much easier.