Bird Junky

Hi there, Just wondered how your sick baby is getting on? Yours B. J.

Hi James. Here in England, there are only two types of budgie... Show Budgies, The big ugly ones & Pet Budgies. Colourful.active & bred for fun. I have seen posts about American budgies. What ever they are. Oh yes what's a bushy???? Yours B. J.

Hi I agree with the above but I just wonder why you think the hen is to blame & not the cock? Yours B. J.

Hi This type of behaviour is way past flirting. As you've noted the instinct to mate can often lead to aggression & even death. I would keep the birds separated & return the mirrors, poles etc so that the poor birds can relive some of their frustrations without anyone getting hurt.. Have you checked out any posts with the thought to re-homing. Where your birds could breed & lead a more normal lifestyle, I'm sure your daughter would want her old friends to be happy & contented.. As for the bare bottom, is there any excess redness indicating feather plucking. If not & it gets no worse the missing feathers (if any) will re-grow. It could also be wear& tear, many Budgies squat on their perches when sleeping. Does he? Try not to worry to much, budgies & love birds are pretty hardy birds. Yours B. J.

Hi I've often noted this behaviour in my aviaries. It's a stance that means "BACK OFF" but in a pet situation it can be used to get attention, ie. he probably did it at first in its natural context but then he got an unexpected reward. in much the same way that a dog will growl angrily on command to get a reward. B. J.

Hi, About the red head. Do you have a pink iodine block or it could be a blood stain. Either way nothing to get exited about. As for the twirling bird. Take him back to the seller. Or your Vet's bill will be greater than the value of the bird & with no guarantee of a cure.. Yours B. J.

Hi Bruce, I could suggest that Baby could be feeling a little jealous of the new boy on your lap, but in truth no one really knows why birds sometimes do the things they do. Another possibility could be she being a hen prefers to fly around rather than sit with you. You could try getting her wing feathers clipped, by the time they grow again she may be a little friendlier. Only put the divider up if there is any trouble between the two young ones. Could you explain more about about the one who died after having feathers clipped please. When you say you spoil them I get the feeling your a little disappointed they don't show any appreciation for all you give them. Yours B. J.

Hi there. Nice to read your enjoying your new friend. Obviously it still likes a little space between you. You might find it easier to get her/him to step up onto a stick & over a period of time decrease the distance between your hand & the bird until he/she steps up on to your finger. As advised, no friend yet. Yours B. J.

Hi, Do they still faint if you hold them at arms length?? Yours B. J.

Hi there, Need a little more info. Like diet, age, exercise regime, & do you spoil him food wise. Yours B. J.

Where's the EDIT button? B. J.

Sorry about the plastic bird/cat not working. I didn't realise your birds were in an open cage & not in an aviary. Is it worth putting your birds outside? The stress caused could possibly kill them. They must feel very unsafe exposed in an open cage. Why not keep them inside by an open window instead of outside? Yours B. J.

Hi all, Thanks for the welcome. Yes I do live in Manchester, England. recently moved from Bury & was a member of the now defunct Bury Budgie Soc. Just joined the Reddish C,B,S, & the Manchester B, S, Yours B. J.

Hi , I had the same trouble years ago. A mate told me to get a plastic owl & place it on top to scare the wild birds away. I didn't believe it till he lent me his. it seemed to work. So I bought one from a garden centre. It stood on my shed till it fell to bits after a few years. I didn't have not trouble while he was up there. after a while trouble came back so I tried to get another, no luck so I bought a plastic cat, It worked just as good Yours B. J..

Thanks for the advice KAZ In my country Exhibition pair or King Size are really expensive but OLIVE GREEN Exhibition and KIng Budgie can be found cheaper so it just pops into mind that is it possible or not and if it is then i should concentrate to breed them. Few questions more 1. would offspring's be KING SIZE or normal ones. 2. Should we use a MALE KING Cock and a normal hen or opposite of it. Detailed comments will be highly appreciated. Hi there, Can I just add a little more advice. A show bird for sale in a pet shop can no way be considered as suitable to build-up a team of show birds. If it was any good as a show bird, it wouldn't be for sale in a pet shop. It may look like a show bird to your untrained eye because its bigger but size alone is not the only thing a show bird needs. It took years of careful selective breeding to get show budgies up to the standard they are today. Pairing a pet shop show bird cock or hen to a pet type budgie cock or hen could take you 10yrs or more & you still wouldn't have bred a winning show bird. If you are serious about wanting to breed show birds, do what everyone else does who can't afford to buy them Befriend a show bird breeder. visit a show or join a club. Breeders are always willing to help new members. If on the other hand you do decide to go ahead & buy a pet shop show bird. be warned that it will introduce the buff factor , known as the ugly gene into your pretty pet birds this will affect the feathering. Sorry if I rambled on a bit, but you did ask for more details Yours B.J

Hello out there. I started my budgie breeding way back in the 1950's can't keep birds now due to ill health, (Budgie Dust). Still I can't keep away. got to talk,read or write or just watch them. Hence the name. Yours, B. J.