Bea

Around 4 weeks old they will begin venturing out of the nest box and usually by about 6 weeks they're eating and living independantly of their parents.

What do you mean by bush budgie - something different to your regular pet budgie. I think of budgies in three categories: pet, show, wild.

I was playing around with the settings on my camera and got some cool photos in black and white. Sleepy Blinkie *snore* Pretty Cookie And super handsome Ozzie who looks great in b&w! Also here's a picture i got of Mickey which i LOVE! And one more! And here's a colour picture i got of Blinkie before i started playing with the settings. He's on the exercise bike but clearly doing nothing but flirting with himself!

I could do 30mins every weekend no probs so i think i'll do that. I feed harrisons pellets and dark laefy greens so it's good to know they're getting something!

I sure hope so cause i've fed them before.

I agree for sure!

As the beak is such a sensitive area i would get her seen to by a vet. As to the bub if you think it's growing and strong enough to demand food over it's older siblings you could try putting it back with dad. You should stay nearby to make sure there are no "fighting" sounds though, just incase it does turn nasty.

Budgies, yes. Cookie, no. She spent the whole time squawking at me.

He's fine today - he's almost two and a very healthy weight of 38g, not at all pudgy.

So it's vitamin D they're getting...i was told on another forum that Vetafarm has a product that supplies this which you put in the water. Have you heard this? It was brought up when someone mentioned that vitamin D was important to breeding hens and when i asked how to provide they recommended the Vetafarm product. Is full spectrum lighting expensive? Do you just put it on for a short while each day?

...from the safety of a cage, hehe. I decided to drag Blinkie and Ozzie's cage (not very conveniant to move about) to the outside table so they could enjoy the warm afternoon. I popped Cookie in with them too cause there is no way in the world i'd drag her cage (twice as big) outside too, (Laughing out loud). Anyway, i got a couple of nice pics! All together Mozzie Stinker They were only out for about 15mins while i fed and watered the aviary birds - i would've stayed out with them longer but Cookie was helping herself to their food and as i measure their seed out there's no extra for house guests, (Laughing out loud)!!

These are the same reasons i have been breeding. Like you each and everyone of my budgies is important to me and i would never want to do something that might harm them (breed underage, inbreed, etc). I'm glad i'm not the only person who breeds for these type of reasons - i was feeling like i shouldn't be breeding.

I know that natural light is really important for birds. I'm not very good at giving it too them though mainly because i don't feel comfortable taking them outside. Last week i put Cookie in her flightsuit (much to her disgust) and Blinkie and Ozzie in my little cage and took them outside. Within about 5 mins a big black bird came along and was eyeing them off (despite me being only a couple of feet away) so i rushed them back inside. How often do birds need to be in natural light and for how long each time? What is it that they're getting from the natural light and what does this do to benifit them? How else can i give them this other than taking them outside (i really am a nervous wreck about them when they're out, i hate it)?

Why did you breed before you got into showing? As a hobby/fun?

When newbies come along asking for breeding advice something they're almost ALWAYS asked is WHY they want to breed? So i want to ask it to everyone now. I was thinking about WHY i set up a breeding pair. It was partly to repopulate my aviary (as i've lost 4-6 budgies over the past year or two) and i'm also toying with the idea of selling a few babies (though knowing me i won't be able to, hehehe). I don't breed on a large scale at all so really i'm just doing it for fun, as a hobby, but isn't "for fun" a reason usually frowned upon? I know that i can (and most likely will) keep all the babies and love them for their whole lives. If i sold them i would check potential owners to make sure they'll be going to good homes only. But even with their care garanteed by me does that make it okay? I dunno, guess i'm just thinking out loud. So everyone else - WHY do you breed your budgies?

I didn't realise it was so bad. Maybe let him out in a smaller room with all shiney stuff covered for a while until he .... possibly .... get's over himself. It must be hard with such an open plan house.

Blinkie's favourite thing in the world is scaring me. He's choked making me think he was going to die. He's made a huge squawky racket because Ozzie breathed in his direction. He just generally likes causing me concern. Today was no different. All the birdlets are out and when i walked into the room after going to find my drink bottle his was sitting with his leg tucked up - really tightly. For a second i thought he was just resting and then he moved and he was hopping instead of walking. I was like "oh no - he's broke his leg"! Then i went over for a closer look and he started chattering to himself (the flirty chatter male budgies do) so i thought, hmm, can't be too bad. But he was still hopping about. Then dad came over to look and Blinkie started flying back and forth between him and the cage chattering and head bopping...yeah, definitely not bothering him too much. Then he started using it a little and now he's using it pretty much like normal (probably 100% normal and i'm just being paranoid). I honestly have NO IDEA what in the world happened - i mean he's not going to be limping and hopping about for no reason. I eventually got him to stop avoiding me (ratbag) and step up and his foot seemed a little warm so i don't know if he really did do something to it. I don't think it's hurting him because he stood on the "sore" foot to scratch his head with the other. I think he just likes worrying me.

How exciting!! Hope Chucky behaves herself!

Great pics!! They look super happy together!

How much did it cost you? I think it'd be good for stopping tiel claws slashing my shoulders and tiel beaks ripping my earrings out.

I was planning to post them last night but it got kinda late and i was tired - so here's the rest of the photos from my photoshoot yesterday. Starring Cookie, Blinkie and Ozzie. I love the facial expression here! *floof* A sticker!!! MUST DESTROY Now for Oz *scritchy* Fluffy Cheeks! Finally Cookie *mini fluff* (i missed the mega-fluff by an instant)

:(Laughing out loud): What a great picture!

Hahaha - those budgies clearly live such tough lives. :bluebudgie: They're gorgeous!

This has always confused me and yet this isn't the first time i've seen it mentioned - i thought budgies were lactose intolerant therefore making dairy a bad thing to feed?

I assume you'd have heated breeding rooms then? To keep the temps warm enough through winter?