Hi new i'm new to the forum. I have two budgies I never intended having. One of them i got was because my hubbies friend got a budgie and when it turned out to be a girl and wouldn't even sit on his finger he didn't want her so I took her in. Then I got given a male whose partner had escaped the cage we were given the cage he was in also with a nesting box in it. I put them intogether and now 5 weeks down the track i've got bubs 2 hatched so far but still 4 eggs. First any stuff I should do for them, they get fresh greens, vit supp powder for water and those hang on cage stuff, worming stuff and egg and biscuit mix (they love that). Also will handling the budgie babies cause mum and dad to stop feeding them I would like to keep one and tame it to be friendly. I know handrearing is a sure fire way but my work stops that with the frequent feeds needed.

Any help appreciated

Hi Kerrie Welcome to the boards.

 

Seems you are a bit swamped with the work of breeding but I'm glad your hunting out answers to help your surprise pets.

 

Make sure you check on mum and babies at least once a day. I check mine both morning and before they settle at night. Check that the babies are getting food, you will see a yellow blob of food in the crop in very young babies, but with two already here it seems she has done a good job on that front.

 

The egg and biscuit mix is great it good for them all to have. Don't worm them at the moment you can do so again when the babies are out of the nest. I'm not sure what you mean with "hang on cage stuff" If you mean Honey sticks (or seed sticks) They should only be used as a treat.

 

When the babies are older (one week onwards) increase the servings of fresh food and try some new stuff they have turned their beak up to before. Mine will eat the fresh food over the seed while nesting.

Millet sprays are a good thing to have. When the babies are trying seed they seem to learn to crack this seed fast.

 

Handling the babies is fine, it's a good way to check on their development in the nest and it will start to tame them to humans. Around the 30 day mark really work on handing and tame the babies to get them loving human contact.

 

I sure other will reply with things I missed

Thanks that was helpful. I just wasnt expecting babies so quickly, she hated him to start with and i thought i might have to seperate if she got really nasty, but obviously hate turned to love as the babies show. With the hang on stuff i meant the bells you can get like calcium ones mineral ones and ones with iodine from the petstore.

I also got given quails and weiros the quails are sitting on eggs too know if the weiros start im going to start pulling my hair out.

I understand now the bells are great too. I use the same sort of bells.

 

Good luck with the quails too. I didn't notice your location until the word "Weiros" Only the Western Australians call them that. You may see Teil used else where on the boards (it's the same bird)

Goodluck on your babies and I think it is great that you took them in.

Im panicing a little bit I keep hearing about mums that kill the bubs cause they want to lay another clutch. I dont really have enough room in the cage for another box and I want to take this one out once the bubs are ready. Is it common for the mothers to attack the babies or is it just something that happens seldomly.

They can get cranky with the older chicks when he want another round but it's not that often the baby dies. This will be when the older ones spend most of the day out of the box but still want to sleep in it. By that stage it is the dad that is feeding them. You can give a smaller cardboard box for them to crawl into if attacked. Or if all the babies are old enough (4-5 weeks) you can remove the box.