Posted January 30, 200718 yr Hi everyone, I thought it's about time I introduced myself (Sarah - aka "Turbs" after Turby the budgie) and sent a picture of my new little budgie - Birdy, the bush budgie. He is named after my old rescue budgie - Birdy - who sadly died from a long term illness in Dec. Bless his little heart. Yes, he's a real little baby bush budgie. Really small little guy. Not an english or even an american sized budgie. Left the nest on Australia day and born on Xmas day 2006. So easy to remember! He's full of personality. Small little guy - only 29 grams. I know that people wanted to see a bush budgie (when I mailed a recent topic on them), but I didn't have him at the time. I was able to track his development from egg in the nest due to a kind local breeder (she only lives 2min away). I love the little "bush" budgies, as the first budgie I ever had (at the tender age of 5) was a tame bush budgie I called Lolly. Was a great pet and have never had any problems taming him. The Brisbane breeder also has 5 others still in the nest - he was first out and his dad (a gorgeous bush budgie) was just the most doting little budgie father I've seen. Seemed to feed most of the kids all day long... After Birdy's quarantine, he'll be a friend for my girl budgie called Turby. Turb is 8yrs old and has lots of trouble with her leggies. Constantly on pain killers/anti-inflammatories for arthritis, but she is such a little treasure. So she spends most of her time in a coconut shell nest (or being cuddled). I think she and Birdy will get along great. Although I do worry about Turbs health at the moment - it seems that the pain killers may be impacting her little kidneys, but at least she has an excellent avian vet and is under the best of care. I've started to put Birdy on pellets after trying to do this with Turbs for over 4yrs (no luck). And amazing, so far he's actually eating them! When I got him he had just developed a little "people fear", but is calming down nicely. Haven't clipped his wings. He's flying around and now flies over to me when he wants to get down from the wooden blinds. Hopped on my finger from day 1 - he's a smart little boy. Great progress for only 4 days! He really is a lovely little guy and I've had budgies since I was 5 (now 32)!. Birdy also likes head scratches and also standing on the back of my laptop lid. He'll go to his vet check very soon. So let's hope all is okay with him. So here's the picture - haven't tried posting pictures yet, so hope it works. http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...On-teatowel.jpg Bye for now. Turbs Edited February 8, 200718 yr by Turbs
January 30, 200718 yr I absolutely love him! I wish we could get bush budgies here though I admit my aim would be to breed something a bit purer than what we can get now. He's gorgeous, I can't wait to hear more about him.
January 30, 200718 yr :fear Birdy was a very nice and cute Christmas present for you! He sure has a neat assortment of toys and goodies to keep him happy.
January 31, 200718 yr Author Here's now a couple more photos from 6am this morning of Birdles, the green little bush budgie boy... His latest achievement is that he's now eating broccoli and carrot (although the carrots a bit hard for him yet) and he's flying to me when I call him. Great progress for under 6 days at home. Here's rodeo Birdy with the green ring around him (didn't worry him a bit) http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...photos/Play.jpg Here he is in his new big temporary cage (before moving in with Turbs) http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...tos/In-cage.jpg Here'a one of the shots from the morning flap - flies down to my finger... http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...otos/Blinds.jpg He's also into head scratches. What a dear little boy that Birdy is. Turbs. Moderator’s Message to user Images changed to links due to size, all images should be under board limit of 450 pixels by 450 pixels. Thanks! Edited January 31, 200718 yr by Bea
January 31, 200718 yr Hiya Turbs. That is a fantastic size quarantine cage. I have 4 of them myself and use them for the same purpose. Budgies love little holes so he would have been quite content in the ring. He's quite gorgeous Feathers.
January 31, 200718 yr Wow he looks so small. How long is he? I have those toys the little flower and the dumbell and he looks so tiny compared to them.
January 31, 200718 yr Author I'll measure him tonight and get back to you... Just dusted him with some lice/mite stuff as he was scratching a little over the last day or so (so just precautionary) and the powder has to stay on for 1hr (I'm working at home this week writing a report)...! His dad and mumma are such tiny little birdies. His dad is the most gorgeous bush budgie I've seen and I'm hoping he'll turn out like him. You should have seen him on his swing last night. My birds have all always slept on their swings so I put him up and he looked so tiny in stature even though the average budgie's head will pretty much nearly hit the roof...!
January 31, 200718 yr They had a cage full of bush budgies at a bird fair here recently and it is surprising how small they are. But so active and just as fun loving as any we know of. I often see adverts for people wanting bush budgies for breeding too. You baby looks so cute. Irresisitable.
January 31, 200718 yr Author Well - popped over the measuring tape and he's 17cm long from head to tail. Sounds huge, but he's actually quite small... He's starting preening me today. Love that little chook so much already!
January 31, 200718 yr Hi Sarah, Im Beth! I can see why you love him so much - what a little heart throb! I hope your other bird Turby is doing okay and a bit of a young spirit around is just the right medicine
February 1, 200718 yr Author Hi Beth and Hi everyone... Birdy is indeed becoming a sweet little guy. He's now eating carrot and put one a gram in his first week. I've also noticed he does the bush budgie swoop when flying - ie. flies in a straight line for a metre then changes direction quickly. Even when he's flying from A to B... Must be the bush budgie in him, as I haven't seen this in my other green budgies.... Here's a couple of new photos of Birdles. Birdy eating his pelllets - good boy birdy! Birdy eating wheatgrass Here's our other little precious girl - Turby. She is about 8yrs old and has a lot of trouble with arthritis, so we are constantly worried about her. She takes pain killers/anti-flammatories every day now. She's going along okay at the moment, but her leggies have their ups and downs. Here'a also a picture of her "disability cage" - ladders padded with foam and covered in towels to make it easier on her... B4N - Turbs. Hi Sarah, Im Beth! I can see why you love him so much - what a little heart throb! I hope your other bird Turby is doing okay and a bit of a young spirit around is just the right medicine
February 2, 200718 yr Author No probs Shawna. Bush budgie is just a name that Aussies use to refer to the Wild Australian Budgie. They are very small - much smaller than both an "american" (mid sized budgie) and heaps smaller than an English show budgie (which are often whoppers). They are native to Australia (usually in desert outback areas around water sources) and are only found in green in the wild. For instance, a bush budgie is very slender and may be ~30-35g, an american mid sized budgie may be 40-50g and an english budgie could be 50-80g. They are also very fast flyers too - being so light! Bush budgies also have limited cross-breeding so are a little more pure wild budgie than the average suburban budgie. Otherwise, they are still lovable little budgies... Just like the mid and bigger sized ones! Can you explain bush budgie? Thanks!
February 8, 200718 yr Author Here's some new photos of Birdy and Turby from the other day... Here's Turbs in her new coconut shell - found a bigger, softer one for her - finally. Helps her sitting in here, as she has bad arthritis - her poor little leggies and toes are all crunched up with arthritis - you can also see her disability friendly cage in the previous photos in this topic. As soon as she got in the next home (had Bird House written on it already - should be Turb's House), she started some renovations and picked at the ceiling husk. Now it seems the renovations are over and she's much more comfy. It was a bit dusty inside the shell after she was done, but a quick shake out fixed that. I guess you have to expect that when you're renovating...? http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...house-small.jpg Here's Birdy chomping down some peas - absolutely loved them http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...peas2-small.jpg http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u232/Tu...peas3-small.jpg Birdy the bush budgie's latest is that he's now flying onto my shoulder for a visit - eg. from the blinds etc. He's really quietening down now. Eating his pellets every morning... Although still forgets to eat a bit, so continually holding up the bowl mornings and evenings to make sure he fills up. Haven't clipped his wings - am hoping not to have to, but depends how many times he hits the glass when he moves into the section of our house where Turbs is... (ouch) Already starting glass window training in my home office - hasn't hit anything yet. Fingers crossed. Also noticed that he's missing a back toenail, and it appears to have happened in the nest when some poo got stuck between his back toes. Actually thought that it was caught and pulled out the day we got him, but the fact that there was no blood got me thinking and I looked back at this early video in the nest and sure enough it was like that then... He doesn't seem worried by it though. He's a real little treasure. This afternoon he's having his vet check. Fingers crossed that he's okay. On the weekend, I wormed him with the crop needle. Didn't really even seemed bothered by it, as it only took 30 seconds. What a good boy he is! :ausb:
February 8, 200718 yr He is really gorgeous,is going to look so handdsome when he gets his blue cere.My son's bird Poppyhas a toe nail missing at the front,I am guessing the same happened to him in the nest.
February 9, 200718 yr He seems more parroty then the pet budgies. like his beak sticks out more like other parrots. I like that, I think it is cool. :ausb:
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