Well the aviary building plans are on their way, settlement on our new house *should* go through on Monday (was meant to be last Thurs but didn't happen) and I am now planning on building the aviary! I am so excited I can't wait!!! With the aviary plans in motion I have a constant debate in my head with what to do with Sunshine. I love him he is a sweet little budgie when his wings are clipped, but as soon as he is flighted he turns into a little monster... I bought him as a pal for Bobby, but they really don't get along and quite often fight. Sunny is quite the bully actually and poor Bobby is so submissive he will always step down rather than fight and often misses out on the good stuff :budgiedance: He doesn't enjoy spending time with me, and unless his wings are clipped I can't even get him to step up...

 

My dilemma is this - Sherbie and Sparkie came from an aviary, they were happy aviary birds and I have no issues with putting them back in the aviary where I know they will be happier, but Sunshine has only ever been an inside bird. I am worried if I put him in the aviary he won't like it, or won't be able to deal with the conditions - but I will endeavour to make the aviary as warm and cosy as possible during our V cold winters... Do you think that Sunshine will be happier in an aviary where he doesn't have to worry about this big beast (me) trying to hold him and tame him and make him step up against his will!! I quite often have to turn off the lights to catch him to put him in the cage at night.

 

I honestly don't think that Bobby will have an issue with being an only budgie again, as I think in his eyes I am his favourite budgie!Quite often when I go into the birdroom he is sitting apart from the other 3. I do believe in having another bird as company though as he would be alone for 8 hours of the day every weekday and I think he would really feel lonely after sharing a cage with 3 other budgies for so long now... So should I put Sunshine in the aviary - will he survive the outdoor conditions, or should I leave him inside to keep Bobby company bearing in mind that he doesn't enjoy my company at all and will never be tame and as happy as he would be in a wide open aviary...

I don't think he'll have any troubles adjusting to the outdoor weather conditions. By the time you've got your house sorted out and have found the time to build an aviary it'll be summer/autumn (yes?) meaning you won't be putting him out in the middle of winter. My original 11 budgies were all indoor budgies for ages before i got my aviary, and they had absolutely no trouble adjusting.

:hugs Bea - I have missed you on MSN the past couple of days!! That's a good thing then, to not worry about the adjustment... I want to get the aviary built as soon as possible so its ready for the August bird show It's something that we can work on while we are waiting for kitchen to be built, other things to be delivered etc to keep us busy!

Well if you put Sunny outside with the other two and you don't want to leave Bobby alone, then that is a good excuse to get another budgie hehe.

There's something very exciting to a budgie being let loose in a large outdoor aviary...the space, the fresh air and the feeling they have "gone back to the wild" Sunshine will be happy in the aviary, so don't worry.

Well if you put Sunny outside with the other two and you don't want to leave Bobby alone, then that is a good excuse to get another budgie hehe. :glare:

:(Laughing out loud): :(Laughing out loud): :(Laughing out loud): I'll have an aviary to fill, that is the greatest excuse for new budgies if I've ever had one!!!

 

Well I feel confident now that putting him outside wont harm him and it is probably best for him! Maybe when I start to breed them I can tame from a hatchling for a companion for Bobby

Edited July 7, 200717 yr by Riebie

I was given a Budgie from a friend that had him given to him, because the original owners had got “sick” of him. He was a pet bird, but I don’t like Budgies in the house myself, too much mess to keep cleaning up. So I put him with my normal outside Budgies & he seems to really enjoy it, mixing with the mob. So I wouldn’t worry, I used to think that they would be too fixed on humans to mix & even breed with Budgies, but plenty on here seem to have tame Budgies breeding even.

Maybe when I start to breed them I can tame from a hatchling for a companion for Bobby

I was going to suggest that. As other have said they don't seem to have trouble adjusting to the REALLY big cage they now have. If he isn't friendly toward you I think he would be better suited as part of the flock your going to be getting.

Good luck with your aviary Riebie!! (and all the dilemmas that might accompany it's construction)