when you first purchase your budgie should you take it to the vet like within that week??? and also how often should you go to have checkups???

 

thanks

Unfortunatly with vets they dont really specialize in birds , if your lucky you may find one that does, In my opinion you only take a bird to the vet when your bird is in serious sickness, otherwise it will cost more then its worth.

The main thing you need to do is , Worm them , spray for lice and mites, Feed them well and always give them clean water , you will find most diseases will result from dirty water.

I worm and spray for lice and mites every 8 weeks at the most, but its really the summer months that lice and mites could be a problem.

You can get the products from any pet store or farm supplies.

thanks for your reply... but i really want to know after you purchase your bird within that week should you take it to the vet for a full check up??? to single out any diseases that could have been obtained while being in cages with other birds???

If the birds showing signs of disease then yes... like lonebudgie said if not, it's really gonna end up costing you more than it's worth...

a budgie shouldn't be purchased if showing signs of disease and like he also said the best cure, is prevention...

the bird may be a carrier of a disease, but there's not a heck of alot a vet can do about it so keep your bird healthy, worm it, spray it for mites and lice, feed it well and there's no real need to take it to a vet unless sometime down the track it becomes sick.

It is a difference of opinion among different people who have budgies as pets, show, breed them etc....

 

First you need to find an avian vet in your area there is an avian vet look-up tool in our FAQ under the General Budgie Section or the Health Section.

 

Then you call them and ask them what they consider is a check-up. Here is what they should be doing.

1. They will pick up your bird and feel him for any lumps & his keel bone to make sure he is not underweight or weights too much.

 

2. They will take a piece of poo and do a gram stain to look for any diseases.

 

3. They will look down their throat to make sure everything looks good down there too.

 

4. They will also weigh your bird and find out what the weight is. If you have a few budgie you should be weighing them 1x a week at least 2 x a month to make sure there is no weight influcation this is where you can detect any illness first because if a budgie is sick he will not look sick until he is ready to go

 

Budgie's hide their illness very well that is why it is not always the best thing to wait until they look completely sick. I learned this first hand with my budgie Pretty. He was fine in the morning and sick by late afternoon and he passed aways in my hands by evening. I took him to the only vet around and they gave me a general antibiotic.

 

Merlin the next day took to him to an avian vet for a general check-up to make sure he was okay and he was. My avian vet suggests a physical 1x a year (like the information I described above) they also recommend an x-ray because that is usually the only way they can see if anything is enlarged because the keel bone protects from the front to the back they can't feel tumors like they can in cats and dogs. There is more they can do like blood tests etc to ensure in your bird is healthy. I believe a lot of the bigger $$$ things are geared to your bigger birds. When you pay 3000.00 for a bird you don't think a thought about spending 200.00 on an exam but when you pay 20.00 for a budgie 200.00 for an exam seems senseless.

 

This is why I say it is everyone's personal opinion on how they chose to care for their pet budgie but there are different ways to ensure your budgie is healthy too by providing a good diet such as veggies/fruits, good quality seed, pellets and more. We have a wonderful section on nutrition here on our boards in the FAQ section. Also providing them with the Vitamins they like Vitamin A is very important for their respiratory systems this is one thing that lacks in many seed diets.

 

In ending, you can do everything and your feathered friend can still be carrying a bug that is not detected or they can be completely healthy. I hope this helps I know it is long but I can tell you where looking for answers .

 

I have seen a lot of people take their birds to an avian vet here on these boards and have saved their lives and they have recovered so it is always worth taking an avian vet trip if you feel it is necessary. They couldn't help Pretty but they have helped a lot of birds on this message board and I have been a member here now for almost 3 yrs.

Edited January 6, 200817 yr by Elly

wow! elly that would have taken a long time to write!

thankyou for such detailed information!

you really know your budgies!

 

thankyou all for the information

 

PS. sorry about Pretty Elly

:ygbudgie: It is MANDATORY to familarize yourself with an avian vet when you get a new bird should problems arise. However, depending on what country or county or province or city you live in, it may not be feasible to take a new bird to a vet just to check it out. There are a shortage of avian vets everywhere. Make sure you purchase a healthy bird and of course, if any questions arise, take your budgie to the avian vet. If you have an avian vet in your area that would be glad to do a thorough examination, that's great, but get a scale to monitor your budgie's weight and record any irregularities . What concerns me MOST is those folks that will not take their budgie to the vet when they are truly ill.

Hi, When I get a new one I always have a full set of tests done and a complete vet check within the first week. After that it is a yearly thing. However as Harley is getting older and has had health issues in the past we make the trek down to the vets every six months and I think if I am going to take one then I might as well take all 4.

 

However my vets recommends that it is once a year. I guess it comes down to what you think. As for the cost, my vets is about $80 for all 4 on a yearly check up (a bit more if I want them to have vit A injections). I worked out the other day that I spent $0 to purchase Harley (he was a gift) $20 for Blue (pet store) $70 for Flame (rescue bird and I had to pay the guy to get him to give the bird to me) $0 for Mozzie (rescue bird). However for me I figure that it is a small amount to pay for the enjoyment that I get out of the birds. Harley in the past has cost me over $4000 in vet bills, I shelled out about $150 just recently on Blue, however that is me and I am prepared to pay that for them.

 

Having said that I would recommend taking a new bird to the vet, more so that if something happens you are an existing client and alot of the time they will fit you in if you have an issue when they can't always fit new clients in, if that makes sense.

 

Hope that helps

thanks angelic vampyre and phoebe i had a feeling for a second that i was going crazy! isnt normal to take your bird to the vet when you first get them? because i heard how easily they can get sick and only show it when its too late.

I think you will find, Andrew, that those on our forum that have many birds and a great deal of experience in their own birds and aviaires, know ALL the major diseases and symptoms to look for signs of and to be wary of. Those people ( including myself ) also have a medicine cabinet of regular treatments we are well able to give our birds with knowledge and confidence.BUT...there are new bird owners who would welcome a check up at the vets to put their minds at ease and also to learn by. A new bird owner will not have all the wealth of knowledge a seasoned breeder or aviary owner would have.So, you do what feels right to you, as you seem to have done some sound research and have your soon to be new birds interest at heart. YES...there are many, many cases of birds that die in the first few weeks of owning them. Birds that have contracted diseases by being put in a community cage at a pet store with no quarantine period. Birds that have been taken from their parents too soon and not learnt to eat properly. So, in your case I would say YES take it for a checkup and it will give YOU peace of mind....and .....it is an extremely responsible thing to do. You are one in a million as you seem to be a very sensible person in my view.One more thing to note.....Never weigh up the initial cost of the bird against vet care. Too many talk about what a vet will cost in comparison to the birds initial cost. Being "worth" a visit to the vet is all about how much the bird is worth to you...not in dollar terms but value as a part of your "family"

 

 

 

One more thing to add......Andrew...when you are ready for your bird....contact me. I will give you a bird for free. I am impressed with you already.Cheers karen

Edited January 8, 200817 yr by KAZ

wow thankyou Kaz! i think im going to be liking talking to random strangers more often! (Laughing out loud)! :(Laughing out loud): no only joking!

 

thankyou very much for your words of wisdom and kind generosity

wow thankyou Kaz! i think im going to be liking talking to random strangers more often! lol! no only joking!

 

thankyou very much for your words of wisdom and kind generosity

In the meantime Andrew...research as you have been doing, and please, please use good advice regarding the cage. Do NOT believe anything a pet store tells you about birds or cages

so far i have learnt about cages that they should be wide rather than tall so that the bird can fly and get excersice, that you should not get a dome topped cage as that messes with the budgies sense of vision, try to get a removable tray cause they are easier to replace newspaper, replace newspaper each day and clean the cage every 2-4 weeks?

and make sure you think about the space even when incorporating toys into the equation.

thats just about all i know except is the minimum cage size 18 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches???

I would go wider than that for the budgies sake....at least 2 ft wide or 24 inches, but preferably 30 inches wide. I love to see the birds fly. I know where you can get an excellent cage for a budgie near where I live. They are $ 49

Never weigh up the initial cost of the bird against vet care. Too many talk about what a vet will cost in comparison to the birds initial cost. Being "worth" a visit to the vet is all about how much the bird is worth to you...not in dollar terms but value as a part of your "family" :rip:

 

So with you on this one! So many people can not believe that I would spend that much on a bird, but he is worth it to me! When Queenie got sick they vet kept talking about how much things where going to cost and I told him it was not an option, I would take out a loan to cover any of my animals vets bills but that is me personally.

 

If you are near Kaz then I am sure she can point you in the direction of a good vet. I learnt alot about how to check things with my birds from the vets, there is a piece of mind that comes with the vet telling you that the bird is healthy.

Never weigh up the initial cost of the bird against vet care. Too many talk about what a vet will cost in comparison to the birds initial cost. Being "worth" a visit to the vet is all about how much the bird is worth to you...not in dollar terms but value as a part of your "family"

 

So with you on this one! So many people can not believe that I would spend that much on a bird, but he is worth it to me! When Queenie got sick they vet kept talking about how much things where going to cost and I told him it was not an option, I would take out a loan to cover any of my animals vets bills but that is me personally.

 

If you are near Kaz then I am sure she can point you in the direction of a good vet. I learnt alot about how to check things with my birds from the vets, there is a piece of mind that comes with the vet telling you that the bird is healthy.

The fact that a budgie is an easily affordable pet, should not be cause to compare its cost to the cost of vet care :rip:

Amen to that Kaz!!

What I do for the bottom of the cage is on top of the grate I put the newspaper on it instead of it falling through the metal to the tray. It is such an easy clean-up. I used to hate cleaning the metal grate because you can never seem to get all the poop off and just went you did there was another spot. So I put the newspaper on top (here in the US they use non-toxic ink, not sure about where you are) then I just roll it up and throw it away and replace it. .

 

So you know to have one of Kazzy's baby is such a privilege. Wonderful member of this community.

What I do for the bottom of the cage is on top of the grate I put the newspaper on it instead of it falling through the metal to the tray. It is such an easy clean-up. I used to hate cleaning the metal grate because you can never seem to get all the poop off and just went you did there was another spot. So I put the newspaper on top (here in the US they use non-toxic ink, not sure about where you are) then I just roll it up and throw it away and replace it. .

:(Laughing out loud): I do this too now, because i swear my budgies were aiming at the grate instead of through it. It's so much easier to just quickly change the paper towel that having to wipe the grate and try to get all the poop off.

Me too. I use newspaper on the grates. Besides I have seen young budgies struggle with walking on the grates and get their little leggies stuck

Lucky Andrew to be getting a bird from Kaz!!!

i know thanks! Kaz do you know if the West Australian is non toxic ink???

i know thanks! Kaz do you know if the West Australian is non toxic ink???

No, I am not sure about that. But you can offer to buy a bundle of white paper from your local fish n chip shop

okay thanks

one more question... (Laughing out loud)! do you still clean the cage every 2-4 weeks if you put the newspaper on top of the grates, because it seems like a pointless thing to do seeing as the poo doesnt land on the grates???

I am going to go against the grain here and say that I use the grate but that's cause Harley LOVES to eat the newspaper So I have to make sure he can't get it.

 

As for cleaning, out side of the daily one once a week all my birds get moved to the quarra cage to I can do a full clean and then once a month everything gets moved, all perches are cleaned and/or replaced, all surfaces are wiped down and I rotate the food bowls.