As most of you know I went off to work experience on the other side of the city for three weeks. I came home on weekends and some Wednesdays to give my birds cuddle time and free flight, thinking it's only a few weeks, they can handle it, it should be okay.

Well, three weeks was all it took! My babies are pathetically overweight I just gave them their first real exam since I got back (I've been so scared of making them sick after being at the bird hospital for so long). I can barely feel their keel bones, the fat just bulges over it! My (very low-tech) kitchen scale tells me they are somewhere between 40 and 50g but I'm not too sure how accurate that is. I'm so upset, embarassed and incredibly guilty right now, I can't believe it, but I should have known.

I'm giving them extra flight time from now on (basically they'll be out all the time I'm home now) and buying an accurate scale to weigh them more often. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I've been seeing so many sick birds belonging to others, I know all too well the risk I've put them in. So let me warn other budgie keepers - regular exercise and proper diet is utterly essential! It's so much easier to prevent than to try and cure. Overweight budgies are at risk of organ failure (especially liver), breathing problems, and cancer, among other things.

:hap:

Edited February 12, 200817 yr by Chrysocome

As most of you know I went off to work experience on the other side of the city for three weeks. I came home on weekends and some Wednesdays to give my birds cuddle time and free flight, thinking it's only a few weeks, they can handle it, it should be okay.

Well, three weeks was all it took! My babies are pathetically overweight I just gave them their first real exam since I got back (I've been so scared of making them sick after being at the bird hospital for so long). I can barely feel their keel bones, the fat just bulges over it! My (very low-tech) kitchen scale tells me they are somewhere between 40 and 50g but I'm not too sure how accurate that is. I'm so upset, embarassed and incredibly guilty right now, I can't believe it, but I should have known.

I'm giving them extra flight time from now on (basically they'll be out all the time I'm home now) and buying an accurate scale to weigh them more often. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I've been seeing so many sick birds belonging to others, I know all too well the risk I've put them in. So let me warn other budgie keepers - regular exercise and proper diet is utterly essential! It's so much easier to prevent than to try and cure. Overweight budgies are at risk of organ failure (especially liver), breathing problems, and cancer, among other things.

:hap:

 

Your poor babies :hap: . Lots of flight time, healthy food and love from you and I'm sure they'll be back to their trim selves in no time. Try not to feel guilty, they'll be okay. You have a great heart and I'm sure they know that. (as do all the other animals you've been helping whilst working at the vets) ((((hugs)))) from me :hap:

Lots of flight, healthy food and half the amount of perches

Thanks Maesie (hugs) to you too. I will work super hard to get them in good shape again. I just shouldn't have let it happen in the first place!

Ironically, I was tsking at how overweight some of the uni teaching budgies were today. Sigh

 

Kaz, good idea about the perches, (Laughing out loud). Come to think of it, I've been looking around for a long time for bigger/better cages, that is now top of my priority list.

 

I've thought about it some more. I'm going to introduce new foraging toys with food, as well as using treats to train them up a little more (fly to me etc). Just to make them work a little more for their food. Luckily they adore vegetables and will try anything I give them, so no fatty treats from now on!

Isn't it amazing that even when we know so much we still neglect the things at home or even ourselves. How many times you see the cardiologist and he is the one who is overweight with heart issues. You don't mean to neglect anyone or even yourself life happens, we get busy and there is no room for excuses but it is life right . Under your care they will get back in shape and everything will be okay. Remember they love you and they are certainly by any means NOT abused.

Edited February 12, 200817 yr by Elly
edited grammer

Poor Milly and Squee. Though I'm sure under your fantastic care they will be in tip top shape in no time :oliveb: .

Don't be too hard on yourself, when life gets very busy, even the simplest things or the things that we know by heart that we should/shouldn't do slip our minds.

 

Atleast you saw the problem and are addressing it immediately, that in itself says alot :oliveb: .

 

Good luck with your budgie fitness program!

Edited February 13, 200817 yr by Bec Sta

I'm positive with your experience and care you'll have them fighting fit and healthy in no time!!! Good luck keep us updated!

Check their seed for oats and remove it.

 

Some of my birds get up to 80grams but for my birds that is okay.

 

l'm sure that they will be fit and well soon, they are lucky to have you in their lives

I still feel ashamed about it, but I thank you for your reassurances, it has helped a lot.

 

I changed to a seed mix with very few oats in it just before I left (poor Milly, she loves her oats ... and Squee hates them!). We had a good flight session today. They are basically free to come and go for all the time I'm at home, which is pretty long these days. The problem is that when they are out all the ever want to do is sit and preen each other and/or me! But I'm getting them to fly over for their vegetables, that's working well. No luck with buying some good scales yet, but I'll keep looking. I'll be keeping a weekly record of their weights. I'm also going to work on some foraging toys later in the week when I have time.

I know it will take some time, but I will be patient yet persistent. I suppose this is a good learning experience for me, so I'm trying to look at it in that light too.

Try a baking/cooking shop for scales, the ones used to weigh light weight foods will work well too

Yes i am dreading what my budgies will be like when I get them back. i have just recently done 6 weeks of work experience and during this time my mum has been looking after them. The only thing is is that she is sooo worried that she won't feed them enough that she will only feed them seed bells, so she doesn't make the mistake of seeing a bowl full of husks and thinking it is full. Arkady was already hugely overweight when I left him, so I am really not looking forward to finding out how fat and unhealthy he'll be when I get them back.