Hi everyone, i'm new to Budgie ownership. We bought our 11yr old son a gorgeous Budgie for his birthday, i read a lot on your site before we got one, & we ended up buying from a pet shop, which normally i wouldn't do, but i was looking at them in their horrible cages & there was one poor little fellow sitting on the ground trying to huddle up to the other budgies, but they kept biting him & moving away from him, so i couldn't leave him there. The guy at the pet shop said that he was 2 weeks out of the nest which didn't mean anything because i don't know how long they even stay in the nest,but he was the sort of person who was not helpful,hence the reason i've come here for help,i've posted a few pictures on for all to look at if anyone could help me out by telling me what age he could be we got him on 5th May i know he's not old enough to sex him but i can't help calling him a boy so if he's a she he may have a complex when he gets older.

I am so glad we got him he is the funniest little fella when you call him & whistle he flies up onto your hand but it has to be low he can only fly a bit & he loves to dance he also loves to sit with us we leave his cage door open unless we leave then we close it but he's free to come out whenever & he makes the most of it he comes over climbs up our legs & onto our chest so he can nibble our necks then it's onto the cheek or ears he loves to be close to us.

He does so many weird & funny things if yr eating chips he chases your hand to your mouth & goes mad when the chip goes in trying to bite at it it's quite odd.

We've been feeding him crumbles,seed,lettuce,apple,pear,corn,spears,brocolli,etc.

As you can see i could go on for ever about Redgie but if i don't stop you'll probably get bored.

Thanks in advance for looking at our newest family member & any help i am given.

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photo sizes

please take the time to edit photos before posting to 480 by 640 or less as per forum requirements and please please do not use shortcuts as they have had to be edited

Edited June 10, 200816 yr by KAZ

Hi and welcome, had a look at the pictures (and other members feel free to say i am wrong) but he/she looks really young. Is he eating seed okay?

 

Some other general things, what are the perches like in his cage, all the pictures you have are on him on the ground, also try some fresh gum leaves mine love them and it is good for them. Do you know of a good vet near you?

 

Is that his cage? To me it looks on the small side, but it sounds like he spend a lot of time out of the cage is as a night cage its fine. Make sure you go read the FAQ section it's great and will give you lots of heads up on alot of things.

 

Otherwise enjoy your new pet.

 

Also side note try not to use short suts in typing like 2 for to as it makes it hard to read your post

Hi thanks for that his perches are normal dowel he has two in his cage & two swings & a ladder but he only uses his cage to eat & sleep in & have swing around when he's sick of wandering around the lounge room but i have been looking to get a bigger one but after reading about the accidents some poor birds have i'll be looking very carefully at the cage we get him but i definetly want a bigger one the other thing is i read about gum leaves but it said to use a certain one only so how do i know which one.

Thanks

Dowel poles are a sore spot with people some say yes some say no. Mine have one dowl pole, natural branches and some rope ones as well. In my breeding cage I have dowl poles and nothing else but my guys will not be int he breeding cage for extended periods of time.

 

As for the gum leaves I know mine will not touch blue gum but pretty much anything other then that they love, oh and bottle brush.

 

 

If there is a gum they should stay clear of I would like to know.

Edited June 9, 200816 yr by KAZ

Your budgie looks to be very young. Please check its bodyweight and be sure it is eating, as they often pretend but arent at that age. Check its bottom for signs of illhealth...a poopy bottom shows its either sick or not eating properly.

Hi, welcome :hap:

your budgie is cute. one thing l would like to point out is l noticed the cage is round. that is not the best type of cage for budgies. a rectangle cage is alot better. round cages makes the bird feel insecure since there or no corners, here is a great article about cages, FAQ.

Thanks for the info when we first got him he seemed to be eating seed but i didn't think he looked full enough so i added a bit of warm water to his crumbles & he gobbled that down three times a day now i feed him all the foods i listed above, he has a clean bum & he poops that much it'd be easy to see if it was dirty & he looks full.

He also does this thing where he moves his head back & forward & reurgitates some seed onto me whats that all about.

Also when i was told he was two weeks out of the nest what does that mean.

Thanks :hap:

Hello and welcome.

 

Your little baby is gorgeous!! :hap: I agree that he looks very young, perhaps only 4-5 weeks.

You have had some great advice already and i can't find anything else to add other than it's best not to give lettuce.

You are doing great and you are going to have a lovely tame and affectionate budgie.

I look forward to watching him grow up

 

:hap:

 

edit

Also the regurgitating on you is not normal, but not bad either, he probably just thinks you are his sibling and you look hungry to him hehe - baby budgies often feed each other :hap:

Edited June 10, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Hi and welcome

Hi, He is a cutie, however young!!, even 2 weeks out of the nest ( some are in there upto 35 days from hatching) the parents are still feeding bubs ... The others have given you great advice especailly the cage type, being a round one there is no security ( corners) for your new little man, ...... I hope your son loves his B'day present, he is cute, keep a close eye on one him and ENJOY

Hi and welcome

I agree he's very young and doesn't look in the best of health ( fluffed up)

Try to keep him near a heat source and sprinkle seed all over the ground to help him learn to pick

Just noticed in the last picture that not all the feathers are formed .... He is too young, please keep a close eye on him, maybe a trip to the vet for a crop feed , if he isn't Eating ( not pretend eating) ....... Lower perches too see if he can sit on them ????

 

Best of luck

Hi all the pictures you are looking at are from May he jumps all around his cage sleeps sits somersaults on his perches & he eats really well his crop (i think thats the right term) is full & he can fly in a straight line for a few metres he can't fly up yet though.

I will take some newer pictures of him & post them as soon as i take them.

Thanks

Ahhhhhh thank goodness for that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Had me worried then

So, how is Reggie settling into your household ? How does your son relate to him and are you happy you have brought Reggie into your home. They make great pets, especially with one on one attention as you are finding out,

I look foward to more photos and some recent close up front shots so I can help you sex Reggie for you.

Cheers kaz

Welcome to the forums, your birds are lovey, make sure you submit a picture for the July Budgie of the Month Competition