Hi guys,

 

So Ernie is about 10 months old now and loving life. She's (yes, Ernie is definitely now a female) very tame, likes to sit on your shoulder, nibbles hair and ears and hates getting taken out of her cage after dinner.

 

She went through a biting phase where she would try and bite hands (not hard, more like a head butt with her mouth open) even when she was sitting on the finger but this has now become excessive nibbling just like they do when the see millet.

 

Here's a video of her playing with her best mate, Ollie. Ernie loves to stir him up, flies to the window sill where Ollie just can't reach her, and then head butts him when he puts his nose up to her. Ollie loves it too. When he's calmed down a bit, she'll fly down to him and start picking through his fur. SO CUUTE!!!

 

He's a video I got of them both when they thought they were alone. Hope you like it!

 

 

Cam

Edited July 15, 200817 yr by birdluv
fixed video link.

Sounds very cute... but the link is not working for me

Nor I

Me either

Try again Cam

When you click on the link go to the address and delete the two http's off the start and then hit enter, it will come up

 

Cute Cam but the dog doesn't lokk 100% impressed, infact looks like he's trying to have a sleep and he's a bit annoyed that the bird is bothering him, personally not a risk I would take.

Edited July 14, 200817 yr by melbournebudgies

I thought that dog saliva was very dangerous to birds?

 

cute doggie and cute birdie though, they're so cute together! My god that dog is FURRY!!! Must be a mess brushing that thing.

I believe it is cat saliva that is more dangerous but any salva even humans is contaminated with a lot of bacteria that is dangerous for our feathered friends, that is why they say don't let them eat from your mouth.

 

Very cute....just a word of caution and you probably already do it always supervise no matter how tame the dog anything can happen in a blink of an eye.

You know, it reminds me of these videos!

 

 

they're so adorable! And lots of hair to play with there too, heehee...

that is such a cute video.

I take it the link is working now? I didn't fix it though.

 

Ollie is only ever inside when we are home so the two are never left alone. I make sure Ernie is back in her cage whenever there are other dogs around. But yes, there is a risk and I am always around and watching when she's out of her cage. He sometimes gets excited and tries to "shake" Ernie's hand... gently, but a gentle shake is still probably not very healthy for a little budgie.

 

Brushing him is an effort but it's fun and the reward is a nice soft cuddly dog.

 

Quick question guys, do budgies lay eggs even when they haven't mated? I want to find her a mate as it must get lonely during the day as noone is home until about 5-6pm. First I need a bigger cage and a new little boy. I'm in Melbourne, so if anyone has any budgie bundle of joys available soon, please let me know. Would love to have a green one.

to breed budgies it is best to understand the ins and outs as much as you can and also have a plan on what to do with the babies, any issues that may occur.

 

If you are looking for a buddy for your hen there is no reason to breed her. She may lay an egg it is natural but once they start laying because you bred them it is VERY hard to stop the cycle.

 

I always suggest the same sex therefore you will not have any unwanted clutches (there are enough unwanted budgies in the world in shelters, rescues etc...). This is the best route and the if you do decide to bred down the road once you are more informed you can get a male.

 

This is my opinioin.

Lol budgies are like mini chicken, they can lay infertile eggs anytime. I'm not sure what these infertile eggs would taste like, though. (How many budgie eggs would it take for pancakes? A LOT!)

 

I agree with Elly, breeding birds is fun but it's one big task anyway and there's always a possibility that something will go wrong. Splayed legs, eggbinding, violent behavior, etc etc etc. If you don't want that, better be careful. I'm sorta lucky, once I removed the nest my hen just stopped laying and caring, even though the male is still there with her and they fiddle around sometimes. That was a bit over a year ago, no eggs since. But my aunt had two of my birds and they made baby nests right at the bottom of their small cage. Twice! Now the male is gone, and yet she STILL lays eggs.

 

So I'd say get her a girlfriend!

Edited July 16, 200817 yr by Michelle

I have eggs due to hatch any day now but they would be blue spangles like Ernie, cobalts and violets I normally get from this pair . I won't have any greens for a little while as I have only just started putting my other pairs together. I hand tame all my babies

I don't want a male specifically to breed with. Absolutely no intention of this, however I would like a male as Ernie was "supposed" to be one and I've always wanted to train it to talk. I've read that if you have two budgies in a cage they will never talk. So I guess either way I won't be able to have what I want.

 

I've now decided that I'm happy with one.

 

On a side note, I've noticed that she is "chirping" (loudly) in the morning when we are getting breakfast ready. Her cere is starting to go quite brown and flakey now. And boy, does she go rnuts when I play a youtube vid of another budgie chirping or singing. Poor thing must be hanging out for a friend. We have lots of native parrots and lorikeets where we live so when I put her outside she loves to talk to them all, they talk back as well!

Sounds like she has fun chatting to the other birds

 

If you change your mind I have two in the nest already and three eggs to go

Very cool video , and very brave budgie , if I was a budgie I would never go anywhere close to something so much bigger then me