Posted August 22, 200816 yr Hi all! Last Friday I was visiting a new friend and she gave me her budgie as she didn't have enough time to look after her. Her name is Bruce and she is around 5 years old. She was in a small cage, so I got her a slightly larger one from the tip (all cleaned up!) until I can decide on a new cage for her. She is a light blue colour. She is loving millet sprays and playing "push the bell" with me. She is not tame, she was very frightened of my hand going in the cage to remove food but is getting used to me now (I think!). I have let her out of her cage a few times and she is not very good at flying, she bumps into walls and then walks around! My partner (Andrew) is living away from me at the moment to go to uni, and was excited when I got Bruce. So he went and bought himself a bird! Which I found out when I arrived to visit him last night! Conan is green and yellow, and the pet shop "discounted" him as he is an adult, and was the last one left. Since Andrew got Conan on Thurs afternoon, Andrew doesn't think he has eaten or drunk anything (and I can see no evidence of any husks laying around) Conan shows no interest in anything. And hardly ever says anything (except when the birds next door are talking). Apparently in the shop Conan was talking away! Conan is a good flyer, sitting up on the curtain rails and preening himself there, sometimes having a sing. I have tried putting his food on the floor of the cage and also showing him the water. Conan's cage is prob 50w x 40l x 50h?? not sure. It is on a stand only about 60 cm off the ground. Is Conan upset he is not higher up? Or are we expecting too much too soon?? Conan's nails are quite long, with a thicker perch do you think they'll get shorter or should we get them trimmed? I took Bruce to the vet (not avian, knew nothing!) who said her nails should get a bit shorter with the new branch I put in her cage. (although Bruce's nails are short compared to Conan's!) We would probably like to have them together down the track, but for the moment they are living four hours apart! Would appreciate advice! Will post photos another day when back on my computer. Thanks Rachel
August 22, 200816 yr Hi Rachel and welcome, pics would help us help you but going by what you are saying I would try lifting Conan's cage up higher if you can , the cage does sound on the small size though, budgies need longer cages rather than taller (my smalledst one is 60cm wide) with the perches set at either end so they can fly back and forth and if you can use natural perches of different sizes that would be even better. I have never trimmed my birds nails but you can if you like just make sure you are shown how to do it properly. Is your partner feeding him the same as what he was getting in the store? It can take awhile for them to settle in, I find that my new bugies will often stop what ever they are doing when I come in to the room and just sit there untill I leave. I tend to leave them in a quite place for the first couple of days, only going in to change thier food and water. I hope Conan comes around soon
August 22, 200816 yr Welcome Rachael, You could put sandpaper round a perch for him but watch him as it can hurt his feet and cere.Also my female bird did'nt eat for a few days when I first bought her but she soon perked up Edited August 22, 200816 yr by Jodie
August 23, 200816 yr Hi Rachael and Welcome. Most budgies when you first get them are a little too scared to eat or drink. Somtime it may take them up to a week before you see any evidence of feeding. Budgies don't drink often anyway s they are desert animal, so it may be a long time before you see that happen. He won't eat in front of you for awhile, because he will consider you a predator. When you talk to him, try not to stare at him. Blink and close your eyes often. This is because predators stare at their prey before they eat them! Another tip to help him settle down is to cover 4 sides of his cage with a blanket, the top, 2 sides and the back and each day slowly pull it back so that more of his cage is exposed, until he doesn't need it anymore. I would do this for the first week. This will just make him feel a little more secure and not so exposed. Try just doing lots of activities around his cage too, like reading etc. You can move his cage to take with you wherever you go in the house, but not the kitchen, as it has some noxious fumes for budgies!. I think the cage size is okay for 1 budgie, even 2. Bigger is always better. I started out with a smaller cage. Regarding the nails. They won't shorten on their own, they'll need clipping. If you need help with that we can help you.
August 23, 200816 yr Hello and welcome Welcome Rachael, You could put sandpaper round a perch for him but watch him as it can hurt his feet and cere.Also my female bird did'nt eat for a few days when I first bought her but she soon perked up No sandpaper please - that stuff is very bad for the delicate skin on the underside of their foot. You have had some great advice already. I look forward to your photos
August 23, 200816 yr Author Well, I am feeling horrible now. I went and got some millet sprays to put in Conan's cage because Bruce loves them so much. I opened Conan's cage door to put the millet in and Conan flew out the door (which was open so Conan could talk to the bird's next door). I feel so stupid. I have been beating myself up - Why didn't I make sure the door was closed?? I was just so excited to think Conan might like the millet sprays and cheer up. Such a silly mistake to make. Andrew has decided not to get another bird and I will have the cage for Bruce and we will exchange or return the stand for a taller one hopefully. Thanks for all your replies.
August 23, 200816 yr Oh NO!! I am so sorry You may find he has gone next door to be with the other birds. Do your neighbors have an aviary?? They might be able to help you catch him if he is over their place Edited August 23, 200816 yr by **Liv**
August 23, 200816 yr Oh no! Put the cage outside with the door open, put some seed in side it. You can prop the door up with a stick tied to string. Hide somewhere and when he goes inside tug the string. Also don't forget to advertise for him in the lost and found section.
August 23, 200816 yr Oh No ... I am sorry - These are things that we learn - even thought they are by mistakes. Liv's idea was great see if you can go next door Conan might be there, you never know ... So Bruce is a Hen ? I love the fact that the New Members have given you FANTASTIC ADVICE!!!!!! couldn't have said it better myself And please do remember that sandpaper flooring or perch covers aren't good at all, You can use instead are the Mineral Perches http://www.petwell.com.hk/bp675.perch.jpg I hope that you find Conan ... Edited August 23, 200816 yr by Elly image over sized turn to link
August 23, 200816 yr Author So Bruce is a Hen ? I love the fact that the New Members have given you FANTASTIC ADVICE!!!!!! couldn't have said it better myself And please do remember that sandpaper flooring or perch covers aren't good at all, You can use instead are the Mineral Perches Yes Bruce is a girl (well, her cere is brown, so I think so!) I appreciate all the great advice, just think i have made myself look like a tool (and feel like one too) for being so silly! Andrew had a similar mineral perch for Conan, it is wavy instead of straight though. I don't hold out much hope for Conan coming back, though. We think he was plotting his escape the whole time.... act miserable, wait for more treats to be put in cage to cheer him up, and BAM! escape when the time is right. Seriously though, he looked so happy flying around up there in the sky, and off into the distance. At least he is happy now (if he survives, but I'm telling myself he's a strong bird and will be okay). Cheers
August 25, 200816 yr Author Bruce in her new cage. Best close up I could get of Bruce I think Bruce has some kind of mites around her face so I picked up some Avitrol Bird mite and lice spray from the vet's and will have to spray her tonight. Fun. I had an apple tree branch in her old cage and I think she must have got them off that? Cheers Rachel
August 25, 200816 yr Dont use the mite and lice spray on her face. She seems to have scaly face and thats a different treatment entirely. The spray you got is for feather mites and not scaly face mites. She is a very pretty skyblue greywing. Edited August 25, 200816 yr by KAZ
August 25, 200816 yr Author So you think she has scaly face?? I took her to the vet (not avian) who didn't have a clue and thought I should wait and see? Do others also think she has scaly face??
August 25, 200816 yr Its possible but if you saw mites moving around on her feathers she has feather mites and the spray will be fine for that. But try not to spray around her face. Could also be red mites if you suspect its from the branches. Edited August 25, 200816 yr by KAZ
August 25, 200816 yr She looks to have the very beginnings of scaly face. you could treat with some olive oil dabbed carefully on the area twice a day for about 4 days. She looks to have very dark stains in the feathers above here cere. she could have a respiratory issue.
August 25, 200816 yr Author She looks to have the very beginnings of scaly face. you could treat with some olive oil dabbed carefully on the area twice a day for about 4 days. She looks to have very dark stains in the feathers above here cere. she could have a respiratory issue. I guess I should do as you say an put the olive oil on her cere. I don't want to stress her too much though, she isn't used to being handled at all and now I am letting her out and having to catch her with a tea towel to put her in/out of cage. I can see her chest moving up and down as she breathes (after all this exertion) and hope it's not stressing her too much! I don't know about her having resp. issues, I hope not! I can't see the dark stains you're talking about? I think the person I got her from used to hang her cage outside every day and once she got left out all night in a frost! poor thing. I would love to take her to an avian vet but don't know of any. That website that tells you about avian vet's only lists one in Tasmania, and it is four hours away from me. Anyone in Tassie on the N-W Coast that can recommend a vet?
August 29, 200816 yr Author I sent this picture to an avian vet and Bruce gets the all clear! She is just a bit hormonal and normal! The mites I thought were on her feathers seem to have gone too! Cheers for your help everyone! Edited August 29, 200816 yr by Rachel
August 30, 200816 yr Great news!! Perhaps the stains were a shadow She is looking great in that picture I just zoomed the picture... the stains are there still, a little. Just keep an eye on her. Edited August 30, 200816 yr by **Liv** edded more
