Bloody ungrateful budgies...... After changing to a new aviary watering system to prevent my lovelies from pooing, swimming and generally making a big mess of their water bowls, I thought, considering it was nice and warm today, it might be nice to give my birdies a bath. I have 6 large plastic saucer things (things that fit under large pot plants to prevent the water draining away completely) so I filled these with around 2L of water plus a dash of apple cider vinegar and put them in the flights.

 

I put them in at lunch time and as of 3pm no-one had been brave enough to go near them, so I put some silver beet leaves out nearby (my birds love their fruit and vege) which I though would encourage them to at least have a look. Well 2 out of six flights ended up having a great time - bath time at the zoo - with everyone trying to crowd in for a bath at the same time and much splashing and fluffing . The others had the odd semi-adventurous bird have a closer look only to chicken out without a real chance to discover the wonderful opportunity awaiting them.

 

Needless to say, the 2 flights that found the fun were the baby flight and my clearwing flight (also with substantial numbers of young birds), all the older bird flights were way to worried to dive in..... mind you it's getting that way with me a bit too these day Damn neophobes......

same happened to me when I put a concrete birdbath in the flight recently...none of them have gone near it. :rofl:

It always happens to me. Put a vegetable in their they have never tried before and it will go off before they are game to try it. Takes weeks of rotten veggies before they actually try it (they always end up liking it)

 

What kind of drinkers do you use in the flights and breeding cages nubbly5 if you do not mind me asking.

It always happens to me. Put a vegetable in their they have never tried before and it will go off before they are game to try it. Takes weeks of rotten veggies before they actually try it (they always end up liking it)

 

What kind of drinkers do you use in the flights and breeding cages nubbly5 if you do not mind me asking.

 

 

I don't have a problem with vegies generally as I start when they are babies and baby budgies are way less neophobic then their older relatives but this was way too much for them

 

Nipple drinkers in the flights - I posted a thread in the Aviray section that has pics of the new auto watering system, normal tube drinkers in the cabinets.

Thats a great idea about putting greens beside their bath water. I hadn't thought of that myself. Mine do this too. However I sort of used this idea to introduce new foods into their diet. I cooked up some brown rice the other day, which I have never cooked for them before. I then placed a corn cob on top.... something they can't resist!!!!! Not many tried the rice.... but some did.

I hear you!! I bought Charley one of those "bendable" perches as although I generally use branches, when I cant find the correct ones i also like to use the cement perches but always buy them too small, or too long!! So this time I thought WOW, a bendable perch!! With great skill and imagination I bent it into a kind of S shape and fitted it niceley to the sides of the cage.

 

He hasnt gone anywhere near it!!! he'll climb up and down the sides of the cage just so he doesnt have to set foot on it!! He's never afraid of anything and is always curious, (currently trying to devour one of the platic pegs holding one of his branches in place on the outside of the cage!!)

 

But no, will not put one toe on the new perch!! Little so and so!!!! But I'm leaving it there and eventually, if he doesnt conform, I will remove his branches so that its the ONLY thing left to stand on!! I'll teach him!!! :hap:

Hahaha poor Charley will be forced into submission

 

I had some success yesterday! I put the same bowls out again and again put their silverbeet next to the bowls but this time I positioned the bowls so that each flights was very close to the other's bowl through the wire coz I noticed last time that although the stupid little buggers didn't want to go near their own bowls, they were VERY interested in the ones next door if they were bathing...... sigh. So this time 5 1/2 of the six flights took to the water and there was water and birds going everywhere!!!! They had a wow of a time all bar the older cock bird flight where only a few sturdy adventurers took to the bath.

 

Hopefully next time will be 100% acceptance..... gee it was funny watching so many budgies trying to pile into their baths though.

Photos please

Will try for pics next time!

same happened to me when I put a concrete birdbath in the flight recently...none of them have gone near it. :hap:

 

Alright........it took four weeks, but they finally discovered the birdbath :hap:

 

 

 

how often do you have to change the water in the bird bath KAZ?

how often do you have to change the water in the bird bath KAZ?

Every day if they make a mess of it.