So after promising the kids a pet budgie a couple of months ago and having to deal with some family crisis in the meantime today is finally the day we get our 1st family pet

 

We have a cage set up - it's not the perfect shape but it's size is fine and it has 2 feeders, the perches set up for lots of hopping, a cuttlefish tied on and some newspaper in the bottom with some grit spread on.

 

I was unable to find a local breeder so I have done the rounds of every pet shop and found one I'm very happy with. Lots of gorgeous happy, healthy looking budgies.

 

So later this afternoon we are going to choose our bird! We're getting a baby and have decided to clip it's wings initially while we all learn to handle it (our kids are 8, 6 and 1).

 

We will pick up food when we buy it and the kids are using their pocket money to buy a toy. Any tips on what is your birds favourite kind of toy?

 

I have some old towels for a night cover.

 

So what am I forgetting? or what else can you suggest I get or do for a 1st time budgie owner.

 

Many thanks,

What kind of cage do you have ? because you mention cage hopping not flying. Never mind, I just saw your cage. Not ideal but it will do for now. We have a great topic on cages in our forum.

Remove the grit. It isnt needed.

No toys with mirrors or shiny bells etc.

Baby budgie sexing.... ( dont rely on petshop to get it right as they rarely ever do ) ..........any white on budgies cere means female, even if the white is with blue......female. Bright pinky purple is a male.

Pick for health not colour....no poopy bottom, no stained bottom ( yes...look UNDER the budgie ). Dont choose the fluffy budgies

Edited August 30, 201014 yr by KAZ

Thanks Kaz

Yeah, I know the cage isn't the best but we've changed the top 2 perches to run the other way so there is more hopping room and added a lower perch so it can hop to the feeders too. (Chances are we are moving house in a couple of months anyway so will look at better position/cage then)

 

okay I'll remove the grit.

 

Right, no shiny toys, clean bum, not fluffy, go healthy - Got it

 

One of the babies I noticed had what I would call lilac coloured ceres - I'm guessing that is what you mean by purply pink

 

Getting excited!

Lilac coloured cere can also look that way if white is mixed with blue. Just remember no white if you want a male budgie

 

Toys they like......linked rings. Plastic budgies that loop through the perch and bob up and down. Dont buy anything with string type fringing that is longer than 2 inches or be prepared to cut it shorter.

No sandpaper for the bottom of the cage. No sandpaper perches.

Edited August 30, 201014 yr by KAZ

Okay, we have our bird

 

We think he's a he The top half of his ceres are pink and the bottom half blue, the lady at the pet shop openly admitted she gets it wrong about 20% of the time but her guess was male. We're taking him back on Friday to get his wings clipped and the owner will also give his opinion.

His name is Albie He's whitish/grey on the face and back with purple cheeks and pale blue on the underside. So far he's sat quietly in his cage for the 1st 90 mins and in the last haf hour has started chirping. I hope that's a good sign

I couldn't get any clear pictures tonight as it was poor lighting and I didn't want to use the flash on him - poor little guy's had enough for one day I think. I'm hoping to get some nice pictures tomorrow.

Edited August 30, 201014 yr by BabyGumnut

I look forward to your photos

Congratulations on your new budgie

Thanks birdluv

Well he seems to be settling in nicely, he's moving around the cage, chirping and eating. If I put my hand in he tries to get away but he isn't frantic. His ceres are pinkish at the top as I thought more a light blue.

Anyway here he is:

This is him looking a bit puffy and standing on one leg

 

 

This is his side profile

 

 

The kids absolutely adore him even the 14 month old who flaps her arms and puckers her lips to whistle when we say 'birdie' . I've seen some threads on making toys so the kids and I will be doing that during the school holidays and now we'll start trying different foods to see what he likes.

 

Quick question - where do you put the vegies etc? his cage has a seed feeder and a water feeder, should we put a bowl on the floor with his other foods?

He's a sweetie I love his colour too.

He's very cute!

 

I like to clip the veggies to the bars of the cage using a wooden clothes pin. That way you can put them near his favorite perch, and he is likely to get curious about them sooner, and try them.

 

For foods that are shredded, chopped, or otherwise not clippable, I use a flat saucer on the bottom of the cage. (I try to find a clean spot where the least poop falls! )

Our budgies go nuts over silver beet, as finnie said I clip them on the cage near the perch they hang out. Sure enough curiosity overwhelms them and they just have to investigate. We have to put two of each in regarding the silverbeet, as it can be an all out fight over it,lol.

Can I ask why no sandpaper perches?

 

 

Lilac coloured cere can also look that way if white is mixed with blue. Just remember no white if you want a male budgie :sadsorry:

 

Toys they like......linked rings. Plastic budgies that loop through the perch and bob up and down. Dont buy anything with string type fringing that is longer than 2 inches or be prepared to cut it shorter.

No sandpaper for the bottom of the cage. No sandpaper perches.

Can I ask why no sandpaper perches?

 

 

Lilac coloured cere can also look that way if white is mixed with blue. Just remember no white if you want a male budgie :sadsorry:

 

Toys they like......linked rings. Plastic budgies that loop through the perch and bob up and down. Dont buy anything with string type fringing that is longer than 2 inches or be prepared to cut it shorter.

No sandpaper for the bottom of the cage. No sandpaper perches.

 

 

There are no sandpaper trees in the wild. There is never a need to have sandpaper in a birds cage. Research how sandpaper is made too and you will see why it isnt a good thing for budgies to be chewing or ingesting.

Marketing these things relies on peoples paranoia about budgies claws getting too long. Not necessary.

Sandpaper perches has been known to cause foot injuries such as bumblefoot................... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblefoot_(infection)

put sandpaper perches and sandpaper sheets on your list of things not needed for budgies.............things harmful to budgies.

Edited September 7, 201014 yr by KAZ

I would keep your hand out of the cage for the first week and work on just getting him to come to the site of the cage and feel comforable that way. If you go in the FAQ there is an article in there that I wrote up about Taming your Budgie. It is my experience on how I tamed my pet store bought budgie.

 

Do know the first week is not an indicator of how they will be for the rest of their lives. The first week or couple days they can tend to be quiet and not move it doesn't mean that they are settled and a lot of people mistake this behavior and pet their budgie during this time which makes them more fearful of your hand when they do come out of their shell.

 

I suggest reading the article it gives a lot of information of what I am already saying and more.

 

Good luck