Posted March 8, 201114 yr October 2010,a budgie, female i think, arrived one day at our Wild Bird Feeder. After a couple of weeks she kicked the Crested Barbet out of his nesting box and moved in. I've recently completed a Box for her which she enjoys. (i can't seem to upload picture) As winter is aroung the corner, i want to introduce a mate for her. Any ideas on how best to do this without the New partner flying away and worse, them both flying away?
March 8, 201114 yr Hi Pops, you cant give her a budgie friend that stays with her and doesnt fly away unless you were to catch her and cage her up. A partner of the opposite sex ( if she is a she ) may only present breeding and health problems anyway. If you are worried about how she will survive in the winter, maybe you should try and catch her up and give her a large flight cage to ensure her safety.
March 8, 201114 yr If you decide to catch her defiantly quarantine her away from any other bird(s) you have She may of contacted a illness being out in the wild. Not all do but a good amount does At least around the U.S. They've been known to
March 9, 201114 yr Author Hi Kaz. Thank you for your advice. Are Budgies are okay living a solitude life. I can't see the little bird in cage.
March 9, 201114 yr they are a flock bird but i dont see a issue if shes free and decided your home is a good home id just leave things how is in the wild females go find a nest then the males look for them after a month or two not the same as captive breed birds i will admit though if away from flock may be hard to find still if shes happy leave it i say
March 9, 201114 yr Hey Pops, Just to be sure, it's a pet-type budgie, not a wild one? " Wild" budgies are only in Australia. Pops doesnt come from Australia Stace.
March 9, 201114 yr Hey Pops, Just to be sure, it's a pet-type budgie, not a wild one? " Wild" budgies are only in Australia. Pops doesnt come from Australia Stace. thats not actually true kaz in Canada their is wild budgies how ?? i guess same as how we got indian minners
March 9, 201114 yr Author Hey Pops, Just to be sure, it's a pet-type budgie, not a wild one? It definately is an excaped pet. I can get a arm length from her before she hops onto another branch. My misses has named her Gladiator. At dusk on the first day she arrived, it looked like at least 5 Bats chased her away. I was on the net to see if Bats eat Birds. No they don't. 2 days later Gladiator appeared again, very scruffy. All went well for about a week and then she went missing again. The folowing day the poor soul was back. She was very weak and could hardly fly. Gladiator build up her strength over the next couple of days. Had a huge fight with Crested Barbet and moved into the Nesting Log. A couple of weeks later a Colared Barbet tried to move in. After a huge fight Gladiator was back in her capture nest. I've recently finished a Double Story insulated nesting box, 4m off the ground which she loves. She drinks from my Koi pond. 5 months now and with a 3c deg winter around the corner and thought a mate would be good. But after reading the previous posts she'll have to rough this one on her own. She gets on well with the finches and the weavers. Some times I'm sure she sings like them. We have grown very fond of her and wake up every day and look for her before we can start our day. Crazy.
March 9, 201114 yr Gladiator. What a great name for a brave little budgie. Love to see the picture of the nesting box set up you've made, Pops. Good on you. (Maybe one the forum people on here can help. You've got to upload them onto Photobucket. I think there are instructions up in the guidelines section) I've heard about escaped pet budgies hanging out with other small birds, sparrows and the like, seeking the company of the flock.
March 9, 201114 yr Hey Pops, Just to be sure, it's a pet-type budgie, not a wild one? " Wild" budgies are only in Australia. Pops doesnt come from Australia Stace. thats not actually true kaz in Canada their is wild budgies how ?? i guess same as how we got indian minners There is a big difference between "wild" budgies and escaped pets who are now feral GB. There are no actual wild budgies in other countries. There is escaped pets that have become self sufficient and feral.
March 9, 201114 yr okay my bad i just fingered if they are ex-capped and breed their fore making a flock they were then classed as wild which has happened over their also they are but only green so have already reverted back to wild type
March 9, 201114 yr they are but only green so have already reverted back to wild type They may be green but not because they have "reverted back to the wild type" Gb ...they would be green because as we all know green is dominant and they would choose their mates out of a very limited group. Edited March 9, 201114 yr by **KAZ**
March 10, 201114 yr She doesn't look like a normal anyway Looks like a spangle I have an idea if you want to catch her, it would be much healthier for her if you could. You could put her in an aviary, it doesn't need to be a small cage She would be much healthier and live longer if she is. But we are not trying to force you to do anything in anyway, you are giving the poor bird a good life But if you would to leave her, that's fine Do you provide seed for her? Edited March 10, 201114 yr by Squeak_Crumble
March 10, 201114 yr Pops .... I applaud your actions to make life easier for this bird.....totally. One comment to make. Even though it seems a good idea to give the bird a house, a shelter......these things when given to a female can and often do promote breeding. Even in a lone female she will see that bird house as a nesting site. It may force her to begin egglaying and although the eggs will be infertile it may also allow her to become eggbound and or prolapse. If she was caught and put in a largish flight cage with everything at hand and no nestbox, no birdhouse she wouldnt egg lay and she would be safe. Something to consider. Your birdhouse Nestbox note the similarity
March 10, 201114 yr He actually mentioned it was a nesting box kaz, I think he realises. But if you did put here in a cage/aviary, she could finally have a male friend to keep her company
March 10, 201114 yr Author My wife and I have discussed capturing her. The time she went missing and came back very weak, I had her in my hands. She screamed and fought with all her strength and at that moment I knew she wants to be free. We both know her days are numbered as Africa has other nasty bird eating birds. In Gladiators favour, my house is in a 70year old heavily wooded area and as I've said. It's been 5 months now. She's even seems to have survived our 3 Spaniels. Squeck_c, I love free birds. The European Switft family has been returning to our verander for the last 30 odd years. The Pin Tailed Wyder and his 6 wife's for the last 5 years. I'm not fond of pigeons and even less Indian Miners. Gladiator shares the feeder with weavers and sparrows and demands the wild bird feeder gets replenished 4 times a day starting a 5am. Kaz, I take note of all your wise words and at the first sign of sickness she will be wisked off to our Vet. I would think that with all her exercise, maybe she won't get egg bound. I believe budgies can survive zero temperatures. Is this true? I'll get a close up picture of her later so you fellow members can help me age her.
March 10, 201114 yr Budgies do seem to be able to tolerate zero temperatures depending on their form of shelter at the time
March 10, 201114 yr So she can throw a tanty just like Russell Crowe! You've got a lovely little Aussie battler there, Pops. I know what you mean about not wanting to cage her up. I went through the same thing with my little rescue budgie. However, he wouldn't have lasted more than a few days in the wilds of downtown Sydney. No food. Lots of hungry bird-eating beasties. And being blue, he'd stick out like a sore thumb. Pity Gladiator doesn't reside in the same continent. Mine is currently desperate and dateless. He likes sunsets, good food and a cheeky sense of humour. Looks not important
March 10, 201114 yr I am glad that she is doing good. My idea was to get a net, and put it over the hole of the nest box. Then, when she comes out, she falls into the net. But fi you don't want to catch her, that is fine. I would love to be able to have a "free" budgie, but I know mine would just fly off We won't be able to age her unless she is under 1 year old, as once a budgie becomes an "adult' , there is no way to properly age them.
March 12, 201114 yr Pops, you have to do what you feel is right. She obviously isn't in her natural enviroment, so has been enclosed for some of her life. I have only pet budgies, used to being around people, and while they don't always squeak and cry out every time I hold them, they are sometimes more comfortable with being held than others. Other times they will put on a turn if being "made" to do something they aren't comfortable with. My point being - she has been on her own for some time; doesn't necessarily mean she would not accept you or a cage (aviary) easily just because the very first time you had contact (as a stranger and while she was Ill/run down) that she struggled and carried on. Of course the little darling is going to fight for her life - she probably thought she was!!! ...... ...Just another point of view that I feel needs to be considered. You and your wife are obviously concerned for the birds in your enviroment and no-one else is in the position you are - do what you feel is the right thing for this little bird, and we all thank you for your concern:wub: :wub: Edited March 12, 201114 yr by Hezz
March 16, 201114 yr hi pops, welcome ( sorry for my lateness ). Ant more updates on Gladiator ? Edited March 16, 201114 yr by birdluv
March 16, 201114 yr Author Morning Birdluv Thank you for asking. In January I purchases at least 5x10kg bags of "Wild Bird" seed from a Hardware Store, which were marked down by 50%. On Monday while showing off Gladiator to a friend who keeps parrots , he had a look at the bird seed which I've been using. Poor Gladiator, she's had to survive the last 2 months on Chicken Feed. Now I know why the feed was marked down 50%. I rushed off the the Pet Shop to get the most expensive Budgie Seed money could buy. Any other feeding tips to build up her strength for winter would be appreciated. I'm still on the hunt for decent camera for pics of her to post on this site. Stace, I like your work
