I hope you don't mind my asking on this forum. I am a first time budgie keeper and know very little. I have an about 7-8 month girl budgie. A few weeks ago I bought a male and put in a nesting box, she had seemed very lonely - calling out to the wild birds. On Monday (2 days ago) I noticed the girl spending more time in the box and there were 2 eggs!)

 

Sadly I came out this morning to find the boy dead. I don't know if he got too cold because she spent time in the box or if in his acrobatic flights he crashed. He had not seemed sick at all. Now, I don't know if she'll continue to lay and sit seriously but I'm worried she can't do it alone - he won't be there to feed her or help look after the babies. I had already read a great post on caring for the babies on this forum, thats how I found you. Should I consider getting another one or just see how she goes? Could I put food and water just inside the box if she starts sitting? Thanks for any advice or info. I feel really bad that he died - it has been a bit cooler the last few nights but they have been out on a well covered verandah for several weeks so I though would have acclimatised okay.

I hope you don't mind my asking on this forum. I am a first time budgie keeper and know very little. I have an about 7-8 month girl budgie. A few weeks ago I bought a male and put in a nesting box, she had seemed very lonely - calling out to the wild birds. On Monday (2 days ago) I noticed the girl spending more time in the box and there were 2 eggs!)

 

Sadly I came out this morning to find the boy dead. I don't know if he got too cold because she spent time in the box or if in his acrobatic flights he crashed. He had not seemed sick at all. Now, I don't know if she'll continue to lay and sit seriously but I'm worried she can't do it alone - he won't be there to feed her or help look after the babies. I had already read a great post on caring for the babies on this forum, thats how I found you. Should I consider getting another one or just see how she goes? Could I put food and water just inside the box if she starts sitting? Thanks for any advice or info. I feel really bad that he died - it has been a bit cooler the last few nights but they have been out on a well covered verandah for several weeks so I though would have acclimatised okay.

 

 

Hi Cat and welcome

 

Unfortunately, I am afraid you have ventured into breeding your birds too soon. You must wait till they have finished growing and thats till they are 12 months or so. Breeding at 7-8 months is too young. She still needs calcium for her growing bones and not rob her body of it for forming eggs.

 

Best thing you can do is remove the nestbox and allow her to mature.

 

He may have died for a variety of reasons. He may have fed her and not fed himself enough. This can happen to budgie fathers too young to know what to do. It may be the cold. But as you said they were out on the verandah it may also be that mice have entered the cage and contaminated the food and or water supply as well and that will kill birds in a very short space of time. Mice can enter anything thats half inch or 10-12mm holes and that includes the cage bars of most cages. They can also run up bricks very easily if a cage is against a wall.

As far as babies and egglaying goes, she shouldnt be egglaying as you have started her off too young as stated. Even if she now lays an egg it may not be fertile. She is also in danger of becoming eggbound.

Budgie pairs mate all the time egglaying goes on, in between each egg as well to be sure eggs are fertile. Its not like s stud service where one mating enables all eggs to be fertile.

Best advice I can give you is to remove the nestbox and wait at least 4 months. Do not add another male to continue breeding, and if you are tempted to buy another budgie you dont add it straight to the cage unless its quarantined away in another cage in another room in another airspace for at least 30 days.

If the two you had were from different places and he was put with her recently he may have died due to a contracted illness.

Budgies can be carriers of illness and not show symptoms and any other budgie put with them can contract an illness that can kill them or at very least make them quite sick.

 

Like all of us when we start out, you have a few gaps in your knowledge to fill, so take the time to read, ask questions and just stick to the one budgie for now.,.....with no nestbox, no matter what

Edited April 6, 201114 yr by **KAZ**

Thanks Kaz, I appreciate the reply. I didn't realise they were too young until I was looking up the eggs yesterday. I guess theres no hope of incubating the 2 eggs already there? I feel bad dumping them but don't want to hurt her so I'll remove the nesting box.

Actually, I have just recalled that when I bought the girl in December she was sold as an adult - they cost less then the young ones. Does that change your opinion? Of course I don't know "how" adult she was but did look different to the younger ones.

Actually, I have just recalled that when I bought the girl in December she was sold as an adult - they cost less then the young ones. Does that change your opinion? Of course I don't know "how" adult she was but did look different to the younger ones.

Petshops rarely know the actual age of the birds they are selling and often tell you what you want to hear. Have you got a clear photo of her especially her eyes ?

 

Here are some photos. I had to wait til morning and work out how to insert them. I now see she has red above the beak - its usually pale yellow - does this mean shes sick. I did look for change in colour of the boys and didn't notice it. If she is sick is taking her to the vet worth it or is it a cold or something they can't treat? Thanks for your time. I also have a photo of when I first bought her - not as close up if that would help.

Hi Cat

 

The red above the beak ( called the cere ) goes brownish red when a female is in "breeding condition" ( not to be confused with old enough to breed ).

However your female has white iris rings in her eyes and I would say from that she may well be 10-11 months or older.

Thanks for that, I scared myself with the red ceres. Looking at first photos she didn't have the white iris when I bought her. So I guess that means shes 10-13 months old. Thank you for the help, I really appreciate it.