Hi all, old user but haven't posted much. Have had budgies on and off most of my life but mostly outdoor aviary. This week we have a new baby budgie who is living indoors with us for now. I wondered if she was opaline but cant seem to upload an image to show her off. She looks quite like the bird at the top left of this forum, mostly yellow with splashes of blue and a blue V between her wings at the back. I did get her for the aviary as I currently only have 2 tiels and 1 budgie (1 recently passed) but my DD and I have talked of having an indoor bird for a while so we'll see how it goes with training and if she is happy living inside. So far she seems a real sweetie and unlike my aviary birds which are very flighty so she might be more suited to indoors. Which means I really need to go and buy another budgie for the aviary!!. My budgie out there is so old but she would be better with company wouldn't she? The other bird that died was quite young (1-2yr max) and when I put her in, they seemed to bond fairly quickly after a few initial squabbles. That's normal isn't it for a bit of bitching to go on the first day or two when you introduce a new bird? And what about the budgie I have inside, shouldn't she have a mate? I think I read if you want to train them they should be alone but I feel bad depriving her of company. Can indoor caged and trained birds adapt to aviary life down the track if we decide she would be better there?

 

I was reading the 'whats on the bottom of your cage' thread on this forum. I just have newspaper for now until I could get some sand sheets, but sounds like the sand is worth giving a fat miss, so will stick with the newspaper. The cage I have doesn't seem to have a grate. It's probably somewhere as the cage has just been in storage under the house for years and the two must of been separated at some point. What's the purpose of the grates? Most of you seem to be using them so wondering if I should try find it ??

 

My aviary, I am always unsure about what to put at the bottom. Currently has nothing which is very sterile looking. As it can sometimes get wet, it needs to be something that will survive water. The petstore recommended shavings but they would last 5 minutes not to mention be a pain to clean out as the aviary is difficult to clean, I normally just hose it. Getting in there with a shovel is not an easy task due to it's size 2' wide. Any suggestions? What about mulch ? Is that safe?

 

I wanted to ask how you find local people who sell budgies? I am not into breeding and whenever I want to buy one I do a quick google but never seem to see much and end up buying from the petshop which I dont like to do.

 

Also what sort of plants / pots do people put in their aviaries? I dont normally put fresh tree branches with leaves, but the other day put a gum branch in and got me thinking I really should have some leaf in there and wondered if potted things were the way to go or am I just better getting a new branch on a regular basis. Are gums the best choice? I also have an apple tree.

 

I'm also curious about aviary perches. I have a 6'x2' aviary with half of it dome. I seem to have lots of perches (gum tree sticks) in all directions which really cuts down any flying space. Am I better keeping perches to a minimum, bearing in mind I have the tiels which have a much larger wingspan. I really dont like my aviary because it's not big enough for them to fly. It's difficult to get into and maneuver myself around and impossible to clean. Should I perhaps just have 2 perches in the dome area (which they spend most of their time) with a swing and at the other end I have a shelf and maybe another perch and then ditch the rest? It just looks so bare anyway but if I start adding a regular fresh gum branch it might liven things up.?

 

Thanks :-)

Edited April 15, 201114 yr by coffeegirl

Hi all, old user but haven't posted much. Have had budgies on and off most of my life but mostly outdoor aviary. This week we have a new baby budgie who is living indoors with us for now. I wondered if she was opaline but cant seem to upload an image to show her off. She looks quite like the bird at the top left of this forum, mostly yellow with splashes of blue and a blue V between her wings at the back.

Sounds opaline...................read how to post pictures in my signature

I did get her for the aviary as I currently only have 2 tiels and 1 budgie (1 recently passed) but my DD and I have talked of having an indoor bird for a while so we'll see how it goes with training and if she is happy living inside. So far she seems a real sweetie and unlike my aviary birds which are very flighty so she might be more suited to indoors. Which means I really need to go and buy another budgie for the aviary!!. My budgie out there is so old but she would be better with company wouldn't she?

Not necessarily.females can get very possessive over space and may not like to share

 

The other bird that died was quite young (1-2yr max) and when I put her in, they seemed to bond fairly quickly after a few initial squabbles. That's normal isn't it for a bit of bitching to go on the first day or two when you introduce a new bird?

YES especially for females

 

And what about the budgie I have inside, shouldn't she have a mate? I think I read if you want to train them they should be alone but I feel bad depriving her of company.

One only if you want it a tame bonded bird to you. Two if you havent time or dont want to train it

 

Can indoor caged and trained birds adapt to aviary life down the track if we decide she would be better there?

 

Yes...easily

 

I was reading the 'whats on the bottom of your cage' thread on this forum. I just have newspaper for now until I could get some sand sheets, but sounds like the sand is worth giving a fat miss, so will stick with the newspaper.

Sandpaper is not necessary and can be harmful

The cage I have doesn't seem to have a grate. It's probably somewhere as the cage has just been in storage under the house for years and the two must of been separated at some point. What's the purpose of the grates? Most of you seem to be using them so wondering if I should try find it ??

Grates just come with cages......thats all. Mine are covered with paper as I dont like to see birds trying to grip the grate with their feet.

 

My aviary, I am always unsure about what to put at the bottom. Currently has nothing which is very sterile looking.

Nothing ? as in SOIL or nothing as in concrete ?

 

As it can sometimes get wet, it needs to be something that will survive water. The petstore recommended shavings but they would last 5 minutes not to mention be a pain to clean out as the aviary is difficult to clean, I normally just hose it. Getting in there with a shovel is not an easy task due to it's size 2' wide. Any suggestions? What about mulch ? Is that safe?

 

I wanted to ask how you find local people who sell budgies?

 

Local newspapers and budgie clubs

I am not into breeding and whenever I want to buy one I do a quick google but never seem to see much and end up buying from the petshop which I dont like to do.

 

Also what sort of plants / pots do people put in their aviaries?

Dont bother with plants in an aviary.........budgies will decimate them in a few days. You can put cut branches with leaves in like bottlebrush, hibiscus, gumtree, peppermint tree

I dont normally put fresh tree branches with leaves, but the other day put a gum branch in and got me thinking I really should have some leaf in there and wondered if potted things were the way to go ( no ) or am I just better getting a new branch on a regular basis. ( yes ) Are gums the best choice? I also have an apple tree. see my earlier answer

I'm also curious about aviary perches. I have a 6'x2' aviary with half of it dome.

The aviary you have isnt all that big if its 6 ft tall by 2ft by what5 other measurement ?? How many birds in that space ?

I seem to have lots of perches (gum tree sticks) in all directions which really cuts down any flying space. Am I better keeping perches to a minimum, bearing in mind I have the tiels which have a much larger wingspan. I really dont like my aviary because it's not big enough for them to fly. It's difficult to get into and maneuver myself around and impossible to clean. Should I perhaps just have 2 perches in the dome area (which they spend most of their time) with a swing and at the other end I have a shelf and maybe another perch and then ditch the rest? It just looks so bare anyway but if I start adding a regular fresh gum branch it might liven things up.?

 

Thanks :-)

My aviary, I am always unsure about what to put at the bottom. Currently has nothing which is very sterile looking.

Nothing ? as in SOIL or nothing as in concrete ?

 

...it has a base, galvanized iron. It originally didn't come with anything and it was on concrete pavers but I was having mice/rat problems so DH put the base on it. But I dont put a topping or anything on the base, it's just the plain iron.

 

Thanks for all your replies, very helpful.

 

The aviary you have isnt all that big if its 6 ft tall by 2ft by what5 other measurement ?? How many birds in that space ?

 

The aviary is 6 ft long, 2ft wide and 5 ft high at the lowest point and about 7 ft high in the dome. I have 2 tiels and 1 budgie. I would like to get more budgies though. I had a bit of a clean out today with branches and it's much more roomy in there for them. I just hate getting in there, my budgie is very elderly and cant really fly so it stressed her out a bit me being there, she'd be okay but the tiels get all flighty.

 

My aviary looks like this http://farm5.static...._78553ed6c7.jpg but the back wall is completely enclosed and the door area a bit different. I really want a new aviary but they are very expensive so we have thought about building something or hubby suggested he might be able to extend the existing aviary. Other than a passing comment that's all the info I have. I wonder if we could increase the depth by detaching the back wall and inserting some extra sides and flat roof.

 

Here's a picture of the new indoor budgie.

 

Thanks again

My aviary, I am always unsure about what to put at the bottom. Currently has nothing which is very sterile looking.

Nothing ? as in SOIL or nothing as in concrete ?

 

...it has a base, galvanized iron. It originally didn't come with anything and it was on concrete pavers but I was having mice/rat problems so DH put the base on it. But I dont put a topping or anything on the base, it's just the plain iron.

 

Thanks for all your replies, very helpful.

 

The aviary you have isnt all that big if its 6 ft tall by 2ft by what5 other measurement ?? How many birds in that space ?

 

The aviary is 6 ft long, 2ft wide and 5 ft high at the lowest point and about 7 ft high in the dome. I have 2 tiels and 1 budgie. I would like to get more budgies though. I had a bit of a clean out today with branches and it's much more roomy in there for them. I just hate getting in there, my budgie is very elderly and cant really fly so it stressed her out a bit me being there, she'd be okay but the tiels get all flighty.

 

My aviary looks like this http://farm5.static...._78553ed6c7.jpg but the back wall is completely enclosed and the door area a bit different. I really want a new aviary but they are very expensive so we have thought about building something or hubby suggested he might be able to extend the existing aviary. Other than a passing comment that's all the info I have. I wonder if we could increase the depth by detaching the back wall and inserting some extra sides and flat roof.

 

Here's a picture of the new indoor budgie.

 

Thanks again

 

I have to say you have one beautiful looking bird. STUNNING!