Will my budgies always freak out when I enter the aviary? I've had them for a month and whenever I go in they all fly to one end as far away from me as possible. I try not to go in there too much as a week after I got them one got into the safty porch area with me and just pannicked and dropped dead at my feet. I am worried this might happen again so I try not to go in too much.

 

Also should I be able to handle the birds? I haven't tried to hold them as again I am worried they might die of fright like little tweedle did.

Hi the more times you go in the aviary the sooner your birds will get used to your presence . Always take something nice in for them.

Like a Dandylion plant or a clump of grass with dirt & roots on. Hang it from the roof then step back into safety porch, keep still & quiet & watch them enjoy it. Take a chair in if poss. As they get used to you, stand just inside the door. Don't expect to be able to handle them for weeks. It's very unusual for a bird to die of fright. So don't worry about the others..okay slow & quietly....B.J.

Thank you for your help. I got 4 of the birds from someone who didn't keep them very well. They were in an old hamster cage with only 1 perch. One has french moult and one is quite old. The other 2 that we called the tweedle brothers were normal green types and quite young. It was one of these that died. He just flew manicaly around and fell to the floor, he was dead when I picked him up. I can't imagine what happened to them to make him so scared.

 

I always take them something in when I go in, millet, corn cobs, mange tout etc, danelion etc. When you say leave the dirt on the grass roots, what reason is there for this? Wont they get parasites from it? I have put a stool in the aviary for me to sit on and for them to have a bowl of water to bathe in.

Hi, birds that aren't hand reared/tamed etc. will be very flighty for a long time in the Aviary, mine have gradually got used to me going in and out.

I can't handle them but an odd one or two come up very close to me for a "chat" which is great. As you get new chicks if you handle them a lot from the nest box they should be more tame in the flight.

Hi No they enjoy looking for tasty insects etc, But no doubt some clean freaks might disagree. If normal soil was dangerous

all the wild birds would be dead...B.J.