I have just joined a Budgergar Club here in Brisbane last night.

At the meeting we had a guest Vetinarian Spreaker. He was very Good.

He spoke about the diets, and common deseases that the budgerigars get.

 

One think I was interested in was his comment on the size of Budgies.

 

An average weight Pet bird is roughly 55 gms. A wild Budgie in top condition is about 35gms.

A show Budgie is about 85 to 110 gms.

 

He did say that he had a Show Budgie that was presented to him for a check up at 185gms....

That is 5 1/4 wild budgies stuffed in to one body....

 

So how heavy is your budgie?

 

George is 55gms.

Greeny is 40gms.

Chirpy is 35gms.

Tiny is 42gms.

5 1/2 budgies... :(Laughing out loud):

 

I believe Oscar is about 42 grams. Sunny was about 35 a few days before he died. He used to be the heavier one too.

I think he must have been referring to the larger exhibition budgies. The smaller "American" or "pet quality" budgies weigh about an ounce, or 28 grams optimally. I can't imagine a budgie at 85-110 grams. I'm not sure if a cockatiel even weighs 185 grams. I imagine they couldn't move or preen at that weight.

 

Some of mine are a little on the heavy side, but thankfully all are now below the 50 gram mark - all but three are below 40 grams. The max weight one of mine has been was 56 grams, and the vet said that was morbidly obese. It is almost double what they should weigh. My next goal is to have them all under 40 grams, then between 28-34 grams as a final weight for all of them, the ones close to 34 grams being the largest of them (Crystal). He's at 37 grams now. Just a few more to go! Most of them are close, but those few that aren't...whew. I thought wild budgies weighed even less than the "American" budgies and were slightly smaller too? I was wrong then.

 

Daz, yours are the bigger ones aren't they? They seem to be at fairly good weights if they are. Lucky you.

No I have weight my big Birds. ie Ash, Cinnamon and Bluey. I would be interested in what Ash weighs.

 

It was agreed last night at the meeting that a bird weighing 60 - 80grams would not have a chance at winning in a show. It would be too skinny.

 

Hath what do your top birds weigh in at?

Edited October 25, 200519 yr by daz

Blinkie is about 32g and i thought that was about right.

to be honest daz i have never weighed mine but i the average for show birds is around 90 to 100 g

to be honest daz i have never weighed mine but i the average for show birds is around 90 to 100 g

 

Yes thats about what the vet said. He suggested to lean them down for breeding and build them up for show.

 

His expression was breed them lean mean and ***** and show them when they are contented.

Cockatiels weigh 100 grams on average... I have trouble imagining a budgie at that weight too. That can't be right...

 

55 grams would be way too much for a pet/american budgie.

Oh terri, believe me 55 grams IS way too much for those type of budgies. I thought exhibition budgies would top out at 50-55 grams.

 

Daz, I think my birds would explode long before they ever reached 80 grams. They certainly wouldn't be able to preen anywhere except the chest. I think they would have a heart attack being that heavy. I don't mean to seem like I am arguing, but that just can't be right. Are you sure?

woops i made a mistake just checked my book and it is average weight 53.74g, greatest weight recorded 85.45g for british budgie as to a wild average 28.99g greatest weight average 31g sorry dont know where 90 to 100g came from

28g is actually very thin for any budgie... peanut was 28g when he died. i would say the recommended weight for a pet budgie is around 35 - 40g peanut was 42g at his healthiest.

Candy was 56 g and way over weight he couldnt even fly, lucky for him he has lots 15 grams well he had he might have popped a few on but he isnt half as big as he used to be.

 

Dont you think he is looking trimmer?

 

I think it depends upon the type, pixie. I agree 28 grams is thin, but it is the weight where they do not carry any excess fat. They are supposed to be thin, streamlined birds. Right now Sunny is my thinnest budgie - he floats between 29 and 31 grams - and he is also the most active and the most agile flyer. He can run circles around any of the other ones - even when he had one eye swollen shut from the fight a few months ago he could out-manouver any one of them with only one eye. According to my vet, he is at an acceptable weight, but recommended I make sure he doesn't gain any.

 

But my own personal opinion is that you also have to factor in the build of the bird too. A more solid build should be able to carry a few more grams and be fine. If you don't feel excess fat on the bird at 40 grams it is good, but if your bird has extra padding you can feel at 35 grams, then 35 grams is too much for that bird. But I do notice the lighter they are the more active and agile they are, and they seem happier too (ie make more noise, LOL).

 

Booms, I think he looks much trimmer! Does he fly more now too? Do you notice any difference in the way he acts since he lost weight? I can tell with mine, I was wondering if you could too.

Edited October 25, 200519 yr by Rainbow

Yep Anne, he comes out of his cage on his own accord - he NEVER did that before and this is more than once a day too, he flys and squawks like an eagle whilst doing so. He isnt as strong as the others but he can make a lap around the room one thing that was impossible at one time. He just needs even more practice to build his wing muscles up. Its great isnt it?

28g is actually very thin for any budgie... peanut was 28g when he died. i would say the recommended weight for a pet budgie is around 35 - 40g peanut was 42g at his healthiest.

28g was average for a wild budgie not a pet budgie wild budgies are smaller than pet birds

It IS great. I know you love to watch him fly.

oh yeah i must have read it wrong.

 

yeah thats great booms, candy is looking much slimmer now! well done! how did you get hom to lose the weight?

To be honest Pix I took away everything that was bad for him, seed bells, millet, trill toppers. All he ate for 3 months was seed, cooked foods and fruit and veggies. He is now allowed the odd millet and treat but he shares his cage with 3 others now so he only gets the odd nibble it wasnt ALL his to eat.

 

Anne I LOVE to watch him fly it brings me tears of joy I'll tell you!

But how an earth do you weigh a budgie, that won't stay still?

But how an earth do you weigh a budgie, that won't stay still?

 

I have a gram scale like they use at the vets. It has two tops, one with a perch for cooperative birds to sit on to be weighed (which mine are not - LOL) and a flat one that you can tare a container on. I use a light piece of something like tupperware with a lid and catch the budgies and put them in it. Then wait for them to be still for a nanosecond so the weight is right.

I use mum's food scale and just get Blinks in my hands and then cup my hands over him so he can't run off while he's on the scale.

Lucky you. Blinks is a good boy!

Never heard him described as that before.

I think Teapot weighs about 17 stone. At least, he should do, the amount he eats and steals (Laughing out loud)

Sumo budgie! Hasn't it been a while since we've seen pictures of your babies Chirpy?