Hi everyone, I have just joined and need some help. Over the christmas holidays our family adopted a budgie from my son kinder, which we knew we would have to return in the new year. Well that day was today. Our house is so quiet now we are missing the sounds she made. Can anyone help me find a breeder in the werribee area, and also how do I select a bird, what are things I should be looking for, eg age, sex. We would like to get one fairly quickly as we are missing sabrina terribly.

 

Many thanks lynmay

Hi lynmay

 

Where is werribee? I think I have heard of it?

 

Pet Budgerigars

 

How to pick and house you new family member

 

 

So you have decided to buy a new pet. Your selection is going to be a budgerigar, but what to get. There are so many discissions to be made. Do I get an older bird or a frisky young bird? What colour should I get and should it be a male or female? Should I go to a breeder or a pet store? Who should I trust? What do I need to look after my new bird? What will it, seeds or pellets? It really is a big task when it comes to your first Budgerigar. So let's have a look at the some of the questions and problems you may come across.

 

Budgerigars as a general rule are relatively easy to look after and being only around 175mm long doesn't take up a lot of room. A young male budgie is the common pick of most people. He is easier to tame and easier to teach to talk. Most respectable pet stores know how to tell a young bird from an older one.

 

Majority of young budgies found at pet stores will be from 2 to 4 months in age. They will still have they nest eyes, fully black with out the iris ring. They will probably still have there head barring, black stripes across the front and top of the head. If they have gone through their first moult, around 12 -14 weeks of age, they may have lost the head barring and start to acquire the typical blue cere, the fleshy part above there beak. This might sound like an easy way to pick a young male, but as they say there is always an exception to the rule. A pied budgerigar, commonly call harlequins, does not relate to the rule. They are usually fledged with out head barring and with the male rarely having a blue cere. So trust in the sales person will be needed. When picking a new young bird, make sure to look for one full of life and not sulking on the bottom of the cage.

 

 

okay, you have picked a young male budgie and want to make sure he is housed safe, healthy and happy. What cage to get? Budgerigars are not helicopters. They don't like to fly straight up. So a typical tall cage is not a good option. Try to get a long cage so that they can fly from one end to the other. Perchers should be place across the cage, not long ways. There should be ready access to fresh food and water. As Budgerigars are very inquisitive birds, there should be plenty of toys to entertain him. Remember that natural materials such as wood make a safe material to build his toys out of. Especially as he will enjoy chewing it. More and more people are opting for cages with a wire bottom with a removal tray below it to catch the spoiled fallen food. It will be more hygienic as Budgie love to scurry around the bottom of the cage looking for seed and food. The spoilt food will fall through the bars into the tray below and will be out of reach. A word on second hand cages, if you don't know what was kept in it or what it died from, don't buy it.

 

Also be careful of the hand made cages. Make sure that there are no rust or any sharp edges or spikes.

 

Now what to feed your new friend? Everywhere you go; people are pushing seed as the total requirement of vitamins and minerals for your bird. Is this correct? Well the basic answer would be yes, if the budgie was going to eat every seed in the tray. This rarely happens. Like us, your new friend will pick out the type of seed he prefers to eat. It may not be the most balanced diets and will need you to give other forms of dietary requirements such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Your pet store should give you a list of foods that will insure the best health for your bird.

 

okay you have your bird, cage and the basic knowledge of the food requirements. You carefully take him home to be your best friend. It is usual for pet stores to place the bird in a small cardboard box with air holes. This is usual. Your new friend will be in darkness until you get him home to keep him calm.

 

Make sure that you quickly set up the cage completely before introducing the Budgie. He will like a high perch for safety and a couple of perches at his water and feed. Make sure there are no perches above yes feed and water so that he doesn't foal them.

 

After introducing him, cover his cage with a light cover for one day so that he becomes accustom to his new cage. Half uncover his cage for the next day. It is advised not to interact too much until the third day. Remember, before you bought him, he was happily playing with his friends. Now he has a new environment and new faces to come to terms with. It is a big shock. All going well, you will have a pretty and faithful new member to your family.

Hi and welcome. Doesn't take long for a little ball of feathers to get into your heart, does it? :fear