Keeping budgies as pets

WORLD OF BIRDS

Keeping Keeping budgies as pets

Budgies: Colourful, attractive,  sociable birds that  are easy to keep and  look after.  They originate from  Australia and can  live up to 15 years  - so choosing one  as a pet is a long-term  commitment.  They  can be kept  alone but prefer  the company of  their own species.  If kept indoors they  will need regular  daily exercise  outside  their cage and are  at their most active  during the daytime,  sleeping once  it gets dark. Housing Budgies can be housed  indoors in a large wire  cage with a plastic  base or outdoors in a purpose-built  aviary. The cage should have  some horizontal  bars on it to  allow climbing –  this means many  round  cages are unsuitable.  Bars should be no  wider than 12mm apart to prevent  escape. Kept  outdoors, your  aviary should  allow room for the birds to fly around properly.  Budgies kept indoors  will need to be let  out of their cage daily  to exercise – make  sure you keep all  doors and windows  closed when you do  this. Covering the cage  with a cloth at night  will encourage your  Budgie to settle down for sleep. You should provide a bath for your bird,  either fixed to the  outside of the cage or  a shallow bowl placed inside the  cage – although some  birds may prefer to be  sprayed with tepid  water instead. The cage should also  contain plenty of  toys to keep your  Budgie amused,  particularly if  it is kept on its own. Types of Budgie Budgies come in a  vast array of colours and markings including pied,  spangled, opaline,  blue, green, grey,  yellow faces, lutino and albino. Feeding Budgies in the wild  eat a wide range  of seeds, grains,  and vegetation.  A good-quality  Budgerigar  / Parakeet mix  makes a good basic diet although supplements  may also be required  such as cuttlefish which acts as a vitamin  supplement,  environmental  enrichment,  and also  helps grind the  beak down.  Small pieces  of fresh fruit and vegetables may  also be given  as treats and fresh drinking water should always be  available. Certain  foods can be harmful to your  Budgie - avoid giving your pet  lettuce, avocado,  lemon, potato, or  any sweets or drinks designed  for human  consumption. Looking after your Budgies Exercise & Entertainment:Budgies  are intelligent and  inquisitive birds  that enjoy  playing and climbing.  Toys are essential to  stimulate  them mentally  and physically –  especially  important for birds kept on their  own.  Budgies can  also be taught  to mimic sounds  and talk.  If they hear  the same words  repeatedly from the  same person  they may pick  them up and  begin mimicking  the words or phrases.  A solitary bird will need more  attention and  affection  than a pair  or group and should  be handled  every day. Handling: With patience, Budgies can  become quite  tame although  it is essential  they are trained  from an early age , and by  one person only.  The first step  is to get the  bird used to being stroked  inside its cage  – use a stick or perch,  not your hands.  Start by gently  stroking its chest a couple of times  a day, then  encourage  it to jump  onto the stick.  Next, repeat  the whole process through  the door of  the cage  rather than the bars.  Finally, repeat  again, using  your hands  this time  instead of  the stick. This  is a gradual  process  that may take  several weeks  but usually works in the end. To pick up your Budgie, ensure your palm covers its back  and wings while  your middle and index finger surround  the bird’s neck.  Be gentle – Budgies  will bite if they  feel stressed.  If catching an  aviary bird use a  padded rim net and never try to catch  it in mid flight - always  wait until it  is perched safely. Breeding: Budgies can be  mated from about a  year old and will  produce a clutch of 4-6 eggs  in about  18-21 days.  As with  all pets, breeding Budgies requires much commitment  of time and  effort. It  is recommended that you  therefore seek expert advice and do appropriate  research  before  considering  keeping  a breeding  pair and only if  you’re certain you can  find good homes for the babies. Tips for a happy healthy Budgie Community: Budgies can be  kept alone  but prefer the  company  of their own kind.  They can  be kept in pairs (hens with cocks)  although if just keeping  a few  birds  together,  either sex  should be fine. For  larger aviaries it’s usually  best to keep  more hens  than  cocks  – otherwise  the cock birds  may fight  over the hens.  You can also  mix pairs of  Budgies with  other small  parakeets although if kept in a breeding aviary you shouldn’t  mix more than 2 species. Health: Budgies can  catch Scaly Beak,  a contagious condition that  requires  immediate  treatment  by a vet.  As with all  birds, if you are worried about any  aspect of  your Budgie’s  health, seek  advice from  an Avian veterinarian. For  a healthy life, your Budgie  needs the following: A good balanced diet with no sudden changes Plenty of toys to keep them amused Water bottle and feed bowls cleaned daily Their nails clipped several times a year – ask your vet for advice A daily bath – essential for their preening activities Regular exercise outside their cage