Budgies

BUDGIES

Budgies are one of the world's most popular birds. Normally, the wild budgies of Australia are light green with a yellow head and face. The wings and back are yellow and black but due to breeding in captivity they come in may different colors and patterns. You will find many different combinations and hues of green, yellow, blue, mauve, violet, gray, white and cinnamon to name a few. Some of the patterns are opaline, rainbow, pied or harlequins and lutino.

Before choosing a parakeet consider a few factors:
                  1. do you want one or two as a pet or would you like a few to start breeding
                               (pet budgies do not make good breeders)
                  2. what sex-male or female
                  3. what color
                  4. do you have time and love to give
                  5. are you prepared for the daily responsiblity that comes with a pet
                  6. are you equipped and prepared for your new arrival

Before your new family member comes to join you let's start with the cage. The cage should be big enough to have flight room, the bars should be no more than 1/2 inch apart, the door should be large enough for the budgie to be able to come out and it should have a removable drawer for easy cleaning. The cage should be free of drafts and out of direct sunlight. You will need accessories for the cage as well. Your cage should have seed and water cups, a treat cup, perches, gravel or grit and a cuttlebone. You can also have a swing, ladder, toys (budgies love toys) a bathtub, and a cover for the cage at night.

Okay, your cage is all setup and waiting-- now you can start looking for your new budgie. If you'd like your budgie to be a pet that you can tame and train choose a bird that is young. Here's what to look for:

1. the eyes will seem larger because the iris and pupil are both black. The iris will lighten as your budgie matures.

2. the beak may have streaks of black or brown which will disappear

3. the forehead is covered with the same black striped feathers that are on the head and neck.   The stripes on the forehead disappear when the bird is ten to twelve weeks old.                                                                     .

If you'd like a budgie for breeding, you'd be better off getting an older bird where you can determine the sex. Adult birds can also be tamed with time and patience. You can determine a mature budgies sex by the color of the "cere". A cere is the waxy skin containing the nostrils above the beak. The cere of a male budgie is deep blue and the female is whitish-tan, pink or brown. The cere of a young budgie is similar to both males and females until they're eight to ten weeks old. This makes it almost impossible to distinguish the sex in a young budgies. It's your decision: a young or mature budgie.
Now find a color that appeals to you. Watch the budgie for awhile. Things to look for: is he/she active and lively, are the eyes clear, are the feathers glossy and full, are the vent feathers clean, does he/she sit alert and even, is the budgie responsive to your movement. When your satisfied with your decision, purchase your budgie and bring him home. When you get your new arrival home place him in his set up cage and let him get used to his new surroundings. Talk to him gently, let him get used to your hand by doing your daily chores of feeding and cleaning. Wait at least three days to start hand taming your budgie. Gently press your finger against him where the legs join the body. This will slightly knock him off balance and he will have to step up or scurry away. Repeat several times. After some time he won't be frightened by your hand and will get used to steppin up on your finger.   After your budgie learns to trust you can take him out of his cage about ten minutes several times a day for training.   Don't be surprised if your budgie bites in the beginning, gently tell him no when he bites and within time he will learn not to bite. Always talk to your budgie gently and never yell, hit or jerk your hand away.   If you are going to train your budgie to talk you must repeat the word or phrase over and over and over again. Taming and training takes plenty of time and patience but stick with it--- the results can be very rewarding.

You must take good care of your budgie. Proper food, nutrition, vitamins, grooming, and cleanliness of cage and accessories are essential to him living a long and healthy life. Your budgie can live an average of twelve to fifteen years. Good luck with your new Budgie.

Click here to meet my talking budgie Thistle