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Just Hatched
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/2/2009 2:19:19 PM
Posts: 8,
Visits: 26
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| Okay, quick recap: We're going to get an African Grey in about 6 months or so. Yesterday I found out there was a Cockateil up for adoption near my home so I was going to go ahead and adopt him. Well they called me early in the evening and said that a couple had come in and wanted him. So to make a long story short I somehow ended up getting a green Budgie last night. His name is Parsley and he seems pretty young. We got him a cage that is about 24" long. In his cage I put: 2 different size perches at different heights (and neither over his food/water), a mirror with a bell, a cuttle bone, a bird kabob toy, and a swing. Ofcourse there is his food and water. What else does he need? I know he will need fruit and veggies, I plan to start on that tonight. He is VERY nervous and if I open his door or the larger dog gets too close to the cage (our shih-tzu actually stood on an overturned basket to get near the cage) he flaps around like crazy. Will he head to the food and water on his own? Thanks for all your help!
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Big Talker
Group: Banned Members
Last Login: 10/31/2009 8:58:56 AM
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| Before and anything else, don't let the dogs anywhere near the bird. You are talking little prey animal versus predator -VERY stressing. Secondly, you need to get that bird a companion and a flight cage if you want him to be relatively content in his life with you. Don't use commercial perches, use instead branches from non-poisonous trees and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes (and leave the bark on, he will spend a long time entertained peeling it off). And start him on fresh food immediately (they love leafy greens!).
Bea & Birds
beatriz@newyorkbirds.net
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Just Hatched
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/2/2009 2:19:19 PM
Posts: 8,
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| I had my husband check the specifications for the cage we purchased and it is actually 32 inches long-seems to be longer than some of the flight cages. Right now he is in the room with my husband (the dogs have had no access to the room aside from about 15 minutes last night) and his cage door is open. Apparently he has shown no interest in the door. As I stated, I do plan on giving him veggies tonight. As he had only been fed seeds prior to my getting him last night, I wanted to give him something that at least seemed familiar. I am very concerned because he has not ate or drank anything yet. I might get him a companion soon, but I do not believe all single budgies are starving and pining themselves to death. I like the idea of part of a real tree for a perch-I will try that out immediately. Hopefully someone has some suggestions on what to do to get him to start eating and drinking.
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Feather Fanatic
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 12:57:44 PM
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I would keep this bird with out a friend for 3 months of quarantine before getting him a buddy. You may find that he does not need one. Many people on this forum have had budgies for many years that are very happily bonded to their people. Then if you do get a new bird, keep that bird in quarantine for 90 days as well. This way you will know that they will not pass anything back and forth ( well, almost know. There are some diseases that can sit dormant for years). Also you can train this bird and he may help you train the other.
You will have to understand that the two birds may not get along. They pick their friends, especially in the small quarters of a human home, and may not pick the other bird. So you may have tow separate birds and two separate cages etc. so get the bird for YOU as much as for the other bird.
You will also need to think about if you are getting a female or male. If there are birds of different sexes, they could well mate and lay eggs. Do you want to put up with that? Breeding is very hard on hens. If they are both male they are more apt to get along than if they are both female.
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Big Talker
Group: Banned Members
Last Login: 10/31/2009 8:58:56 AM
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| I disagree, Icky. In my personal experience, healthy budgies kept under moderately good conditions always like other budgies (they do pick on the sick ones and they do fight if housing and/or conditions are not adequate). I have ten right now, all of them from different backgrounds and a number of them had lived alone with their owners and, in all the years I've had budgies, I've never had a single incident when a budgie did not like another budgie. The only problem is when two males want the same female but that only happens once (the female chooses one and that's the end of the story). As to quarantine, yes, it is necessary but only until the bird is vetted and you can always put their cages side by side so they can start getting to know one another. As to single budgies been happy living just with humans. Not true. And I will argue this point until I am dead. They resign themselves to it and learn to cope as animals always do. But I've had tame ones in the past and, as a matter of fact, I do have right now one budgie who was hand-fed and a beloved pet to a kind owner and, once this little guy joined the flock (his name is Pepin), he never looked back to humans. And he is not an exception, it happens with all the little ones (tiels, lovies, plets). Budgies are INTENSELY pair and flock oriented and anybody who has watched the interaction and dynamics of a flock of them can clearly see that they are happiest when surrounded by a large number of peers. A companion is just the bare minimum you can give them to achieve some quality of life. As to laying eggs been hard on females, that is only true if the bird is not in proper condition or becomes a chronic layer but if the bird is cared for properly (allowed to fly to keep muscles toned and respiratory system healthy, good diet, strict natural daylight schedule, full spectrum lights, supplements, etc), there is no hardship. It's the most natural thing in the world and very good for them (as long as there is no actual procreation, just the motions of breeding).
Bea & Birds
beatriz@newyorkbirds.net
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