Birds

Caring for your new budgie.

If you are thinking of getting a budgerigar as a pet you have to prepare for the responsibilities of pet ownership. With the right care and commitment this is the beginning of a very happy and rewarding time. But what are the considerations? As this is a partnership and not a one-way relationship you have to consider whether you are suited to your budgie and vice versa. When you are considering whether to offer a home to a budgie you need to think about the bird's needs. Think about the Think about the:

Housing
Feeding and watering
Handling

Is a budgerigar the right pet for you?

Budgies originally come from Australia, living in huge flocks on dry plains where they feed on seeding grasses. They are one of the few types of parrot that are not threatened in the wild by the pet trade, so make suitable pets if they are cared for properly. Wild budgies are always green, but the domesticated ones have thousands of different colours, and are a bit bigger than their wild cousins. Budgies are social birds, so it is important to make sure they have company, preferably another budgie. If you would like your budgie to become easy to handle and hopefully talk, you are better off starting with a youngster that is between about six and nine weeks of age. At this age it is difficult to tell whether the budgie is male or female, but at about four months old budgies have their first moult. Then the cere, or fleshy lump at the top of the beak, becomes coloured. In male budgies this is usually blue, and in females it is brown. Budgies can breed from when they are about one year old, but they do need special boxes and breeding cages for this. Females often lay eggs, even when they do not have a male companion. These eggs are sterile, and therefore will not hatch. Budgies are easy to keep, make cheerful companions and they live for up to ten years. However, they often do not like being handled and are therefore not suitable pets for young children. The initial cost of budgies and their cage or aviary can be quite high, but the ongoing costs are low. Holiday care is particularly important to think about. This has to be done by a very reliable person, as budgies cannot survive for more than a day without food, and daily fresh water is essential.

Housing

The best way to keep a budgie is in a large aviary with other budgies, but most people keep their budgie indoors in a cage. If you keep your budgie indoors, get the biggest cage possible or use an indoor aviary as many budgies are kept in cages that are far too small. Tall circular cages are not recommended, as they provide very little flying space, and a rectangular one with vertical and horizontal bars is better, as this will let your budgie climb around the cage. Position Keep the cage off the floor and away from drafts. Also avoid bright lights, as these can damage your budgie's eyes. Never keep your budgie's cage in front of a window, as this can cause fatal heat stroke. The cage should have a cover for the night to keep your budgie warm and to let your budgie have a regular rest. Some cages are kept suspended from a stand, but this can be unstable and get knocked over, so putting your budgie's cage on a steady table might be better.

Fittings

Most cages come with food pots and it is best to have a separate drinker attached to the cage bars. Clip a cuttlefish bone onto the cage so your budgies can keep their beaks in shape, and provide grit to help with your budgies' digestion. Remove old seed husks each day and wash out the water container at least once a week. You can use a bottlebrush, but be careful that you don't push it down the drinker too hard as this can split the container. Put special sanded paper over the base of the cage and change the paper two or three times a week. Shop bought sand sheets can be expensive, so you can use clean plain paper cut to fit the cage base, covered with loose bird sand. Don't use coloured paper or printed paper, as some of the inks can be poisonous to a budgie. Put different sized wooden perches in the cage to provide mental stimulation. These should preferably be cut from bark covered branches from native British hardwoods or fruit trees. Although they can't be cleaned as easily as the dowel-type perches, they can be regularly replaced

Toys

The cage should contain toys but don't have too many cluttering up the cage, as an overcrowded cage can be stressful for a budgie. Some budgies enjoy playing with simple toys that they can roll around the floor, such as a table tennis ball. These are easy for your budgie to move around, and it is not difficult to keep them clean or replace them with another one. It is best to change your budgie's toys regularly. Ladders are not a good idea for young budgies, as they can get stuck between the rungs.

Cleaning the cage

Clean the cage once a week, and do a thorough clean once a month. For this intensive clean, take apart the cage and its fittings. Thoroughly clean the components using warm water and a special cage disinfectant. Rinse and dry the toys, perches and fittings, checking them carefully for any signs of cracks, splinters or rust. Rust and splinters can cause problems such as pododermatitis, also called bumble foot.It is important to choose a cage that is easy to clean, and the best ones either have a sliding base or a top that you can remove from the rest of the cage. 'Silver' bars are the most popular, but those cages where the bars are covered in a plastic coating are best, as they are easier to clean and are less susceptible to rust. If you keep your budgie in an aviary, this has to be swept out daily, and stale food or droppings cleaned out of the sleeping quarters. The food pots should be cleaned and refilled each day, although if you use hopper-style feeding, this only needs to be refilled when it is half empty. Once a week, wash down the aviary and clean all the fittings.

Feeding and watering

Good nutrition is essential for any animal, but birds especially need a diet that is tailored to their individual needs. Poor nutrition can often be the basis of many health problems, such as obesity and iodine deficiency. Remember that you are not just trying simply to keep your budgie alive - you are trying to help it stay fit and healthy! Packaged seeds are very convenient to use, but budgies in the wild would naturally eat a far greater variety of seed types because of the different plants that come into season at different times of the year.

Commercial seed diets have about two to eight different types of seed, but when a container of seeds is given to your budgie, it will most often select one or two of its favourite seeds. Millet is often the one chosen, and the budgie owner will often make things worse by offering a millet spray as well! This means that this budgie will have an imbalanced source of nutrients, which can be high in fat. The best thing to do is to offer a smaller amount of good quality varied seed mix, so that the budgie will tend to eat a greater seed variety.

The amount fed to each bird daily should be a maintenance amount of about two level teaspoonsful of seeds. This should be provided in a shallow dish, with separate ones for each bird. Any seeds left at the end of the day may be because there was too much in the bowl initially and seeds should only be a small part of a budgie's ideal balanced diet. 20 - 25% of a budgie's diet should be fruit and green vegetables, with 'pale' vegetables, such as celery, being of little value. Wash all the fruit and vegetables well to remove any chemicals, and cut them into manageable sized pieces. You don't have to take the skin off, and give them to your budgie in a separate dish from the seeds. Sprouting pulses, such as those used in stir-fries, are a great source of nutrients. Pelleted and similar diets have been specially formulated for a budgie's needs. It can be difficult to train a bird away from being a seed eater to becoming a pellet eater, but pellets are thought to be the ideal way to feed a budgie. It may take weeks to 'wean' a mature budgie from seeds to pellets, and the best way to do it is to have the pellets constantly available, while reducing the amount of seed. You should never withdraw the seeds until you are totally convinced that your budgie is eating the pellets and fresh foods. It may also be that your budgie finds this change in diet all a bit too much and if they get stressed during this period, make sure you ask your vet for advice. Remember, as well, that your budgie should have fresh water available at all times, and the container bottles, as well as the food dishes, must be cleaned daily.

Handling

It is important to handle budgies carefully and to be able to catch your budgie without hurting it. The time you spend with your budgie will encourage your bird to become tame. Budgies can be difficult to socialise, according to their age and previous experiences, so you need to be very patient at first. You must spend time with your budgie, especially if you keep it on its own. You need to spend at least 10-15 minutes two to three times a day teaching your budgie to become accustomed to being handled.

Approaching

When you first put your hand into the cage the bird may interpret this as a threat. A swooping hand may resemble a predator in your budgie's eyes. To avoid this move your hand very slowly into the cage, making sure it is clenched and does not come from above. When your budgie is relaxed with your hand near to it slowly extend your index finger alongside the perch. Again, wait until the budgie is used to this. Then move your finger up to the budgie's toes to encourage it to step onto your finger. It may fly to another perch or drop to the floor, but persevere and it may well sit on your finger before too long. After this stage, encourage the budgie to stay on your hand as you move it towards the door of the cage. Make sure there are no hazards around, and only let it out of the cage when you are absolutely confident that it will come back!

Holding

To hold your budgie, gently wrap your fingers around it, moving your hand so that the budgie's head rests between your first and second fingers. Your budgie's back should lie on the palm of your hand. It is very important not to put any pressure on the side of a budgie's neck, as this can make it difficult for your budgie to breathe.

Talking

As regards talking, birds should be trained to do this as early as possible. The best time to start is when the birds have just come out of the nest box for a week or two. It is possible to get them to talk when they are up to six months old, but after that it is very difficult

Exercise

You must allow your budgie to exercise at least once a day if it is not kept in an aviary, as it is detrimental to your budgie's wellbeing if it is kept in a small cage day after day with no exercise. Make sure all the doors and windows are closed, as budgies escape easily, and there are no dangerous hazards, such as fires and fans, before you let it out of the cage. Make sure any other pets are kept out of the room when your budgie is out of its cage.

Bathing

Budgies like baths - you can get one that clips on to the cage, but some budgies don't like still water. If this is so, get a plant sprayer and fill it with lukewarm water. Remove food pots from the cage, and gently spray water over the budgie, like rain.

Beak and nail care

Beak and nail care are important parts of your budgie's grooming routine, and your budgie's beak should be clean and the upper and lower parts of the beak overlap properly. Undershot beaks, where the tip of the upper bill tucks into the lower part will need to be cut back throughout any affected bird's life. If there is any dirt inside the beak, you can scrape this out with the plain end of a dead match. Cuttlefish bone will help to keep a beak in trim, and this can be attached to the cage with a special clip. Illness It is important to take your budgie to see the vet as soon as it shows any signs of illness, as conditions in birds can quickly become very serious. One of the most obvious signs of illness to watch for is a change in your budgie's droppings. These can turn green if your budgie has a digestive disorder, and if your budgie is showing any signs of diarrhoea you should get in touch with your budgie's vet straight away.

Psittacosis

There are many causes of diarrhoea in budgies but one of the most serious is psittacosis, a disease that can also cause a very severe illness in humans. The clinical signs of psittacosis are wide ranging. Some birds affected with it appear quite healthy, but others in the acute stage of the disease can show some or all of the following signs: Marked depression Ruffled feathers Lack of appetite Problems breathing A discharge from the eyes and nose Watery diarrhoea.

Psittacosis is a very unpredictable disease and can be very contagious. As it can cause serious illness in humans you should always consult your doctor if your vet suspects psittacosis in your budgie Respiratory disease Breathing difficulties, dull or swollen eyes and ruffled feathers are also symptoms of other problems, such as serious respiratory disease. Feather plucking Feather plucking is sometimes seen in budgies that are left alone, and it is usually due to boredom or stress. It is similar to a human biting their fingernails and this is the most common reason for budgies to lose their feathers. There are other reasons why budgies can lose their feathers, such as parasites, that can be easily treated by the vet. Remember that moulting puts a budgie under nutritional stress, so they should have extra protein in their diet at this time.

Feet problems

It is always a good idea to check a budgie's feet for lumps and bumps at least once a month. If their claws are caked in dirt, then you can put the budgie's foot in a container of warm water. When this dirt is soft, it can be gently broken off, taking care not to harm the feet. Claws may have to be clipped if they are growing at an odd angle, or curl around so that it is difficult for a budgie to get around. It is best to get these clipped by a vet if you are not confident about doing this yourself. If you use scissors, the claws may split when you cut them, so you will need to get special clippers. One serious disease that affects a budgie's feet is pododermatitis or 'bumble foot'. This problem is fairly common in budgies, and starts off as a penetrating wound of the underside of the foot. It can be caused by flakes of iron oxide rust picked up as a budgie walks on a rusty iron grill on the cage floor, or through clinging to rusty bars. The affected joint is swollen and there is obvious pain and quite often an affected bird will try to take the weight off the leg, possibly by leaning against the corner of the cage. If bumblefoot is untreated, it can spread up the leg and the affected budgie can go off their food and develop septicaemia. If birds are kept in cold conditions in an outside aviary, the temperature can seriously affect their feet. The affected birds will have difficulty in walking, peck at their feet or have blue coloured toes. Sometimes these blue feet can be the sign of a very serious disease, and frostbite is quite often seen in outdoor kept birds, where they grip the outside wire netting of the enclosure