Found a Budgie - help please!

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

This afternoon on the golf course I found a Budgie. I EVENTUALLY managed to catch it, and it is now in a box with holes in the lid and sides, as I don't have a cage.

I am planning to put it in a cat carrier until I can get to the shops tomorrow and get a cage.

All I have here is wild bird seed. What can I feed it and is there anything I can do to make sure it doesn't get too stressed?

Of course hubbys comment was "Why do all these animals in distress always find YOU" LOL;)

[Tweety_Pie]

What and interesting find!:eek:

I always give my birds lettuce and apples(cut into thin slices of course lol) and they really enjoy that:)


Are you planning on keeping him/her?:)

[CathyBogart]

A little bit of wild bird seed along with some fruits and veggies will hold him/her until you can get some budgie food. :) If he/she has never been fed fruits and veggies before, they will probably remain untouched at least for now, so don't be too surprised if that's the case.

They find you because they know a good thing when they see it! ;)

[Karen]

First part - keep him away from the kitties and the kitties away from him! That's Paul's first suggestion. Make sure he has some source of water, too!

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

I have transferred him into the cat carrier, with some lettuce, seeds and water. I have also rigged up a perch for him.

He is safely tucked away in the guest bathroom, but Ally is sniffing around the door!

I will contact the local shelter, and run an ad in the paper for a few days - if no-one claims him then I will buy a cage etc and keep him!

I am attaching a picture.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

He's cute, and he's a boy for sure. Maybe you knew that, after all you were calling him a he. If you didn't know that- the color of his "nose" (actually called a cere) is how you tell on parakeets. Males have a blue or purple color and females have a tan/ pink color.

One thing that helps with Lost and found ads is not putting too much of a description down. You may get more calls, but if the person can rightly describe the bird you probably have the right owner. If someone claims him you may want to suggest they get his wings clipped.

[luckies4me]

How cute! That's how we got our family budgie. My step dad was outside of the house and saw the bird outside. He got a little seed and put it in his hand and the bird just hopped into his hand. We've had him ever since, and he is incredibly tame!

I think you should keep him. :D

[luvofallhorses]

He looks like one of Tweety_Pie's birds :) He's cute :) I hope you find his home! :)

[RobiLee]

Awww, he is a cutie. I can't believe you just found him like that...lol. I'm so glad that you did. I am wishing him all the best.

[popcornbird]

He is so CUTE! Poor little budgie, alone outside in the heat of Bahrain. :( Yep, he is a boy for sure. Are you keeping him? :D

Thanks for rescuing this sweet little guy. Hopefully he's found the most perfect mommy. ;)

[Tweety_Pie]

Aw, what a cute birdie!:D


By the looks of the "stripes" on his head, I would guess he is still very young. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the more stripes they have, the younger they are.:)

[EricLove]

That is so sweet. I hope he/she has a good life with you..

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[puggywuggles41893]

This is why I had to be very careful with clipping wings and not opening windows when I lived in New Hampshire!;) If you decide to keep him I think he has found the perfect Mommy!:D

[Kfamr]

He's too cute! Thanks for saving him. Hopefully you get to keep him! :D

[Giselle]

Yes, that's right. This boy baby budgie is very young. The further down the stripes are, the younger he is. It looks like he's 3-4 months, although some lines of budgies lose their stripes slower than others. Mine lose theirs very slowly for some reason. I guess they stay young at heart forever :p

I'm very worried about his digestive system, however. Usually, any discoloration (usually brownish-green) near the vent area (butt, basically) can signify a liver problem. Liver problems are prevalent in seed-only budgies which this baby probably is. You might want to check him in with a vet if the shelter won't take him in or you're his official foster.

Also, what type of seed is he getting? Wild bird seed isn't very nutritious for budgies, so you might want to head out to the pet store and buy some pellets (Lafeber, Zupreem, Harrisons, KayTee) and pulverize it into a powder. Hehe....Methinks you should keep him ;) You're sure to be a greyt mommy and we'll always be here to help you.

P.S. Due to his young age, be sure the room is moderately warm (70*F is about right). Good Luck and don't hesitate to keep him! :D

[ramanth]

He's adorable! Good luck with him.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

How's the little tweetie doing?

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Originally posted by Brody's Mum
How's the little tweetie doing?

I updated in my other thread yesterday, so I will cut and paste. Today he is a little bit nervous again, but I guess I will just have to continue to take things slowly!

Thanks for the great info and links!! I don't know what I would do without your help!!!

Here's the latest:

1. Despite ads in the local newspaper, plus listing him as "found and in foster care" with the shelter he hasn't been claimed. (I even got 2 of the local DJs on the radio who I am friends with to announce on their show, and still no-one claimed him, so I think I can keep him with a clear concience!

I have already found a great cage for him - Hubby is back from Europe on Sunday so we will go pick it up on Monday (I dont have much cash on me at the moment, and this little Pet Shop which wells bird supplies doesn't take credit cards!!). I will be sure to get him a nice big one so he will have room for a friend. I looked in the shop for another Budgie to keep him company, but all their budgies seem much older and more mature, and MUCH bigger than him, so I think I might either wait a while or try another shop for one which is closer to him in age and size.

Re his food, none of the shops I have tried yet have the pellets, I will probably have to order them online and get them couriered over. (The Pet Shops here are absolutely RUBBISH - some have only dog accessories and goldfish, and some are dowright inhumane, so I refuse to buy anything from them. I am giving him special Budgie Seed, and also those Millett "branches"- he LOVES them!! Also some dark greens, and I have tried him with thin apple slices but he doesn't like them yet! I have also put a cuttlefish bone in his cage, but so far he hasn't touched it. I get the impression he wasn't well looked after before - he hasnt got a taste for different foods, and up till yesterday was quiet and not playing

YESTERDAY for the first time he played with the mirror and bell I have hung in his cage. He has also been shaking his feathers a bit, and chirping too !!! (Before yesterday he was totally silent).

I followed the advice here and on the web sites you gave me - for the first few days I only put my hand into the cage for water, food etc, and he freaked out every time! After that he was a bit calmer, but I still didn't touch him. Today he let me stroke him for a few seconds!!!! He is such a cutie!!!