Need Budgie advise

[cbc1]

I have inherited a budgie who was no longer wanted by hs owner. I have no experience at all with them. I know to keep the cage clean, fresh food and water but that is it. What next?:confused:
CBC1

[Vermontcat]

Congratulations on your new bird. I hope I can help you find info and I'm sure some other bird people here will be able to help too. We got our parakeet last summer after we did research online and got a couple of books. You could also go to www.petsmart.com that is where we got our bird, they have info and supplies if you need them too. Our bird did play statue the first couple of days till he got used to it here. Is the bird young? Has it been finger trained? One thing it will love is spray millet get it some if you don't already have it! Good luck!

[NoahsMommy]

I've had a few Budgies growing up. My last one died from natural causes a few years ago. :(

One important thing to remember is that they can't live on seed alone. They need veggies and other things to keep the healthy. Seed is primarily fat...not always good for them.

They also need lots of attention, especially if you only have one. Attention can totally change a meanie into a sweet bird. They are companion animals and need other's for their happiness. People can fill that postion easily.

Good luck!! I cant wait to here all about him/her. What is its name? What color?

[popcornbird]

Congratulations on your new bird! Budgies make wonderful pets and they are very fun to watch and play with. They can learn to perform tricks, ride in toy cars, and talk. It all depends on the bird though. I have two wonderful cockatiels, so obviously I'm a bird person. When I got my birds, I did know some things about them from friends that had their own birds, but I really got most of my information online. Budgies are one of the easiest birds to tame, and I have tamed quite a lot of them for my friends. Sometimes they will gain confidence in you in as little as 1 day! Their wings need to be clipped in order to start the taming process. That makes it much easier and the birds will have less risk in getting hurt by flying into walls and mirrors out of fear. If you cannot clip their wings yourself (you shouldn't try it if you've never done it) many pet stores and vets offer this service for a small charge. Once their wings are clipped, you can begin to tame them. Put a small towel or cloth in you hand and hold them gently with that. Make sure you are not holding too tight, and keep their head out of the towel. Talk to them gently. Keep these setions short because the birds will get stressed out in the towel. After holding them for 30 - 60 seconds, take them in a corner and sit down. Release the bird onto your finger. Sometimes it will jump off, but with my experience with parakeets, they normally stay for at least 20 seconds. If they jump off, hold them again and place them on your finger. Teach them to step up when you place your finger in front of them. Reward them with treats such as spray millet, for good behavior.

About the food, most people generally feed their birds only seeds, but in reality, this is not good for them. They should still eat seeds, but vegetables, cereals, whole wheat bread/crackers, fruit, rice, etc. should also be offered. Vegetables and fruits are important for their health, and it should become a part of their diet from an early age. It may take time for them to try the new foods, but eventually, they will learn to eat new things.

Birds are very playful and acrobatic by nature, and require toys, ladders, and maybe a swing in their cage to keep them from getting bored. Purchase safe toys for you bird from a local pet store.

The cage newspaper should be changed daily, and the cage should be washed every two - three weeks. The cage should be covered at night to provide the bird with a restful night and to prevent night frights that may cause injury if the bird sees something spooky! Birds should be given time to play out of their cage every day and interact with their human companions. With time, your bird will become the greatest companion you've ever had. Be sure to change the bird's food and water every day, and keep the cage out of direct sunlight, as it can cause dehydration. Hope this helps! I will look for some budgie websites that may help you and post it here later!

[cbc1]

I am new to this forum. Thank you so much for answering my post re the budgie. He is cute and seems to be so happy. He trembles/shakes alot is this normal? I would hate to think he is traumatized in anyway. He sings alot, I do cover him at night, didn't know I was suppose to but figured he would like privacy while he slept. Can you leave him alone if I go for a weekend? So much to learn about this little guy, I just want him to be healthy and happy.

Thanks for your help!!!
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[cbc1]

Sorry for posting twice. My budgie is yellow and turquoise colour I am told he is 10 months old. Thank you everyone for replying it is neat to know there is someone I can turn to when I need advice with this little guy. I plan to take him to the vet for a checkup and have his wings clipped to tame him. I have his cage in front of the window so he can observe the bird feeder outside, he is in bright light but I have a canopy over the cage so he doesn't get direct sunlight at anytime.
Veggies what type do I get him and does he eat these out of his dish or is there another way to feed the veggies to him? I am only giving him seed at the moment.


CBC

[Vermontcat]

Your bird may be shaking because he is cold, is he in a drafty location? Does he fluff up his feathers too? When my bird does it usually means hes cold from the window or air-conditioner in the next room. He may also shake because he's excited to see you or because he's still scared that he's in a new place.
My bird has a bedtime routine that he likes to go to sleep when its dark and on a favorite perch, if I don't cover his cage when he's ready for bed he yells at me until I do!:) we have been able to leave him for one night (due to a family emergency) and I made sure that all 3 of his food trays were full including the largest one which is a dispenser. We also made sure he was in a room with a closed door separate from our older mellow cat who got extra food too. We also got one of those test-tube water bottles he likes that kind the best.
Good luck at the vet, hopefully he can answer some of your questions too.

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by cbc1
I am new to this forum. Thank you so much for answering my post re the budgie. He is cute and seems to be so happy. He trembles/shakes alot is this normal? I would hate to think he is traumatized in anyway. He sings alot, I do cover him at night, didn't know I was suppose to but figured he would like privacy while he slept. Can you leave him alone if I go for a weekend? So much to learn about this little guy, I just want him to be healthy and happy.

Thanks for your help!!!
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

My birds only shake when they are afraid, or when they are cold. I do leave my birds sometimes for the weekend (two days one night) but I fill their 3 food cups and 2 water cups, so they don't run out. I have to admit though, that they are very angry when I return (for leaving them)! I give them dry foods only in their cage bowls (seeds, cereal, etc.) because those foods can be left their for a day without getting rotten. When I give them veggies, we have this step stool in the kitchen where I let them sit and put a plate with vegetables in it. I can put them their because they are tame, but if you choose to give your bird veggies in the cage, be sure to clean the bowl and cage thoroughly after it finishes eating. The veggies should be discarded after two - three hours. I feed my birds brocoli, carrots, peas, spinach, and sometimes corn. I feed them raw because my birds like crunchy foods, but giving the bird boiled veggies in also ok. If you need any more information, feel free to ask. I hope this will help. Have fun with your bird and try to post pictures of it here at Pet Talk so we can see how cute it is! :D:D:D