User: __amigone Date: 2009-06-22 01:06 Subject: Albino budgies Security: Public Tags: eyes

I have an albino budgie and I was noticing that when it flies around in my room it hits a lot of stuff and seems very disoriented. The other budgies I have are find and find their way around nicely. Are albino budgies color blind, or have any kind of vision problems? When I let him fly outside he seems to be fine.

User: paperwaits Date: 2009-04-23 09:27 Subject: Budgie issue II Security: Public

I wrote this post a couple weeks ago about how my budgie was not calming down or getting used to anything.

He is in a high traffic area. We do talk to him. We are in the same room as he is a lot.
But if anything, he is even more terrified than he was two weeks ago. He always looks thin and tall and startled; as though his little heart is going to fly right out of his chest. He still throws himself around the cage if I so much as reach to take the food and water cups out.

I can put my hand in the cage and eventually he calms down SLIGHTY, but he will still always look like he's terrified. Always.

He doesn't sing or play. He eats and sleeps - that's it. Occasionally he might give a loud chirp... but it's usually one or two chirps at most and he'll only do that maybe once a day. Sometimes, he doesn't make any noise at all all day long.

I am at a complete loss as to what to do. If I had my way, I would give him to someone with a nice, big aviary so he could be taken care of, with other birds, and able to fly around for the rest of his life... without a whole lot of human interaction. He's afraid of everyone (I'd thought it might just be us, but a friend of hours was unable to get anywhere near the cage as well).

I hate giving an animal up, but it literally brings me to tears to see him look terrified, all of the time. I don't think I'll be getting another animal for a very long time.

I do appreciate everyone's help in here - I tried anything you all suggested that I haven't done already.

User: astridasteroid Date: 2009-04-07 16:42 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public Mood: good

Hey guys! I have two budgies, they're both about 3 y/o, one male and one female.

Recently, the female has been hanging out in the seed bowl. I've had to put in fresh seed every day as she'll get into the seed bowl, hang on to the right side with her right foot, and the kick/dig the seeds out with her left foot until there's little or no food left in it. I don't think it has anything to do with the seed brand as she's been doing this for two weeks and through two different brands now (that they've had no problems with before). Is she trying to nest or mate?? Or is she simply being a little brat (haha)?

User: paperwaits Date: 2009-04-07 15:34 Subject: Budgie issue Security: Public

I've had our little budgie for over a month now and he is just as terrified of my husband and I as he was the day we bought him.

He is healthy - he eats and sleeps and his poops are completely normal.

However, he doesn't sing, he doesn't play, and every day he acts like he's never seen my husband or I before. I cry when I clean his cage because he gets so scared (he throws himself around and then mashes himself into a corner trying to get away from us).

We have tried to get him used to our hands, but it's way too much for him... even after five weeks. He still throws himself around the cage most times that we try to put a hand in. I have never, ever seen anything like this before. I know that it can take time for a bird to get used to a new environment, but it's been a good deal of time and he's just not... not doing anything. We're both home and in other rooms during the day sometimes and still: not a peep. I know he can sing because he was at the pet store. He was also very playful and vibrant.

I have a friend that's a vet and she's looked him over but says he's physically healthy. She said she has heard of birds having 'mental' issues. She doesn't think there is much I can do for him besides leave him be in a gigantic cage somewhere quiet so he can relax... or put him down (she can clearly see that he's in constant trauma - he's like one big birdie panic attack). I don't have room for a huge cage (he has a good size one, but not so big that I wouldn't feel guilty leaving him in there for the rest of his life) and I absolutely do not want to put him down.

I've owned budgies before... I do know how to care for and tame and train one. The last budgie I owned lived to be 14 years old - the vet said it was the oldest budgie she'd ever heard of. But this little bird has something wrong that I've never seen and cannot even find any information on. If anyone knows anything or can point me in some direction that doesn't involve killing the bird or ignoring him in a cage, I'm all ears. I physically cannot accommodate one of the four or five foot tall cages that he would need to be comfortable contained in... I expect to need space for a bird, but I got a budgie because that's always been what I love and what FITS into my life. I don't have a macaw or a cockatoo because I don't have the room... not because I wouldn't love one to death.

I will never get another bird from a big pet store. Ever. This is the second bird in two months... the first one had a respiratory infection and the only reason we got a second bird from the same place was because they replaced the first one for us.

Thanks in advance...

User: wiebke Date: 2009-04-05 21:02 Subject: Budgies at Zoo Atlanta Security: Public

I posted a news story on this a few weeks ago and now have discovered a couple of online slide shows now that the exhibit is open.

New aviary opens at Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta's new aviary

And speaking of budgies, I'll mention Pell, my budgie, who's about 8. She was making all kinds of crazy sounds today, no doubt responding to the birds outside her window. Springtime brings excitement!

User: wiebke Date: 2009-03-18 20:56 Subject: Budgie Aviary in Atlanta Security: Public

Here in Atlanta, the local zoo is opening up a huge aviary, 100% budgies! It opens April 3.

New aviary set to take off at Zoo Atlanta

If my budgie Pell knew this was only a couple of miles away, she'd be trying to bust out of here!

For those who for whatever reason can't access the news item at the link, I've put the story under a cut.

( Full article under this cut )

User: inkoflemon Date: 2009-02-27 16:15 Subject: Pictures and stories. Security: Public

I made a post over at cute_budgies - it's mostly pictures, but also a story about surgery.

User: finchwench Date: 2008-12-17 23:08 Subject: Budgie Bust in Berlin Security: Public

Imagine having roommates in a one-bedroom flat -- 1500 feathered ones!

User: crazybouncycrls Date: 2008-09-25 15:37 Subject: Crazy Discovery Security: Public

So I have had Pookie and Blue Bird for over a year.

I assumed Pookie was a boy because his cere has always been blue. When we brought Blue Bird home as a young bird his cere was a purple color but now is bright blue. Pookies immediatly changed to a dark pink color.
It has been like this for over a year.

( Guess what I found )

User: universallyours Date: 2008-08-27 21:05 Subject: Hello everyone! Security: Public

Hi! I'm new here, and I have a little budgie...his name is Hermes, and I'm having a little bit of trouble with his nails...he's my first bird, and I've had him for about...2 years now, and this is first community I've heard of for this..

The troubles I'm having are his nails are too long, and if someone grabs him, he freaks out. Every time I try and file them down, he freaks out and wriggles away from me, and bites me. Is there a way I can file his nails?

User: kyosgothicgrl87 Date: 2008-08-14 12:41 Subject: HELP!! Security: Public

I REALLY NEED HELP!!! There is something wrong with my bird's eye! Five minutes ago she was fine, and now her eye looks brown around it on the skin, and there are no feathers and she keeps scratching at it! I don't have the money to take her to a vet, so please help me!!!!

User: rachellorraineb Date: 2008-08-11 11:55 Subject: just a picture Security: Public Mood: content

heres a cute picture of Pita with his girlfriends, the minnie twins

User:	elaboratewhimsy
Date:	2008-07-23 13:39
Subject:	newbie.
Security:	Public

Hi there. I am a first-time budgie owner and love my wee blue birdie Brucie. I am looking for some advice on tempting him out of his cage. So far I have tried:

* Tempting him out with fruit (he doesn't like it, even if I leave it pushed between the bars of his cage he will ignore it!)
* Getting him to perch on my finger/a stick and then moving it out of the cage (he jumps off as soon as it moves)
* Hanging his honey stick treat outside the cage & opening the door so he can reach round to eat it and thus come out of the cage a bit without having to fly out all the way (he just eats what he can from inside and ignores the rest)
* Leaving the cage door open for hours on end to see if he'll get curious enough to come out (he doesn't)

I've had him for nearly 4 weeks - is this too soon to expect him to come out?
He seems happy in every other way, very talkative and lively.
He flies around his cage and doesn't appear to have had his wings clipped.
He is about 12 weeks old.

( a few photos. )

[X-posted to budgerigars]

User:	outlaw_soul
Date:	2008-07-22 08:12
Subject:	Question
Security:	Public
Mood:	curious

 I recently got a new budgie to keep my 7 year old parakeet company.  I'd like to know why the new one (and others I've seen) have bigger eyes and nostrils than he has.  Is there a difference in budgies and parakeets?  

User: finchwench Date: 2008-07-18 22:06 Subject: Our Kind of Product Security: Public

Can you see yourself and your feathered companion in this nerd-bird pack? Those commenters do not understand . . .

User: triplextine Date: 2008-07-17 17:03 Subject: Cage for freee Security: Public

I have a GIANT cage sitting in my closet, not being used. I'm willing to give it to someone for free who lives in my general area (Wilmington, DE) and is willing to pick it up. We used to have three parakeets and have decided since the last had died we didn't want anymore... If you're interested, let me know. I can take pictures. Its about 5 feet tall when its on the stand.

User: rachellorraineb Date: 2008-07-10 19:05 Subject: Yay! Security: Public Mood: excited

Good news everyone! I got Pita to perch on my finger today. It's so exciting. He's learning a lot really quick! 

User: rachellorraineb Date: 2008-07-08 19:52 Subject: New Security: Public Tags: budgie pictures, introduction posts

Hello all! Im new to the community and I just wanted to introduce myself and my birdie buddy Im a new Parakeet owner, so I look forward to getting some helpful information and advice. My parents have both had budgies before and when I exoressed that I was loking into adopting a bird, my mom suggested we adopt a parakeet. I am learning so much from the little guy and I feel like I'm teaching him a lot too.
When we first brought him home he was very timid, but it has only been two weeks and he is already warming up and he's very close to perching on my finger. It's so exciting! 

User: onekatietwo Date: 2008-06-14 15:01 Subject: I got them! Security: Public

So, i posted below saying that I was adopting two budgies.
And now I've gotten them. I've had them for about three days and it is so nice to have some chirping, chattering, and squawking around the house again.

One is a male and one is a female. The male chases the female around so they live in separate cages. The male's cage seems a little small for him but hopefully I'll have him to the point that he can explore the house with me soon.
The woman used to call him something like "Mr. Meany" and you can really tell she favored the other one - she had the larger cage and more toys.
He seems to be just fine for me, though. In fact, he seems to be taming out more quickly than the female.

Anyway, I have a couple more questions. First of all, the male is somewhat less active and talkative than the female. He chirps and plays sometimes, but he spends a lot more time silently sitting on his perch than his buddy in the other cage. His beak also looks almost flaky towards the end and his cere is sort of weird. I'll get some pictures up at some point, but I guess I could best explain it by saying it's kind of... like built up a little bit, like a mound. And it's just not very smooth and nice looking.
But he really doesn't seem very unhealthy at all.
Should I be concerned?
I'm not sure if we have an avian vet around this area, but I'll probably look into it. I've never really bothered taking small animals to the vet for a lot of things because it seems like there is usually nothing they can do if anything is wrong for any animal smaller than a cat.
But, you know, I don't want the poor guy to be suffering.

And my next question is just about everybody's taming expriences. After three days I can get these guys to eat celery leaves or millet spray stick things from my hand, but not anything in the palm of my hand.
Should I put them in separate rooms for training?
Are some birds just untamable?
How long should I assume it will take before I can get them to perch on my finger and leave the cage with me?

I've been reading tips on the internet and there are a lot of contradictory things. Some suggest 'grabbing' the bird and holding it for a while each day until it calms down and accepts you.
Some suggest just sticking your hand in the cage for long periods of time until you can get it to perch. So I figured I'd just ask you guys about your experiences.