Budgies

[Powertothepetal]

What do we need?
DH has mentioned getting two or three budgies, we both had them as kids but that was many years ago!

We have found a cage, it’s for large parrots so plenty roomy and I’ve been looking at some toys.

Do they definitely need a cuttlefish?
We’re vegetarians and would rather not buy one unless absolutely necessary.

Also, does anyone know if gender matters?
Was thinking of getting all boys?
Are they likely to be friends or will they fight?

It’s been a long time since I had a budgie, but I do remember they liked a mirror and one of those baths that clipped on the side.

Hopefully they won't be as expensive as all other dpets are lately and you can get yours 'cheap'!!

Be aware that a large parrot cage will likely have more widely spaced bars which they can escape through. It’s surprising how small a gap a budgie can fit through.

All males will likely fight yes.

Also you won’t need a mirror if you’re getting more than one, as the mirror is essentially so it can see itself and think it’s another budgie (or that’s the theory anyway) when you have a lone bird.

Several budgies in one cage are unlikely to become tame, so ensure that you can catch them easily enough when you let them out of their cage, and be sure that you can let them out in a safe space, i.e. no small gaps they can fit through, or places they can drop down e.g. behind television etc where they can come to harm or worse.

You should let them out of their cage for at least an hour a day but preferably more.

I adore birds, but I’ve actually gone from having several different types when growing up, to now believing they shouldn’t be caged, but given we as humans still do, it’s important to give them optimum conditions to live in.

Hopefully they won't be as expensive as all other dpets are lately and you can get yours 'cheap'!!
Oh don’t, £40 a bird at our local pet shop!
😱
£40!!!!

All males will likely fight yes
Oh dear.
So I should go male/female or male/female/female?
Are they likely to mate and make baby budgies....?

We intend to let them pretty much free range the living room.
It’s very safe, nothing they could get stuck in really and loads and loads of plants they can hide and play in (need to check later if any are toxic and need re locating)

Are you not worried they'll poo on your soft furnishings or can you train birds like cats to only poo in one place?

No soft furnishings here really, only my curtains which I can wash if necessary.
Hardwood floor, hardwood furniture and leather sofa.

If you are going to keep multiple birds I would go for cockatiels, having kept both, cockatiels are more fun and a lot more intelligent, and like to live with others.

LOVE budgies. What characters. Be aware they can live a long time! My last one just died aged 17 but what an age!

He was never bothered about a mate, he had one but didn’t seem to notice when she died. So we didn’t get another.

We covered his cage with a blanket at night. He knew his blanket meant bedtime and would settle down for the night.

Don’t feed too much millet. It’s a treat and high in fat, but they love it. Try washed chickweed, dandelion leaves and lettuce too.

When it’s hot they enjoy a spray bath, just water out of a spray bottle and they’ll preen their feathers.

Mine liked the radio on during the day.

He didn’t talk or do tricks. He could imitate certain noises. He was generally a happy little soul content to play with his toys and mirror.

@HazelBite I’ve had cockatiels too and I love them but- they can be incredibly destructive to your house. And very noisy.

We have 5 budgies (currently in 3 different cages)

1. Check the parrot's cage wire spacing. What is considered okay for parrots can be too wide for budgies.
2. All males may be fine. We found they only fought over the female (hence 2 of the cages) One of our cages has 2 (elderly) males in who never fight. the other used to have 2 males and they were fine-and we initially fine with the female, but then decided to fight.
3. To breed they need a closed space or they won't lay eggs-however I have heard about under the sofa being used.
4. Do try and train them to hand tameness. Having just had to administer medication to the one who is least keen on hand contact it was perhaps a little entertaining persuading him to sit still for long enough.
5. The cheap food from Wilco's is fine. :D
6. They also love dandelion leaves

My Mom has one, he's lovely and very talkative, he can say loads of words.
She opens his cage every evening but he's only flown once, he just sits by the open door looking out!

Just been looking into the cage more, the bar spacing is 1cm so I don’t think the birds will be able to escape.
It’s 150cm tall, 81cm width and 46cm depth.
I can’t seem to find sandpaper sheets big enough to fit.

We used to have sand paper tubes around the perches I seem to remember.

Yes but I’ve been reading and apparently it’s not so good for their feet so looking at natural wood perches instead

You can get unprinted newspaper from Amazon for birds: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07W1WZCSH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8 You don't need the pet shop sandpapers, it's just an unnecessary money maker.

Avoid any enclosed houses, nesting boxes, or anything similar. They can cause birds to go into breeding mode which makes them aggressive, and in female can cause egg-laying which is risky. You can have a male and female and as long as you don't have nesting boxes etc, they shouldn't breed.

Oh, another thing you need to know. Teflon when it overheats produces a gas which is harmless and undetectable to humans but deadly to birds. Therefore people who keep birds generally don't use non-stick cookware, irons, etc. There are good alternatives nowadays. GreenPan is one, or you can use cast iron pans.

I have a small parrot but all the same family. I have just bought him a parrot "toy" that is a sort of short hanging rough abrasive material cylinder so he can keep his beak in trim (hopefully) and he loves it. It had a tiny bell on the bottom that he removed the clanger from on day 1. Apart from that, I think you would need to buy an avian supplement of calcium and maybe some vitamins also a good idea(can get some that is soluble in drinking water) so you don't need to get a cuttlefish. I really recommend you look at parrot food and toy websites as they cater for all sizes and my parrot isn't more than twice the size of a budgie.