Budgie Chat Thread!

[RiverOtter]

Ok. The girl I got her from pointed out some blue beginning to appear on the cere so thought it was a boy. I know nothing!

As youngsters, they'll fool you. Neon is the wild type green (supposed to be the easiest to tell) and as a baby, we really thought he was a boy.
Lo and behold, 2 years later, he's really clearly a girl.

Happily, when we went to the petstore to get him a friend (his parents passed before he was a year, they were rescue birds, very old, and he was their last hurrah, they laid eggs on the floor until I took pity and gave them a box) the youngster that the pet store owner and I both thought was a hen - is a boy!

And I've had budgies my entire life!

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

As youngsters, they'll fool you. Neon is the wild type green (supposed to be the easiest to tell) and as a baby, we really thought he was a boy.
Lo and behold, 2 years later, he's really clearly a girl.

Happily, when we went to the petstore to get him a friend (his parents passed before he was a year, they were rescue birds, very old, and he was their last hurrah, they laid eggs on the floor until I took pity and gave them a box) the youngster that the pet store owner and I both thought was a hen - is a boy!

And I've had budgies my entire life!

Oh wow! I'll be going, hopefully Friday to get her a boyfriend... I armed and ready...I think..

 

[RiverOtter]

Oh wow! I'll be going, hopefully Friday to get her a boyfriend... I armed and ready...I think..

Well, if it's any consolation, they wont care. They're, uh... New Age. Free spirited. Open minded. Fans of that song "If you can't be with the one you love..."

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

Well, if it's any consolation, they wont care. They're, uh... New Age. Free spirited. Open minded. Fans of that song "If you can't be with the one you love..."

To be honest I'm not sure I want to get into breeding anyway at this point, if ever. So since they're open minded I think a get another female.

 

[RiverOtter]

Budgies are cool in that unless you have an older, experienced pair that's raised babies before, like Neon's parents were, they won't think of it unless everything is just right and they have a nest box. Those birds were the only ones I ever had spontaneously lay eggs.

I've never had any 2 random budgies fail to get along, and sometimes really, really well, regardless of other factors. The only time gender is an issue is if you want to add a third bird.
That doesn't always work.
Best to always get them in twos.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

Budgies are cool in that unless you have an older, experienced pair that's raised babies before, like Neon's parents were, they won't think of it unless everything is just right and they have a nest box. Those birds were the only ones I ever had spontaneously lay eggs.

I've never had any 2 random budgies fail to get along, and sometimes really, really well, regardless of other factors. The only time gender is an issue is if you want to add a third bird.
That doesn't always work.
Best to always get them in twos.

Ok, cool! Thanks for the advice...any more? I can use all I can get!

 

[RiverOtter]

The main one is to give them lots of toys. Take the perches out of the cage and replace them with twigs and branches you cut from your yard, or from somewhere you know doesn't spray.

They don't have to go straight across. They can cut a corner or be at an angle. Use a couple of pipe cleaners to make a short, thick one into a swing. Budgies love stuff they can shred, bark they can chew and bells they can ring.
You can actually just have one perch, one swing and a bunch of toys. They'll likely sleep on the swing and they're happier having lots of things to do than lots of places to sit.
When I do new branches, I do one thicker than my thumb, which becomes a favorite for chewing and sleeping on, and one thinner than a pencil, which becomes a trampoline and has to be put back up every other day. My birds favorite toy is when one chewed on the swing branch till she actually chewed through it and it was just a twig hanging from one side. They LOVE it. They climb up and down it, spin on it, make a game out of catching it and working at it until it's draped over another perch. So much so, that instead of fixing it, I just replace it with something fresh and leafy once in a while.

The rope coil perch was another good one. They didn't touch it for 2 months and then were all over it until it needs replaced (Neon has a very busy beak). But, a warning, if you do get a rope perch, keep an eye on it, clip any threads that come loose and replace it when it gets worn. You don't want any little toes caught.

They don't strictly need a cuttle bone but they love it, so I get it. Not a lot of them bathe, but the ones that do, LOVE it. I just use a great big thing for their water and they can indulge whenever they like.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

The main one is to give them lots of toys. Take the perches out of the cage and replace them with twigs and branches you cut from your yard, or from somewhere you know doesn't spray.

They don't have to go straight across. They can cut a corner or be at an angle. Use a couple of pipe cleaners to make a short, thick one into a swing. Budgies love stuff they can shred, bark they can chew and bells they can ring.
You can actually just have one perch, one swing and a bunch of toys. They'll likely sleep on the swing and they're happier having lots of things to do than lots of places to sit.
When I do new branches, I do one thicker than my thumb, which becomes a favorite for chewing and sleeping on, and one thinner than a pencil, which becomes a trampoline and has to be put back up every other day. My birds favorite toy is when one chewed on the swing branch till she actually chewed through it and it was just a twig hanging from one side. They LOVE it. They climb up and down it, spin on it, make a game out of catching it and working at it until it's draped over another perch. So much so, that instead of fixing it, I just replace it with something fresh and leafy once in a while.

The rope coil perch was another good one. They didn't touch it for 2 months and then were all over it until it needs replaced (Neon has a very busy beak). But, a warning, if you do get a rope perch, keep an eye on it, clip any threads that come loose and replace it when it gets worn. You don't want any little toes caught.

They don't strictly need a cuttle bone but they love it, so I get it. Not a lot of them bathe, but the ones that do, LOVE it. I just use a great big thing for their water and they can indulge whenever they like.

Awesome...I can do all of that. She currently has a swing, ladder, mirror with bells, a thing that hangs and has blocks stacked on top of each other??? And a cuddle bone...
Will do the rest tomorrow! Thanks a bunch!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Ok. The girl I got her from pointed out some blue beginning to appear on the cere so thought it was a boy. I know nothing!

Hens have tinted blue ceres with white that turn brown during breeding season

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

Hens have tinted blue ceres with white that turn brown during breeding season

Thank you, I've had several of the same explanation. I appreciate everyone's help!