New Budgie

[akirkley]

We just got a budgie for my almost 8 year old daughter. He's a sweet bird and we are on day 2. We are home all day (I homeschool my two children) so I know he's not going to get bored around us.

However, it is day 2 and the little guy still isn't really drinking a lot of water (that I can tell anyway). I've seen him eat, and he's chomping down on millet spray. He's drank a few drops of water from an eye dropper that I put close to his face because I was concerned.

He's not chatty, he's not moving around his cage. He's not really doing anything.

I had thought about getting another one to keep him company and we could say it was "for" my son, but I do want him to be hand tame and I want him to like us and I don't want to mess that up by introducing another bird and then us have the problem with taming two.

Any advice?

Last bird I had was a cockatiel and I was 8. (Not including my yard full of chickens!)
(Edited to add: He is sweet, and will climb on your finger without biting, and will eat seeds out of my hand already. He only bites when he gets out and you corner him, which I understand. I've never tamed a bird... Not sure how long this takes - although I assume quite a bit of time.)

 

[Hybridchucks]

He's just settling in, also you barely see them drinking, i think every quite private about it.
And for not being chatty, again he's just settling in, give him some time for the change
Congrats!

 

[Hybridchucks]

We all appreciate pics

 

[PirateGirl]

Budgies can get really stressed when moving to a new home. Consider moving him to a room that isn't used much and/or covering the cage for a few days. Let him get used to the smells and sounds of the new house. Then progress to just having one side of the cage uncovered so he can see what's going on but feels safe and not surrounded by activity on all sides. You can all give him something fuzzy to cuddle in his new cage, a blanket, a stuffed animal, something. Start talking to him regularly so he learns the people in the family. After a week once he seems calm you can try putting your hand in the cage and let him hop on and off. The key is to be real gradual.

A second budgie is generally not a great idea. It could go one of two ways once they hit sexual maturity. You can have 2 birds that are best buds, they will be bonded to each other, they won't care so much about people. Or they hit maturity and one kills (or attempts to kill) the other.

Good luck, they can be great pets. Get him in a really calm environment and leave him be for awhile and hopefully he will start drinking. Signs something is really wrong are the same as chickens, lethargic, puffed up feathers, huddled.

 

[akirkley]

Here he is. He's been very sweet so far. We've probably been over-stimulating him a bit.

 

[PirateGirl]

Here he is. He's been very sweet so far. We've probably been over-stimulating him a bit.

Awe, what a cutie.

Give him time to take it all in. He'll be great!

 

[Flight Feathers]

You don’t usually see them drinking (or not very often) and sounds like he’s just settling in. Give him time and I’m sure he will start chirping more when he’s feeling more comfortable with his enviroment An generally two budgies are a lot louder so one may not chirp as much. I have 4 budgies in my aviary and they are crazy loud lol!

 

[Flight Feathers]

Here he is. He's been very sweet so far. We've probably been over-stimulating him a bit.

Oh how sweet. Looks like a girl but could be wrong. Usually the males are louder If you post on budgierigars forum they will be able to tell you for sure

 

[Poultrybonkers]

She won't chirp allot as hens are quieter then males hens are harder to tame aswell but being shes the only one give her time she might come around

 

[PirateGirl]

How is the little budgie doing? Settling in?