Budgies As Pets
Budgies: Colourful, attractive, sociable birds
that are easy to keep and look after. They
originate from Australia and can live up to 15 years
- so choosing one as a pet is a long-term
commitment. They can be kept alone but prefer
the company of their own species. If kept indoors
they will need regular daily exercise outside their
cage and are at their most active during the
daytime, sleeping once it gets dark.
Budgies can be housed indoors in a large wire
cage with a plastic base or outdoors in a
purpose-built aviary. The cage should have some
horizontal bars on it to allow climbing – this means
many round cages are unsuitable. Bars should be no
wider than 12mm apart to prevent escape. Kept
outdoors, your aviary should allow room for the
birds to fly around properly. Budgies kept indoors
will need to be let out of their cage daily to
exercise – make sure you keep all doors and windows
closed when you do this. Covering the cage with a
cloth at night will encourage your Budgie to settle
down for sleep.
You should provide a bath for your
bird, either fixed to the outside of the cage or a
shallow bowl placed inside the cage – although some
birds may prefer to be sprayed with tepid water
The cage should also contain plenty of
toys to keep your Budgie amused, particularly if it
is kept on its own.
Types of Budgie
Budgies come in a vast array of colours and
markings including pied, spangled, opaline, blue,
green, grey, yellow faces, lutino and albino.
Budgies in the wild eat a wide range of seeds,
grains, and vegetation. A good-quality Budgerigar /
Parakeet mix makes a good basic diet although
supplements may also be required such as cuttlefish
which acts as a vitamin supplement, environmental
enrichment, and also helps grind the beak down.
Small pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables may also
be given as treats and fresh drinking water should
always be available. Certain foods can be harmful to
your Budgie - avoid giving your pet lettuce,
avocado, lemon, potato, or any sweets or drinks
designed for human consumption.
Looking after your Budgies
Exercise & Entertainment:
Budgies are intelligent and inquisitive birds
that enjoy playing and climbing. Toys are essential
to stimulate them mentally and physically –
especially important for birds kept on their own.
Budgies can also be taught to mimic sounds and talk.
If they hear the same words repeatedly from the same
person they may pick them up and begin mimicking the
words or phrases. A solitary bird will need more
attention and affection than a pair or group and
should be handled every day.
With patience, Budgies can become quite tame
although it is essential they are trained from an
early age, and by one person only. The first step is
to get the bird used to being stroked inside its
cage – use a stick or perch, not your hands. Start
by gently stroking its chest a couple of times a
day, then encourage it to jump onto the stick. Next,
repeat the whole process through the door of the
cage rather than the bars. Finally, repeat again,
using your hands this time instead of the stick.
This is a gradual process that may take several
weeks but usually works in the end.
To pick up
your Budgie, ensure your palm covers its back and
wings while your middle and index finger surround
the bird’s neck. Be gentle – Budgies will bite if
they feel stressed. If catching an aviary bird use a
padded rim net and never try to catch it in mid
flight - always wait until it is perched safely.
Budgies can be mated from about a year old and will
produce a clutch of 4-6 eggs in about 18-21 days. As
with all pets, breeding Budgies requires much
commitment of time and effort. It is recommended
that you therefore seek expert advice and do
appropriate research before considering keeping a
breeding pair and only if you’re certain you can
find good homes for the babies.
Tips for a happy
Budgies can be kept alone but prefer the company of
their own kind. They can be kept in pairs (hens with
cocks) although if just keeping a few birds
together, either sex should be fine. For larger
aviaries it’s usually best to keep more hens than
cocks – otherwise the cock birds may fight over the
hens. You can also mix pairs of Budgies with other
small parakeets although if kept in a breeding
aviary you shouldn’t mix more than 2 species.
Budgies can catch Scaly Beak, a contagious condition
that requires immediate treatment by a vet. As with
all birds, if you are worried about any aspect of
your Budgie’s health, seek advice from an Avian
veterinarian. For a healthy life, your Budgie needs
- A good balanced diet with no sudden changes
- Plenty of toys to keep them amused
- Water bottle and feed bowls cleaned daily
- Their nails clipped several times a year –
ask your vet for advice
- A daily bath – essential for their preening
- Regular exercise outside their cage
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