[robot]

The day before yesterday my boyfriend brought home a budgie that is 3-4 weeks old. I've kept budgies before but never one this young so I'm a little freaked out (and I'm very freaked out someone sold it to him, but that's already been done, and I live in Japan so the rules aren't the same as in other countries). Most of the colored feathers have come in completely on his wings, rump, and most of his head but he still has some pinfeathers around his face, on his stomach, and under his wings. The bird isn't acting sick, he chirps constantly if he's not sleeping or preening. He likes to cuddle up to our hands (or down a shirt) and take naps. We're keeping him in a little box for now with a little towel to sleep under. We're covering the box at night.

The budgie will eat out of a little dish but also enjoys being "handfed" with a little straw spoon. The food is for baby birds, it looks like little yellow seeds and the guy said you're supposed to pour hot water over the seeds and give it to the bird when it's warm but not too hot or cold. It's warm when I first give it to the bird, but he'll eat some, walk away and chirp, walk back to eat some more and by then it's already gotten cool. Does the food have to be warm all the time? I know for little naked newborns it has to be warm, but what about babies with almost all their feathers?

Also, his droppings are much wetter and looser than I remember typical budgie droppings being. There's more liquid and the stool is formed, but not in a little circle. Could this be because he's a baby or from the wet food?

Is it safe to start giving him vegetables, like sprouts?

Thanks in advance!