A New Budgie Question

[nancy jean]

Thanks everyone, before I asked this question I went back about four pages to find some answers, and it was really helpful. I needed to know about grit, fresh food, seeds and such.

My neighbor doesn't want her budgie anymore, she thinks it's crazy and because it won't talk to her, and is afraid of her, so she's letting me have it.

I would like to get it to eat and drink out of small dishes at the bottom of it's cage. My question is it has only had it's water out of a bottle with a tube on the end, will I be able to get it to drink out of a dish? Do I need to leave the bottle in it's cage till it learns to drink out of a dish?

I also will need to transfer it from her cage (a gift from her daughter) to one of my empty ones, can I make any changes in it's diet right away, or should I wait a couple days for it to get used to it's new surroundings.

I'm also leaving it in quarrentine for a month till it's safe for my other fids.

[Rue]

Congrats on taking on the budgie!

My birds drink from water dishes because I was too lazy to switch them to bottles...but I think bottles are the better idea...why do you want to switch?

[Monica]

My neighbor doesn't want her budgie anymore, she thinks it's crazy and because it won't talk to her, and is afraid of her, so she's letting me have it.
Not all birds will talk, and it sounds as if she didn't put any time into taming down her bird... Good to know that you are taking in the little one!

I would like to get it to eat and drink out of small dishes at the bottom of it's cage. My question is it has only had it's water out of a bottle with a tube on the end, will I be able to get it to drink out of a dish? Do I need to leave the bottle in it's cage till it learns to drink out of a dish?
Dishes should be places at perch level, or above perch level. The dishes should never be under a perch nor at the bottom of the cage. Idealy, if the cage is big enough (shouldn't be smaller than 18" x 18" for an adequate size cage), the dishes should go about midway between the top and bottom of the cage, or near where the bird hangs out most. Water bottles are actually better to use than a water dish as the water stays cleaner longer (though the bottle still needs to be cleaned daily). As long as the bird is drinking from the water bottle, I wouldn't switch her, but of course it's your choice.

I also will need to transfer it from her cage (a gift from her daughter) to one of my empty ones, can I make any changes in it's diet right away, or should I wait a couple days for it to get used to it's new surroundings.
You want to keep her on the same diet, and slowly add a better diet to hers over a period of time (two weeks and on, as long as it takes for her to take to a better diet).

I'm also leaving it in quarrentine for a month till it's safe for my other fids.
Good to hear that you will be quarantining the new bird for atleast a month, as that's a great choice! Congrats on the new little one!

[nancy jean]

Originally Posted by Rue

Congrats on taking on the budgie!

My birds drink from water dishes because I was too lazy to switch them to bottles...but I think bottles are the better idea...why do you want to switch?

Honestly, I'd like to switch because my other fids have bowls (1 Amazon, Petey, 2 male cockatiels, Tucker and Dagwood, 1 female cockatiel, Blondie), and I've learned from past experience if there is a bottle there I won't change the water for a while (not healthy), but if there is a bowl there I'll change the water daily (healthy).

[Rue]

...a perfectly valid reason...and one I fully appreciate...LOL...

...btw...Monica? I do feed my 'tiels on the floor of their cage (out of poop range)...they much prefer it that way, presumably because they are ground-feeders...and many other 'tiel owners do so as well...although either way is fine...

[Monica]

Cockatiels, as well as budgies, are of course ground feeders, meaning they feed off the ground or off the plants! I've seen people however have cages that are too small and the dishes go right under where the bird is.

Just imagin a cockatiel in this cage...

(http://www.hobokenfishandpets.com/images/sml_arch2b.jpg)

The cage itself is about 12" x 9" x 16". These cages are made for canaries, finches, and budgies (a.k.a. parakeet) however they are much too small because the birds wouldn't be able to get adequate flying space, there wouldn't be much room for toys (if there are any toys), and if the perches are not placed right, they are above the dishes...

I've actually seen a cockatiel in a cage the same size before, a couple of months ago. I wouldn't be surprised if she (they think it's a male) is still in that tiny cage they gave her just because they found her and are keeping her for the novelty of it.

If indeed the dishes are not under the perches, I don't really see a problem with it, however medium to large parrots shouldn't be given food at the bottom of the cage.

[DocT]

I agree also so long as you have a large enough cage and room to keep the food dishes out from under the perches, parakeets (budgies) are in deed ground feeders and would really prefer the dish lower than what normal cages offer. I would go ahead and add a little of the the better quality food right away. and keep increasing it and usually within the week to 10 days they are on to your diet. Budgies are one of the easiet I think to get to change their diet. Make sure you offer them some greens they love the bitter greens the best. I am really glad to hear you are doing a quarantine very wise decision.

Bonnie

[Rue]

...I wish they'd stop making those cages - or at least not sell them as a main cage...they are useless for all the little birds except as a carrier, travel cage, sleep cage or hospital cage...

Finches esp. need a much longer and larger cage than what new buyers are told...and in the past most serious people have just made their own, but the home made ones are often hard to clean and sanitize...

My daughter took out her savings and bought this one from Hagen...it's a new model that we hadn't seen even a few months before we purchased it...it apparently comes with a stand - except for some reason ours didn't

If you look hard, you can see the 3 boys in it...and I'd still say it's not remotely too big for them...

[DocT]

I coudn't agree more those cages are just awful. They do make good travel cages because of the size but that's it. So many people buy them tho.

Bonnie

[nancy jean]

I just went and picked up the bird, not sure but I think it's a boy, the whatever you call it (above his beak)is bright blue.

He's about a year old, but honestly he seems very small to me. Would living in a 1950's hanging style cage (overy small) stunt his growth? His diet was seeds, and she would give him celery to chew on, thinking that was how he got his water, would that diet stunt his growth?