Budgerigars

If you are thinking of getting a budgerigar as a pet you have to prepare for the responsibilities of pet ownership. With the right care and commitment this is the beginning of a very happy and rewarding time.

But what are the considerations? As this is a partnership and not a one-way relationship you have to consider whether you are suited to your budgie and vice versa.

When you are considering whether to offer a home to a budgie you need to think about the bird's needs. Think about the

Think about the :

Housing
Feeding and watering
Handling
Care

Is a budgerigar the right pet for you?

Budgies originally come from Australia, living in huge flocks on dry plains where they feed on seeding grasses. They are one of the few types of parrot that are not threatened in the wild by the pet trade, so make suitable pets if they are cared for properly. Wild budgies are always green, but the domesticated ones have thousands of different colours, and are a bit bigger than their wild cousins. Budgies are social birds, so it is important to make sure they have company, preferably another budgie.

If you would like your budgie to become easy to handle and hopefully talk, you are better off starting with a youngster that is between about six and nine weeks of age. At this age it is difficult to tell whether the budgie is male or female, but at about four months old budgies have their first moult. Then the cere, or fleshy lump at the top of the beak, becomes coloured. In male budgies this is usually blue, and in females it is brown. Budgies can breed from when they are about one year old, but they do need special boxes and breeding cages for this. Females often lay eggs, even when they do not have a male companion. These eggs are sterile, and therefore will not hatch.

Budgies are easy to keep, make cheerful companions and they live for up to ten years. However, they often do not like being handled and are therefore not suitable pets for young children. The initial cost of budgies and their cage or aviary can be quite high, but the ongoing costs are low.

Holiday care is particularly important to think about. This has to be done by a very reliable person, as budgies cannot survive for more than a day without food, and daily fresh water is essential.