New
Budgie Checklist
|
Supplies
|
Setting Up Before
Bringing Home
|
|
ÿ
Cage
– choose an appropriate size cage for the number of budgies it will house. At
least 1.5’X1.5’ (45cmX45cm) for one budgie. The bigger (wider, not taller)
the better.
ÿ
Food
& Water Dishes/Dispensers – purchase what the cage doesn’t come with, or
upgrade if desired.
ÿ
Perches
– cage should be equipped with a variety of perch types & shapes,
including at least one natural branch perch.
ÿ
Seed
– choose a quality seed labeled for budgies (parakeets).
ÿ
Cuttlebone
ÿ
Mineral
Block
ÿ
Toys
– choose a variety of toys for the cage. Simple bells, rings, and lattice
balls are favorites and inexpensive.
ÿ
Black
& White Newspaper – one of the best and cheapest cage liners.
ÿ
Light
Blanket – for use as a cage cover at night.
|
ÿ
Looking
Up – look up and jot down the number for your local avian vet as well as
emergency animal hospital that sees birds. Keep these numbers handy!
ÿ
Checking
Up - Scheduling a new-bird checkup with your local avian vet is highly
advisable. Try to schedule the checkup
for the day you’ll be bringing your new budgie home.
ÿ
Cleaning
– wash all new (or used) equipment, including cage.
ÿ
Tidying
– tidy up the room & surroundings your budgie(s) will be in.
ÿ
De-stressing
– coming to a new home is stressful, so remove any stressors from the room
& surroundings (i.e. turn off ceiling fans, keep other pets out of the
room, etc.)
ÿ
Setting
Up – set up the cage in its location and equip with food, water, perches,
cuttlebone, mineral block, toys, and liner. Leave some space where budgie(s)
can stretch and flap wings freely without hitting a toy or other item.
|
|
Choosing
Your Budgerigar
|
|
|
The Surroundings/Environment
ÿ
Pet
store/breeder’s place is clean and tidy.
ÿ
All
birds are supplied with clean food & water.
ÿ
Flock
is active.
ÿ
No
sick birds are apparent in the flock.
Signs of illness:
•
Consistently
very fluffed
•
Discoloration/discharge
present on feathers above nostrils
•
Lethargy
•
Vomiting
•
Inability
to balance
•
Stains
or accumulated poop on vent feathers
•
Crustiness
on or around eyes, cere, beak, feet/legs
|
The Budgie
ÿ
Health
& Vitality – this is the most important factor in choosing a budgie
A healthy budgie should:
•
Be
alert, playful, and interactive with the flock
•
Have
good weight (you should be able to just feel the breastbone, with a healthy
layer of muscle on both sides)
•
Have
clear, bright eyes
•
Not
have any of the signs of illness listed above
ÿ
Age
– if you plan on taming, choose a budgie 4 months or less
A budgie 4 months or less will:
•
Have
dark eyes in normal varieties
•
Have
bars all the way to the cere in normal varieties
ÿ
Personality
– watch the budgies and ask to interact with them
Desirable characteristics:
•
Curiosity
•
Playfulness
•
Tameness,
or if none are tame, one that is less skittish and will stay on your finger for
a short period of time.
ÿ
Color
Preference – it’s up to you
|