How To Take Care For Your Pet Budgie

Budgies or budgerigars are great pets; they are preferred next to dogs and cats and enjoy living in home environments. A well informed owner can take care of a budgie properly.

Ways to look after a budgie: 

• Buy a cage with the minimum dimensions of 18cm D x 18cm H x 30cm W; a wider cage with a square top would be ideal as budgies fly horizontally. Avoid crowding the cage with toys and perches; a few toys with natural perches of different thickness, shapes and textures preferably of eucalyptus wood are preferable.  Avoid perches made of dowel, plastic or concrete; these material cause foot problems and are hard on the budgie’s feet. Ensure you have a bath for the budgie to wash itself.

• Ensure that the budgie gets comfortable in its new surrounding; give it time to adapt itself. Give the pet a name and call it often to ensure it gets used to its name. Talk to it sweetly and quietly and help in the adjustment process before handling it. Keep it in "quarantine" for four weeks if you have other budgies, pets and small children.

• Win over the budgie's trust by putting your hand on the cage without moving it; repeat this action for a few days to allow the budgie to get used to you. Once the budgie feels OK with the hand, place your finger inside the cage and push the budgie’s chest slightly; the budgie would within a few days be encouraged to climb on to your finger. You could start feeding your budgie with your finger by dipping your finger in water and putting a few grains of millet on it.

• Next hold the budgie for some time gently with your hand, however avoid handling it too much for the first few weeks. Rushing things would only make the budgie anxious and pose difficulty in bonding.  Once it gets used to the new environment it will start interacting more with you and would realize you are its friend. It is best to understand that the budgie initially requires handling with care, love and kindness; teach other people new to the pet bird to also do so.

• Take care to feed your pet budgie seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables; chop all the vegetables and fruits and add a few spinach leaves and vegetables they like if the budgie refuses to eat fruits and vegetables.  Be patient and do not give up. Some may recommend using of pellets though they may not be very advisable; also ensure you do not feed your budgie chocolate, alcohol or caffeine as they are toxic. Also ensure your pet budgie has fresh and clean water to drink and change it daily to prevent build-up of bacteria. 

• Adding cuttle bone or mineral blocks in the cage would help your pet budgie get a good source of natural calcium; some prefer to add liquid vitamin and mineral supplements though it is not very essential if the budgie is taking a variety of fruits and vegetables.

• Lastly take great care to maintain hygiene by cleaning the cage of the budgie at least once a week to keep the budgie safe from disease germs; also ensure you give the pet a bath by holding it in your hand and gently pouring water over it. Make sure you put fresh water in the cage every day. In addition make sure the budgie is taken for a health check-up at least once a year.

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