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Bringing home a pair of Bourkes!!

MissingMango

Walking the driveway
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
227
:D So I TOTALLY lucked out and tomorrow will be bringing home a young pair of Rainbow Bourkes!!! I am soooo excited! I have always loved Bourkes, and found these, and hubby agreed!!! So tomorrow I am talking a mini road trip to get them.

Anyways, tonight I will be shopping and know they like different perches, swings, and preening toys, but what else do they like as far as enrichment goes? I plan on offering a bath and cuttlebone & mineral block, but anything else I should pick up?

Edited to add - One more question....since they are grass parakeets, should I remove the bottom grate so they can play down there? If so, what kind of bedding do you use? Could I ditch the grate and just use that corn cob bedding or care fresh?
 
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Hedgehog25

Meeting neighbors
Joined
8/10/14
Messages
42
I don't know the specific answers to your care-related questions, but seeing as I am looking to buy the exact same kind of bird you got (a Rainbow Bourke), do you mind if I ask what breeder you got them from?
 

Moki

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
8/17/14
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15
Location
New York State
Real Name
Judy
Mine love the Herb salad. I order it from Terri's Glamours Gouldians. I have my bourkes in an aviary, with pine flakes on the bottom, as they do spend a lot of time on the ground. The 2 handicapped bourkes are also on the bottom of their cage, no grate. Mine love fresh broccoli, mixed veggies, fresh romaine, and a bird bread I make with groundup pellets. They also get scrambled eggs in the morning with wheatgerm mashed into it. Good luck , you will love your bourkes.
 

MissingMango

Walking the driveway
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
227
Thanks for the tips! A neighbor's grandfather bred Bourkes and well as Finches and Canaries, and I used to love going over there growing up. I have always wanted a pair! Can't wait to get them here! I am hoping to build an aviary for them in the future. I love the one you have for yours @Moki :)
 

Stormcloud

Squawk Talk!
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Melbourne Australia
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Gerard
I'd suggest that you put a sheet of newspaper on the bottom of the cage and change it daily. Most of the smaller Grass Parrots like to run around on the bottom of their cage so I'd suggest one that is about 90cm (3 foot) wide with 1/2 in bar spacing. As for toys, I'd try to keep them reasonably small and natural. IGAW & T4W carry a good range and I'd also recommend a swing. Try and deck out the cage before you put the birds in as Grass Parrots never seem to be afraid of toys that already grace the cage when they enter it for the first time, but may be a lot more cautious about new toys that you add. Toys based around balsa and small vine balls etc are perfect. Many of our vendors, such as CBT & MPBT also carry a large range of toy parts so that you can make your own. A swing will be most welcome, but make sure it is wide enough to accommodate both birds.
:goodluck: with them. :)
 

MissingMango

Walking the driveway
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
227
Thanks so much for the detailed response! I LOVE IGAW and was planning another order with them soon! My parrotlet loves balsa, so that is the same. Good point on the swing, I am not sure the one I bought will fit both. If not I will give it to the p-let and can always buy another! ;)
 

Sadieladie1994

Riding the Skies
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Do not use corn cob bedding as it is known to grow mold and would present problems to your bird.
 

Renae

Joyriding the Neighborhood
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Congrats, such great little birds they are. :)
 

MissingMango

Walking the driveway
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
227
So after a LONG ride to MD, I have them home! I will have to get pics later when they are done napping. The male is friendlier than the female (aka doesn't bite repeatedly according to the breeder LOL), but they are nowhere near hand tame. Hoping to at least get them used to me to the point where they can be let out for some out of the cage time. They are so pretty though! :xflove:

Oh and I decided to name them Bonnie & Clyde, not the most original, but I like it and have always been fascinated by that story! I was thinking of using the names, then when I was driving to get them the country song "Bonnie & Clyde" came on, and I just had to at that point!
 

Hedgehog25

Meeting neighbors
Joined
8/10/14
Messages
42
Congratulations on your new Bourkes, and thanks for the FB link! :)

Regarding tameness, a number of breeders have actually told me that they don't think they "need" to hand-tame their Bourke's because they're "already sweet." I'm having a hard time buying that line, though. The only other bird I've ever owned was a hand-tamed budgie, and he always seemed to enjoy human company (on his terms), so I'm not really sure what to expect when it comes to taking care of a non-tame bird. Does the male just act scared of you? Or would they both actually attack you if you let them out of their cage?
 

MissingMango

Walking the driveway
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
227
I don't think they are a try to bite you kind of bird. I think they would be much more likely to run/fly away. The male supposedly won't bite at all, but the female is more than happy to bite you if you are holding her (aka grab her since they do not step up). I do not plan on grabbing, so since they are terrified of me I just put the carrier into their cage, and opened it letting them come out on their own terms. They are very shy birds. I have not done anything with them, and probably won't for a day or two (other than feeding/watering/paper change) just to give them some time to settle in.

I plan on ordering another HQ Flight Cage tonight or tomorrow (price JUST went up $17 since I added it to my cart this AM :mad:), so may wait until that comes and they are used to that before trying to tame them more. Then I just plan on going VERY slowly and trying to Millet train them. If at some point I could get them to step up or fly to me that would make like much easier, but if not that is ok too. I will just have to play it by ear. They are also already bonded, so I am not expecting too much ;)
 
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