What Budgies Are And Are Not
Parakeet is simply listed as a "Budgerigar" with the scientific name, Melopsittacus undulatus. This scientific name in Latin is the same given to the parakeet. So they are in fact the same species.
For this writing I will refer to them as Budgie and not Parakeet. There are two types of them, American and English. They are a very popular bird that are sometimes mass produced for pet stores. Here in lies part of the problem. Many people think of them as "starter birds" when in fact they are parrots that have the same needs as the larger birds. Budgies are quite often purchased for a young persons "pet" by the human parents. Thus the responsibility for the care and nuturing of this bird is put on the young person when it should continue to be the human parents overseeing the care. When a budgie is purchased in a pet store the inadquate cages and food are also sold there. So the humans go home with a bird, cage, toys (usually made in China and unsafe) and food knowing very little and the care and housing needs. This is a receipe for an uhappy, unsocialized and unhealthy budgie.
In my opinion a budgie is not a feathered play toy for a young person. This unfortunate bird often ends up ill and the human parents do not want to spend any money for vet care, "its just a parakeet". This unfortunate bird may also end up in the mouth of a predator such as a dog or cat or be on the receiving end of an injury due to an enviroment that has not been made bird safe. Worse yet may fly out the window or open door. The inexperienced owner will think its fun to have more budgies so breeding becomes a "thing to do".
I have spent many hours thinking about these issues. The best way to help stop the bad wrap budgies are receiving is to not sell them in a chain pet store and I know this will not happen so the answer may lie in the education of the parents of the young person. Just how we can do this may be through social media and bird forums. Of course there is the problem of an impulse purchase of the budgie or other species when one is in a chain pet store.
Often I read about a budgie death from not having adequate vet care, avoidable accidents including attacks by a predator, malnutrition from improper diet, efforts to breed them by an inexperienced human and a general lack of a healthy, enriching environment. It makes me very sad.
Your comments are welcome.
Parakeet is simply listed as a "Budgerigar" with the scientific name, Melopsittacus undulatus. This scientific name in Latin is the same given to the parakeet. So they are in fact the same species.
For this writing I will refer to them as Budgie and not Parakeet. There are two types of them, American and English. They are a very popular bird that are sometimes mass produced for pet stores. Here in lies part of the problem. Many people think of them as "starter birds" when in fact they are parrots that have the same needs as the larger birds. Budgies are quite often purchased for a young persons "pet" by the human parents. Thus the responsibility for the care and nuturing of this bird is put on the young person when it should continue to be the human parents overseeing the care. When a budgie is purchased in a pet store the inadquate cages and food are also sold there. So the humans go home with a bird, cage, toys (usually made in China and unsafe) and food knowing very little and the care and housing needs. This is a receipe for an uhappy, unsocialized and unhealthy budgie.
In my opinion a budgie is not a feathered play toy for a young person. This unfortunate bird often ends up ill and the human parents do not want to spend any money for vet care, "its just a parakeet". This unfortunate bird may also end up in the mouth of a predator such as a dog or cat or be on the receiving end of an injury due to an enviroment that has not been made bird safe. Worse yet may fly out the window or open door. The inexperienced owner will think its fun to have more budgies so breeding becomes a "thing to do".
I have spent many hours thinking about these issues. The best way to help stop the bad wrap budgies are receiving is to not sell them in a chain pet store and I know this will not happen so the answer may lie in the education of the parents of the young person. Just how we can do this may be through social media and bird forums. Of course there is the problem of an impulse purchase of the budgie or other species when one is in a chain pet store.
Often I read about a budgie death from not having adequate vet care, avoidable accidents including attacks by a predator, malnutrition from improper diet, efforts to breed them by an inexperienced human and a general lack of a healthy, enriching environment. It makes me very sad.
Your comments are welcome.
Exactly
