Help w/Rescued Budgie

[SquawksNibbles]

Oh, and I forgot to add about your question...

I also read that you can house budgies with zebra finches and they will live harmoniously without issue. Is that true?

I'm sure it HAS been done before, but honestly I wouldn't do it. I've never had Zebra Finches before, but I have had Budgies for years. I think it depends a lot on the individual birds. Some birds are more laid back than others. I do know that Zebra Finches are tiny, and a hard bite from a Budgie could most likely lead to serious injury.

 

[Beasley]

Too bad you didn't get the guy's license plate, animal abuse is a felony in most states. I would also imagine that his box being thrown didn't do him any good, make sure the vet knows about that.

Thank you for taking him in.

I didn’t follow him outside (too scary) but I left store before he did, who knows maybe he ended up with a free frozen mouse and no snake. If I had been working specialty, I would not have been comfortable selling that man a pet bug.

Sorry I'm late to this thread. Thank you so very much for taking that little one in, @Beasley!

You're going to need a lot of patience. Clearly the guy who previously had him did not care for him in the slightest, so who knows what all he has been through, poor fella.

Can you just spend a little while each day sitting by the cage? Remember that this is a scared little bird, so please be careful with sudden movements and loud sounds around him. I personally love to read, so maybe you could do something like that while sitting by him and his cage. You can also occasionally drop some of his favorite treats in his food bowl while you're sitting there. Also, please watch for signs from this Budgie. You will be able to tell when he's getting scared and stressed, and if that happens it's important that you take a step back and just go at the bird's pace from there.

From the picture it looks like your little one is a female, but that could be wrong.

What does he currently eat? Budgies do well from a diet of (sprouted) seeds, pellets, vegetables, and other fresh foods.

Thank you again for rescuing him/her! Please keep up updated about your new addition, and feel free to ask any more questions you may have.

Luckily I have some good experience with abused/neglected rescues. So patience is no problem. And I love to read too!

I was actually sitting in there with him earlier reading to him about budgies hahaha! I am also thinking “he” is a she, because there does appear to be white rings around her nostrils and according to what we read today, that’s a clear sign she’s a girl. So I am just going to go with she for now lol! male or female, I just feel blessed to have her <3

I have her on zupreem xs pellets & a high quality finch seed mix, more pellets than seeds. This afternoon I gave her a tiny bit of sliced up banana but I seem to be the only one in my house who likes bananas!

Question on Quarantining:
My bedroom floor plan is essentially two master bedrooms each with their own bathroom. I have my lovebird in my room and the finches in the second bedroom, she’s in the second bathroom. I was keeping the door opened for her but I didn’t want to expose her/the finches to anything so I started closing the bathroom door. Unfortunately opening the door definitely frightens her. Can I safely put her in the living room by an air purifier? It wouldn’t direct a breeze toward her but would it help with the quarantining? I know getting her out of the bathroom would solve the terrifying door + unknown human issue. The last thing I want to do is spook her.

 

[Beasley]

Oh, and I forgot to add about your question...



I'm sure it HAS been done before, but honestly I wouldn't do it. I've never had Zebra Finches before, but I have had Budgies for years. I think it depends a lot on the individual birds. Some birds are more laid back than others. I do know that Zebra Finches are tiny, and a hard bite from a Budgie could most likely lead to serious injury.

Good point she drew blood when she bit me, so a friend and a flight cage sounds like the plan.

 

[Serin]

It's a female. They do best with a friend, same species. They shouldn't be mixed with finches in anything short of a free flight aviary. You can socialize any bird, to an extent, but it can take a very long time to get the bird to enjoy your company and it may never do so. Talking to them nicely as much as you can and offering millet spray by hand are the ways to begin the trust building process.

 

[Beasley]

It's a female. They do best with a friend, same species. They shouldn't be mixed with finches in anything short of a free flight aviary. You can socialize any bird, to an extent, but it can take a very long time to get the bird to enjoy your company and it may never do so. Talking to them nicely as much as you can and offering millet spray by hand are the ways to begin the trust building process.

Yay mystery solved! I’ve been calling this little sweetheart Big Mike after a childhood friend who has passed away. Her dad wanted a boy and her mom let him name the baby so he named her Michael; she was very petite so of course we all called her Big Mike. Given the gender ambiguity, and how little she is, Big Mike seemed like a good fit for my new love <3 not sure if I’ll change it or not, the name does bring a smile to my face

 

[SquawksNibbles]

Yay mystery solved! I’ve been calling this little sweetheart Big Mike after a childhood friend who has passed away. Her dad wanted a boy and her mom let him name the baby so he named her Michael; she was very petite so of course we all called her Big Mike. Given the gender ambiguity, and how little she is, Big Mike seemed like a good fit for my new love <3 not sure if I’ll change it or not, the name does bring a smile to my face

I love how her name came to be. Just go with whatever you love the most and think suits her the most.

 

[MommyBird]

This afternoon I gave her a tiny bit of sliced up banana but I seem to be the only one in my house who likes bananas!

It seems to be the general consensus that budgies don't eat fruit. None of mine ever did. They generally love the most: millet spray, greens, broccollini (more than broccoli but they eat that ok), some scrambled egg a couple times a month, and sprouts (especially sprouted oats). Sprouts would also be excellent for your other birds.

 

[Beasley]

I love how her name came to be. Just go with whatever you love the most and think suits her the most.

Big Mike it is

 

[SquawksNibbles]

Big Mike it is

Love it!

Also, yes my Budgies don't like fruit much, either. Vegetables are more important, though some Budgies may love fruit and offering it could be a step closer to offering more, different fresh foods. My birds love their vegetables and even their cooked grains.

 

[CheckeredTail]

Thank you for saving her! I can't believe someone could be so cruel! Horrible...

I wanna second the idea of giving her some spray millet for now, it's not healthy to give it too often since it's just seeds, but until she feels safer and more settled in, it's a super great food for times of stress. Never met a bird who won't eat millet the second they see it, they all seem to treat it like a kid with candy! And hey, finding a budgie friend, depending on your area, you can usually find someone needing to rehome a budgie on Craigslist. I hope with some time and patience you'll be friends soon. Just take it slow, and you'll build trust, she's probably just very afraid right now.

 

[SquawksNibbles]

I’ve been calling this little sweetheart Big Mike after a childhood friend who has passed away.

Also, I forgot to say that I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

[Beasley]

Also, I forgot to say that I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend.

Aw, thank you. I think about her often, and every time I sling my purse over my shoulder.
A minor PSA to friends/parents/anyone who carries a purse (especially a cross body purse) or messenger bag, please ALWAYS shift your bag away from the road when you are walking along a street. Unfortunately, theft is a part of our world and terrible things can happen in an instant.

 

[Beasley]

Big Mike Update!

She still hasn’t made a sound, but she does seem to breathe rapidly when I first come into the room. Tomorrow I am going to move her to the living room..with her in the bathroom behind a closed door, the bathroom is like a safe place surrounding her safe cage and every time I open the door she seems terrified. Eventually she calms down and breathes normally but she won’t move as long as I’m visible.

She is eating though! Even if she is knocking the pellets out to get to the seeds, I’m relieved to see she’s eating. I think the living room will also give her more exposure to me wandering around looking for something I’m probably holding

 

[Fergus Mom]

So glad Big Mike is doing well and eating! Love the name, and the history behind it. Reading about the purse thing though, that's not how your friend died is it? (Theft, robbery?) That would be awful. So sorry to hear of your good friend's passing.

 

[Lady Jane]

Previously in this thread someone suggest a wellness visit to the vet. I think that is appropriate because accelerated respirations should be checked out.

 

[Beasley]

So glad Big Mike is doing well and eating! Love the name, and the history behind it. Reading about the purse thing though, that's not how your friend died is it? (Theft, robbery?) That would be awful. So sorry to hear of your good friend's passing.

Unfortunately, yes. She and another friend were walking along the street and a passing motorcyclist attempted to snatch her crossbody purse.

Thankfully, it takes seconds to shift your bag to the other shoulder..but trying to take it off..earnings, hair, eyeglasses, your face - everything gets in the way. She never had a chance.

It is not a lesson anyone should have to learn from experience, so I try to get the message out there for Big Angel Mike and everyone who was lucky enough to know her.

 

[Fergus Mom]

It is not a lesson anyone should have to learn from experience, so I try to get the message out there for Big Angel Mike and everyone who was lucky enough to know her.

Oh Maggie, that is awful. I'm so sorry. You are so sweet to carry the message on to help others. May her memory be kept alive in your beautiful bird, and those you help!

 

[Beasley]

Oh Maggie, that is awful. I'm so sorry. You are so sweet to carry the message on to help others. May her memory be kept alive in your beautiful bird, and those you help!

It really is, it’s the kind of cascading event that forever changes many lives in an instant. But if that is yin, the yang is my sincere hope that I can bring awareness to someone, and they will pass that knowledge along.

I have an appointment this week with my AV for my little girl (still mad about her being thrown around in a box), she really seems to like me telling her about my day and reading to her. She turns her face sideways and maintains eye contact between slow blinks. I know for bunnies this is the equivalent of a contented smile. I haven’t found much on bird body language though, except pinning which I can’t see because I’m blind and my Peeps chews my glasses, which I can only assume is not safe for him, so I’m just:

 

[SquawksNibbles]

Unfortunately, yes. She and another friend were walking along the street and a passing motorcyclist attempted to snatch her crossbody purse.

Thankfully, it takes seconds to shift your bag to the other shoulder..but trying to take it off..earnings, hair, eyeglasses, your face - everything gets in the way. She never had a chance.

Ugh, that is horrible. My 22-year-old cousin was shot and killed back in May - it's just a shock when they go so suddenly and horribly. Again, I'm so sorry. There are some evil people out there.

 

[Beasley]

Ugh, that is horrible. My 22-year-old cousin was shot and killed back in May - it's just a shock when they go so suddenly and horribly. Again, I'm so sorry. There are some evil people out there.

Oh he was so young, I’m sorry for your and your family’s loss! It really is, and the shock seems to leave a crease in reality. Evil people is right

I appreciate all of the love, and condolences. And thank GOD for animals because even the naughty ones are pure goodness.