Help w/Rescued Budgie

[Monica]

Bik Mike - if you need any more votes, yes, she's a girl!

Cage - I agree, she'd do better in a larger one! Wouldn't recommend with the finches though.

Perches - get rid of the sandpaper perches, get rid of the wooden dowels. Replace with natural perches. It may be okay to have one or two *small* perches with dowels but you want main perches to be made of natural branches. (same for finches)

Toys - look into toys she can chew! Toys made out of palm fronds, grass, popsicle sticks, balsa and yucca wood, etc. Add in some toys with beads, too! (no mirrors)

Taming - Read this An Experiment with Budgies | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Food - Converting Parrots to a Healthier Diet - Tips | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum and Bird Safe Fresh Foods & Toxic Food Lists & More | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Beasley]

Big Mike Update #2

She finally made her first sounds two days ago! She was so quiet that I could just barely hear her over the finches. I’m probably overly-humanizing her, but it seemed like she was very nervously asking if it was okay if she made a sound. I really hope I didn’t screw it up by going in there too excitedly but I went over to her and sat down and told her how fantastic she was doing.

Yesterday as I put in a branch perch she took the opportunity to flap out of her cage and onto the floor. I’m pretty sure someone clipped her wings because she can’t fly at all. Spent an hour laying on the floor talking to her but eventually she stepped up on a dowel and let me put her back in without any panicking!

I also spend time daily talking to my finches; so she seems to understand that the newness may be scary, but nothing here is threatening. She’s very curious about my 9y chihuahua who is scared of birds. whenever he comes in she always goes over to the side of the cage and peers down at him..she must know he’s afraid of her because she won’t come up to me, or take millet from me yet, but him she’ll investigate lol.

Her doc appointment is Saturday and I just realized how frightening this is going to be for her. The doc and I are both going to have to handle her, I have to put her in a carrier, it’ll be loud there. My poor baby, and I doubt I’ve earned enough trust to be her safe person yet. Is there anything I can do to help her feel as safe as possible?

 

[iamwhoiam]

Hope the vet visit goes well. If you can at least show her the carrier (if that is what you are taking her in) and also a towel since the vet may towel her. Don't force her to get into the carrier and don't stress her out with toweling but try to get her a bit familiar with these items. Are there any special treats she likes that you can put in the carrier or bring to the vet's with you?

 

[Sylvester]

I think she will be stressed no matter what you attempt. Going to the vet is just a necessary evil. Just make it as short of an experience as possible.

One thing that did help a little bit with calming my budgie down in the car, was playing music.

 

[Lady Jane]

You can do some pre carrier training. By that I mean put her in the carrier and right away offer millet inside the enclosure. Do this several times without going anywhere. Then just a practice drive around the block. Good luck

 

[Tiel Feathers]

It sounds like you’re doing wonderfully with her! Unfortunately going to the vet is one of those neccesary evils, but she will forgive you for it. You’ve gotten some really good advice about getting her used to her carrier beforehand. Good luck at the vets!

 

[Beasley]

Ah that is a fantastic idea! I put it where she can see it and in a bit I’ll hang it from her cage on the outside with some millet going from the carrier and sticking into the bars. I’ll definitely be using a towel for her and bringing it in for the vet is a great idea! I think I’ll save putting her in the Carrier just to go to and from the vet to minimize the already upsetting experience.
I’ve actually found a pretty great way to desensitize/help her adjust to my hands as non threatening - talking to her in Italian! It’s a rhythmic and soothing language anyway, but I hadn’t noticed when I speak English I keep my hands down. Lol but you know Italians haha our hands are integral to our language at first she was super alarmed but 20m in she had completely adjusted to me flapping my hands around

Thank you all for the awesome advice! It’s good to hear she’ll forgive me for it lol I always feel guilty taking anyone in but you’re all right, it is a necessary evil and one that is always done out of love.

 

[Lady Jane]

Please let us know how the trip went.

 

[Beasley]

Big Mike did awesome!! She is soo sweet, even though she was really scared she never bit anyone. She hated the carrier though and the towel definitely came in handy. The AV said that her wings were clipped but she’s molting and some of her flight feathers are already coming in. She is a little worried about her back toes, whoever cut the nails almost cut off the tips of the toes! Hopefully they will grow back normally but we’ve left the front nails long so she can still hang on to things. Yesterday and today she let me pet her and even stepped up onto my finger however briefly.

All in all she is healthy, and the doc said to take it slow and she will come out of her shell in time. I was very sternly warned to keep her away from my lovebird and never to put her in my room because I have asthma and budgies produce dust. Luckily for my gal and I, we have air purifiers everywhere because my babies are my world.

 

[Lady Jane]

Also Lovebirds can be aggressive towards other small birds. I am glad she was good for your vet visit. Sounds like she needs more training for the travel carrier. I put mine on the table near the cage with millet on top. My budgies quickly were playing on top of the carrier. Pet store personnel that take care of the birds are not well trained for this position. I hope her toes are not a problem. I would also get back to the pet store about this so more birds don't have things done to them that are not correct. They could lame a bird big time!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Glad the vet visit went well!

 

[Beasley]

Sounds like she needs more training for the travel carrier. I put mine on the table near the cage with millet on top. My budgies quickly were playing on top of the carrier. Pet store personnel that take care of the birds are not well trained for this position. I hope her toes are not a problem. I would also get back to the pet store about this so more birds don't have things done to them that are not correct. They could lame a bird big time!

Unfortunately I don’t know where she came from or who would have done the nail clipping. I had her tossed to me in a taped shut box (that he’d left in his car, in Arizona!!) by a man looking to buy a snake to feed “his stupid bird” to at a Petsmart. I offered to (and did) buy the guy a frozen feeder mouse for the snake he wanted. I’m not sure how good her historical memory would be, but if she did remember that horrifying experience, I imagine she was extra frightened to be put in the carrier. Granted at least mine is not a tiny cardboard box without breathing holes I really do hope they refused to sell him a snake after having to cut open the box and put my sweet girl in one of their takehome carriers for me.

I can keep my carrier around her cage so she can adjust to it for future vet visits. I personally can’t cut nails so she’ll have to have hers trimmed professionally. I am too shaky and nervous for doing it myself. Had an accident with a black bun (and a white couch to boot) and that was the end of me cutting my pets nails myself

 

[Lady Jane]

I know what you mean about cutting nails. I am fortunate enough to have a groomer that comes to my home to do this once every 2 months or so. She only charges me $10. for both birds. Perhaps you can find one also.

 

[Beasley]

Last night as I was petting Big Mike in her cage I got her to step up onto my finger and she stayed there grinding her beak and started to fall asleep!! I was over the moon she has come so far in her trust in me. Every day I tell her I love her and that I will never ever hurt her, call me naive - but I believe she understands what I’m telling her, even if it’s through my energy and not words. So proud of my girl!

 

[Linearis]

Lol, so wholesome. Congratulations!

 

[Beasley]

Big Mike has come so far, she is very shy but sweet and curious. She seems to be intently listening to every word I say. She even tentatively offered her foot a few times before getting nervous and jerking it back. She was very clearly on a seed only diet, every morning there was a mountain of pellets and hulls below her food dish.

Unfortunately, despite my air purifiers, quarantining, and her being in the furthest room from mine; it became increasingly obvious that Big Mike was effecting my asthma.

Luckily, she has joined my good friend Mary’s all female flock of budgies. They have free reign of the house, their own room, and an outdoor aviary! I took her to her permanent home last night and even though I am a big crybaby and it hurts my heart to let her go, I never could have given her such an amazing family.

In a beautiful way, she is bringing joy and new love into the lives of a family that recently suffered an unexpected loss. Mary has always had budgies and loves the quirky personalities and easy way the girls get along. She met my lovebird Peeps and was surprised at his sweet snuggly personality (this was pre “I’m molting and I hate everything right now” Peeps).

Not being able to speak for Mary, she decided to add a Fischer’s Lovebird to her flock. He is an adult and was from a breeder who was closing out their shop. He managed to escape his cage and attacked one of her babies, it was a bloodbath. He hadn’t even gotten a name yet (not counting murderer) but Mary needed him gone so I took him in right away last Fri while she recovered and prepped her quarantine room.

I know my sweet girl will absolutely melt her heart, and I hope she will help Mary feel better knowing Big Mike’s origins. She’s a nerd and keeps singing “Budge in a box” to Big Mike lol so they’re already getting on well.

I’m trying to get them on here so we can get updates! I’m still trying to figure out what to name my new little guy but he’s such a silly guy and really likes running around upside down on the top of his cage. He’s obviously not used to being handled and screams like crazy, but once he’s in your hands he melts. He definitely hasn’t shown a mean streak yet, but he does like flock calling Peeps in the middle of the night

 

[Sylvester]

This wonderful story continues with it's happy endings. Thank you, and please do keep us posted.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Wow, so many changes! I’m sorry that Big Mike was causing your asthma to flare up, but it sounds like she has a good home now. How awful about your friends loss of her bird, but congratulations on your new Lovebird! You’ll have to post pictures when you get a chance, and I hope Mary joins AA!

 

[Beasley]

Yeah, it was really surprising because with Singulair I have been asymptomatic for years! Having to find my inhalers was definitely a wake up call.

My dream bird has always been a CAG, I planned on fostering then adopting an older bird some years down the road. But from my reading just on AA, it sounds like they cause respiratory issues with Macaws and that I may just have to love CAGs from afar if a tiny budgie can cause me to have breathing problems, I am going to have to be really careful with the more powdery fids. I always thought it was just mean of my mom to get rid of my cockatiels without telling me when I was a kid but maybe she saw her asthmatic child suffering and instead of trying to convince a little girl who loves her birds they have to go, she handled it and took the blame. She has always been more than willing to be the bad guy if that’s what was right for her girls.

I definitely will get pics up of him soon and keep nudging Mary towards AA!