Hi all, new budgie owner to be !

[Miss_sj]

Hi all!

I am not yet a proud bird owner but I am planning to be so I thought I would come and introduce myself. I had two very sweet little budgies as a teenager and love them- I have always wanted to continue having them but until now haven’t had the time or space to properly care for them. I’m moving into a new home in a month and once I am settled I plan on finally having a budgie JJ

I’m still collecting research so I am open to any tips, tricks or hints! My plan is to initially start with one baby budgie, and spend some time with it, and once we are familiar with one another introducing a second budgie. This is what we did the first time around, and it worked really well as the first budgie was extremely tame and the second one basically just copied him.

The main thing I am a little nervous about is I think I got very lucky with a very unusual budgie- I had expected it to take a long time to finger tame him but he was unusually confident and friendly and was happily flying to me after around two weeks of bringing him home. The taming process was ridiculously easy and he lived to the ripe old age of fourteen and really only became friendlier and happier with age! He was not a hand raised baby and I understand that this is not the usual experience with budgies so I am wondering what it will be like to have a brand new budgie! Would you recommend having a hand raised baby, or not? I would like to be able to let the budgies fly out of the cage around the home and be interactive with me, but I also want them to be able to bond with one another and play with their toys etc.

Sorry if I'm asking a dumb question- still learning!

 

[cassiesdad]

Welcome to the Avenue.

Your plan is a sound one...bringing one budgie home at a time does offer you the chance to give more quality time to each bird separately, I believe. Every budgie is a unique bird, so they will different in their "training"...that's what makes it more fun...to explore each bird's personality!

Sorry if I'm asking a dumb question- still learning!

There are no "dumb" questions...all questions are legitimate questions in some way.

As for "hand raised" or not...you don't know what another person's definition of "hand raised" is...it's hard to define. The person might have done a great job- or a bad job - in their hand raising. And "hand raised" birds are always more expensive than "non hand raised" birds.

I submit that the more important thing is if you make a "connection" with the baby bird...if you're lucky, an immediate connection might form between you and a bird...

 

[PoukieBear]

I agree, your plan is a good one!

Start looking around in your area for a good breeder, you might get lucky and find a hand tame baby. Note: Hand tame babies don't NEED to be "Hand raised" meaning hand fed by human parents instead of budgie parents. When I breed, I let the budgie parents do all the hard work with feeding, and I handle the babies every day to make sure they are used to human hands, know how to step up, and they are completely hand tame by the time they go home.

Look for a breeder that is willing to let you come see the chicks, see how they are being housed, and see the parents. Cages should be clean, nest box should be clean, lots of different food available, clean food and water dishes. Basically, use your best judgment and common sense.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Welcome Stacie! I'm glad to hear you will be adding sweet birds to your family soon.
In my experience, both birds here have the ability to be as tame as your bird you had as a teen, but I am not very assertive with them. So I wonder sometimes if I should be more 'pushy', but I am happy if they are, so I guess that is all that counts.

There is a link here to a diary of mine from the time I got each of them... in case you would like to read it! Fergus and Fiona Diary / Log of training and daily adventures beginning JUNE 2017 | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

 

[Miss_sj]

Thanks all!!
I am super excited and just wish I could pick up the budgie now but I know I have to wait to move.
My boyfriend's work colleague knows a bird breeder who has offered me a little baby budgie.

I've been confused about hand raised birds as my grandmother had a hand raised cockatiel and he was extremely anxious demanding and needy, and was distressed whenever he couldn't see her!

 

[Lady Jane]

You have had excellent advice. Only thing I can add is to hook up with an avian before you get the budgie. Good luck and keep us posted please.

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Miss_sj]

Thanks for all of the welcomes and wonderful advice!

I'm moving next weekend and then will be ready to start looking around

I've done a bit more looking around, and the australia budgerigar society has a list of reputable breeders who sell show budgies. What is different about a show budgie?

 

[Shezbug]

Welcome

 

[Lady Jane]

Show budgies will cost more. They are usually an unusual mutation and good feathering. If they are sold as companion birds there would be something that does not follow the show rules, usually about the appearance. My Murphy is from a show line of budgies and is quite the handsome fellow.

 

[expressmailtome]

Welcome, and enjoy the site!

 

[Miss_sj]

I'm in love with this little guy and seriously considering it

What do you make of the little black mark on his beak? Is it normal?

 

[Miss_sj]

Another pic.

 

[Lady Jane]

Could be just be dirty there? Young babies can have black spots on beak sometimes.

 

[Miss_sj]

Hi all!!! Thanks for the wonderful advice recieved!

After getting settled into my new home, I FINALLY did it!!!

I'll try to add a picture below.

I have a gorgeous little blue and white guy (80% sure its a he) who I picked up today. I was prepared for him to be scared but he has been chattering away, playing and eating. He really is the sweetest!

I just need a name!!

Thanks to everyone who gave advice, it was great advice that helped inform me.

Shortly after taking him home I broke my hand (thats a story for another day) soooo thats annoying. My boyfriend is going to help me out with caring for him until I have two working hands!

 

[Miss_sj]

Here he is! Hoping the perfect name will come to me!

My boyfriend made it clear when I got him that he would be my pet and I would be 100% responsible for his care, totally reasonable as I'm the one who wanted him. I ended up being in emergency for hours with my hand and the two of them were home alone together and totally bonded. My boyfriend is smitten with him (and the budgie seems very comfortable with him too), so unexpected, and wants to be involved now!

 

[cassiesdad]

Welcome to the Avenue, little one!

He's a cutie, to be sure...sorry about your hand...

 

[Miss_sj]

Thanks! He sure is a cutie!! The sweetest little personality too.

He really fought sleep tonight, I think just the new environment but he finally crashed out at 8.30. I had a peek and he has his little head tucked under his wing.

 

[cassiesdad]

Definitely a little cutie!

...a heads up...please make sure that he has some different perches to use...the wooden dowels are really hard on little feet...