I need help with new budgie

[Mua]

I just got a new budgie yesterday and her name is Kori. I left her alone for several hours to adjust. I provided her with a full water and food bowl at the bottom of her cage and when I came back she didnt touch it at all and it didnt seem like she moved either. This morning I looked at her bowls and they looked the same.


I've been near her cage all day and she didnt eat her food on her own and she would only eat with bird noises playing or from the tips of my fingers. she also only had a sip of water when I held the bowl to her chest.

She also doesn't fly around much and she has a decent sized cage too. I haven't seen her play with any of her four toys (I'm getting more soon) Most of the time she stays on the top perch and stares at nothing.


Then I put millet in one of her toys and to my surprise she actually played with the toy and ate from it.

Since then she has been eating the millet and im not sure if she will ever only eat the millet or if it is unhealthy. Should I continue hand feeding her or let her learn how to eat herself? Also I'm not sure how to engage her into playing with the toys. Help?

 

[Zoepr143]

It’s common behavior in new budgies, she might need more time than you think. Just let her be and once you see she is more comfortable (chriping, moving around etc.) you can continue. For example: i got three new budgies recently and two of them bonded almost instantly with me but for the male budgie (rio) it took him ~ 3 months to fully adjust. It is a really good sign that she will eat seeds off of your fingertips, but I would try to let her figure out where to find her food in her cage. Don’t get me wrong, the hand feeding is good because it creates a bond but that shouldn’t be her only way of eating. I’m glad she has a nice big cage and enough toys to play with.
I hope this helped, good luck..she’s adorable!!
And welcome to the avenue btw

 

[Jas]

I wouldn't stress too much at this moment in time time as she is still adjusting to her new life. Put millet near her food and water to show her where they are.

As for toys my guys will only shred toys like paper, cotton/sisal, lattice, yucca and pick the bark of branches. She may not know how to play with toys yet so you could show her, put millet in it (also a little foraging) and give her different toys to see what she prefers (chewing, shredding, climbing etc).

 

[LunaLovebird]

Try moving the food and water higher up. It's a new and scary place for your budgie, and being high up feels safer for them. He's likely too scared to venture down there.

 

[Monica]

You have a male budgie

Height equals safety

Being down low can be dangerous

Putting food at the bottom of the cage is putting the food out of reach. The food should be as close as possible to the perches that he is using.



It's been a few days now and I hope he's eating.

 

[Mizzely]

Yes, put food up high to make it easier access

In the wild, if birds are quiet, there is danger nearby. He is likely used to a lot of noise and chatter, so it feels unsafe. When you play the bird noises, all is "right in the forest" and it is safe to eat.

They just need time

 

[Barbara2]

He is beautiful. Ho pet he is doing well now

 

[Lady Jane]

So did you move the food dishes up and make your home bird safe?

 

[Mua]

So did you move the food dishes up and make your home bird safe?

I have a cage that came with bowls and openings at the bottom so I couldnt move them, so I waited a day before I bought new ones and when I woke up I saw her eating

She has only been eating when im not around, guess shes afraid of me

Everythings fine now, she flys around and eats and even makes noises.

 

[Mua]

He is beautiful. Ho pet he is doing well now

He/She is

 

[Lady Jane]

Do you have one of those Vision cages?

 

[Mua]

Do you have one of those Vision cages?

No, mine is a prevue cage. I did end up making a little bird feeder thing at the top.
(She wouldnt stop eating for a pic, lol)

 

[Monica]

That's good that he's eating!


As he becomes comfortable and more confident, he'd be willing to explore his cage more and perhaps eat from his dishes.


As a side note, I only feed my birds as much dry food as they'd eat in a day and then some. I do not fill the dishes up and refresh "as needed". You can end up with too much hulls in the seed dish so it looks like it's full of food when it's not.

 

[JLcribber]

I left her alone for several hours to adjust.

No bird on this planet adjusts in several hours. She doesn’t know you at all and has no reason to trust you. So yes you hovering over the cage scares the crap out of her. A bird in fear/danger does not eat or drink because that is when they are the most vulnerable.

Perhaps in a month or two she will “begin” to adjust and actually start to trust you.

This entire “journey” (not a race) is about “patience”.

 

[Mua]

No bird on this planet adjusts in several hours. She doesn’t know you at all and has no reason to trust you. So yes you hovering over the cage scares the crap out of her.

Her cage is in my bedroom so by me being near her that is what I meant.

When I posted this thread I was just very anxious and wanted to make sure I wasn't going to hurt her in any way possible because of this being my first time owning a bird.

I have had her for two weeks now and she does eat and drink and isn't too afraid of me (as long as I have seed in my hand, lol)

I might have over exaggerated the whole thing but I made two threads because of that and I got some amazing advice from it so I guess it all worked out fine.

 

[gabe_]

Yes, my three budgies took about two days to even come down from their high perch, they were terrified. Quite funny though, I have the exact same toy you do and I also put little millet balls every one in a while! Tiki and Mango go crazy when I do, and it's really funny to watch them nibble away. Talk to your birds often, and don't try putting your hand in until he/she starts eating more. Go slowly and show him/her you don't mean any harm every day until they start getting comfortable. After a week of having them, I put my hand in with some seed and they took it, which was a great sign of progress. Although they haven't bonded fully to me, they're great little birds!