Questions re Budgies

[lmnjmom3]

Good morning: I plan to purchase two male budgies for our family, as my children love animals, and we recently lost our beloved 16 yo dog, which has been very painful. I had budgies as a child, and they gave me such joy, and I am willing to make a long-term commitment to making budgies a part of our lives. I want to provide them with the best care possible, so please advise as to what size cage to acquire, whether you agree that two male budgies would be a good choice, and what is the very best food to purchase for long-term health and well-being. I have never joined a forum, and have no social media, so reaching out in this way is new for me. Thank you for your assistance with these important questions.

 

[BirdWorld]

I'm sorry about the loss of your dog, that must've been hard
The best cage is the biggest one you can afford and have space for, and bar spacing should not be more than half an inch. Two male budgies is the best option if you don't want the hassle of eggs and possible mating, and girls can get feisty. Two females sometimes won't get along too well because girls will be dominant and having two can lead to fighting. Food should be pellets, as well as vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, carrots, etc) and seeds. Fruit is good as treats. Here is a great link for choosing a pellet brand: Pellets for Parrots
You will also want to give lots of shredding and foraging toys, and natural wood perches. Hope this helps

 

[Mizzely]

For two I would look at a flight cage; usually about 30x18. Height is not as important as length and width; birds fly like planes, not helicopters

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue!

I´m very sorry to hear your dog passed away. Sending kindest thoughts your way.

 

[Ripshod]

 

[Lady Jane]

Flight cages are your best bet. Please looking into adoption as many need homes. Usually a bird rescue has budgies in pairs. How old are your children if I may ask? Birds generally do not light youngsters that are loud, run around a lot, make lots of noise and fast hand movements so you could teach them these things. If you purchase a budgies from a pet store or breeder good chance the flight feathers will be cut for their own purposes. It take almost a year for re growth. Lack of flight will and can harm the health and confidence of a bird. Also check into an avian vet ahead of time so you will know who to go to when needed. Bird safety of important in the bird room and in the cage. Toys can be dangerous. We have a thread here in the safety form for dangerous toys.

As said a flight cage is the best for two budgies and we have wonderful vendors here that make great and safe toys you can purchase. @Mizzely specializes in bird toys for little birds. As far as food goes lots of chopped veggies (yellow and red especially), pellets, good quality seed and you can make very health birdie bread for them. Look up avian organics for the bread mixes here on AA. Bottom of screen. Good lighting, natural perches, swings, ladders and foraging toys are good too. If you live in Canada @PoukieBear is an excellent breeder. Save your newspaper for the bottom of the cage, over the grate. A hand held vacuum is handy to clean under the cage.

Do you know how to tell the difference between male and female? If they are very young with head bars it can be difficult. Do you prefer the budgies are siblings or not? If you get the pair separately from different places that you should quarantine both of them for at least 30 days.

As far as bird food brands I suggest you stay away from Kaytee as it is very low quality. Also make sure the food is small enough for a budgie. I got Harrisons Pellets in super fine or extra small for mine. We are here for you should you have any questions.

 

[Lady Jane]

Here are a few links for you:

Links & News (lilmonstersbirdtoys.com)

Amazon.com : Harrison's Adult Lifetime Super Fine 3lb : Harrison S Bird Food : Pet Supplies

!! Dangerous toys list !! (read from beginning)

Easy Organic Bird Bread Mixes ~ Organic Parrot Food ~ NO GMO & Sugars, Whole Grains (avianorganics.com)

Vitamin D3 for Our Birds (lilmonstersbirdtoys.com)

 

[Sunni Tiel]

Flight cages are a great size, it was mentioned before that budgies move side to side more than up and down, you will want a long cage. Get the biggest cage you can afford, your birds will be grateful. Yes I believe a pair of males will be the best, females tend to be more nippy and bossy. Pellets should be the main diet, with plenty of veggies offered daily along with some seeds and fruits. Good luck finding your feathered friends!
Sorry if I repeated previous posts.

 

[Sparkles99]

 

[Guava123]

Good morning: I plan to purchase two male budgies for our family, as my children love animals, and we recently lost our beloved 16 yo dog, which has been very painful. I had budgies as a child, and they gave me such joy, and I am willing to make a long-term commitment to making budgies a part of our lives. I want to provide them with the best care possible, so please advise as to what size cage to acquire, whether you agree that two male budgies would be a good choice, and what is the very best food to purchase for long-term health and well-being. I have never joined a forum, and have no social media, so reaching out in this way is new for me. Thank you for your assistance with these important questions.
[/
Birds are a very long term commitment. I will link you to some YouTubers and I think you should watch their videos for a few months before deciding to get some.
You could get them an aviary, which is best, but an aviary would cost a few thousand dollars.
I'm concerned about the kids-if they're really young, maybe don't get them birds, as they might crush them accidentally. If they're twelve or thirteen and kind, I think they can handle small animals.
I recommend, if you do get two males, get two A and E flight cages.
I also recommend securing an avian vet before you get them.
For food, budgies need high quality pellets and vegetables. I recommend Tops pellets.

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Questions-how much money are you willing to spend on these birds and how much time do you have a day to train the bird? Are you planning on moving?

 

[Shezbug]

Welcome to the Avenue

 

[BirdWorld]

females tend to be more nippy and bossy.

But who wouldn’t love a sassy girl?

 

[hilarys]

So great that you're reaching out for advice before getting a bird. I wish I had thought to do that but I just jumped right in lol. Welcome! So sorry to hear about your dog. </3