Wait... Only the females make the annoying ack ack ack sound? The one that sounds like they are mad? Maybe I am thinking of a different sound because I have always considered it a scolding sound but I also have not heard Cuppy do it. Hmmmmm
All my budgies make that noise when some other birdie invades their airspace or dares SIT on their cage! It is then followed by "Budgie Toe Patrol"...they try to bite any foot on the cage..Only the females make the annoying ack ack ack sound? The one that sounds like they are mad?
I am sorry for your loss.I remember Floppy he was never a cuddle bird but would occasionally go on my shoulder and chirp but he died of liver disease I still miss him very much.
What happened with me and my budgie, my dad got her for me when I was young, it was a surprise. I DO NOT recommend getting a child a surprise budgie (because it happens a lot.) Reason for this is because the child will more than likely not do the research, or take good care of it. I didn't when I first got her, she was miserable. It was a good thing I actually turned out to be a huge bird person when I got older. She had a sad childhood because I was still young and naive.
PS - - She's super happy and healthier now, she has been for a few years But it is foolish to think a child (In most cases) will give a bunch of love and bring good health to a bird. Just because they are very cheap does not mean you can just set it down and leave it to die. Wouldn't recommend buying any bird from a pet store either. Next budgie I get will definitely be from a bird breeder. Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's talk about the whole topic this forum's about. This is in my experience as a budgerigar owner.
THE GOOD
There's a lot of good things about parakeets, one being how lovely and adorable they are... They aren't very expensive, so if you don't have a lot of money (money in the sense of owning a macaw) and you're a bird person I would recommend these cute birds. They do chirp, but most of their sounds are very pretty, unless they do an annoyed squawk, which in my case doesn't happen very often. If they are tamed, they have the potential to be super cuddly. Even though they are very small, each and every one of them have a huge unique personality. For example, mine doesn't like hand contact, or to cuddle, she refuses to eat fruits, she loves mirrors, but there are some that are the complete opposite Their cages are super easy to clean, their poops are even easier to clean considering how small they get and how fast they dry. (mine watches TV.... it's super cute)
THE BAD
They are FU-SSY Mine personally will fly in circles when I bring my hands remotely close to her. Her bites are bad, but she doesn't latch on and stay there like a cockatiel would. She hates baths, which is very frustrating because they need one at least once a month, so it's he** trying to spray her with a water bottle. They are very picky eaters. Mine won't eat fruits and will only eat seeds (which is bad for a bird's diet). So I have to make sure I get her a seed brand that gives her all of nutrients and vitamins she would get in fruits. Very expensive compared to the regular seed blend you would buy... Another big issue that at least mine has, she won't take her frustration out on chew toys, like cardboard or paper toys. She won't even touch them, therefore she'll take her anger out on other things, like her cage bars, her mirrors... me BY the way, if you want to bond with your bird, and spend the majority f your time with it, I don't recommend putting mirrors in their cages. Since I just plopped them in her cage when I was younger, she bonded with all three of them, now if I take them away she will get depressed.
That's it, just remember to do tons upon tons of research before you get any animal, and you'll be set
Jem
Cinder, Kiwi, Jewel
R-I-P