Hand Fed/Raised Budgie Parakeet Babies in Colorado (Waiting List)

Our sweet baby budgies are selectively bred for temperament and handled daily. You aren’t likely to find birds like ours at a pet store (where they obtain their birds from large commercial production “bird mills”). This puts our babies in high demand and they are typically reserved before they are born. Once I receive your pre-adoption questionnaire, I’ll add your name to the waiting list below. I know it’s hard to wait — read about our specialized breeding program and then you’ll know why the wait is worth it! And take heart, the waiting list numbers typically decrease when confirmations and deposits are requested which will move your name up the list faster.

If you don’t want to wait for a baby budgie, we often have young adults available for immediate adoption. Like all of our birds, they eat an organic, wholesome diet and are provided opportunities for exercise, flight and play. Adult budgie adoption fees are inexpensive, too: $5 and up depending on age, color, variety, and level of training and/or tameness. Go to our Adults Currently Available page to see photos, descriptions and details.

PLEASE NOTE: After over 3 years without a vacation (raising birds is a 24/7 job), our family has decided to take some time off for extended traveling. Therefore we (and our budgies) are taking a break for several months. Feel free to submit your preadoption questionnaire and once we return, we will contact you in the order of date submitted. Thank you for your patience.

Our Adoption Procedure:

1. Respond to our pre-adoption questionnaire.
2. Email your responses to: Jen @ puppies are prozac . com (remove all spaces in the address first).
3. Upon approval of your questionnaire responses, I will add your name to the waiting list.
4. Once your name is up on our waiting list and we have 3 to 4 week old chicks, I will notify you to request a non-refundable deposit ($15 per budgie baby) that will apply towards your final purchase. I will also post photos and descriptions for your online viewing of each chick’s type, color, mutations, and gender. Chick selections will be honored in the order of the date each person was initially added to our waiting list. (If we don’t have what you want in that specific round, you can “skip” and make your selection from the next round of chicks instead.)
5. While waiting for your “Budgie Stork” to arrive, please read our care instruction page. Also take a look at the cages, foods, and supplies we offer just for our adopters!
6. Most budgie parakeets are weaned and ready to move to new homes when they are 6-8 weeks of age. Sorry, no shipping. Pick up is in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Breeding Schedule and Updates:

2012 Round 3 Hand-Raised Budgie Parakeet Baby Photos: 4/29/12 UPDATE: These 3 chicks are being hand-fed now and should be weaned and ready for new homes in late May 2012. We will contact those on our waiting list soon to request conformation and deposits.

PLEASE NOTE: After over 3 years without a vacation (raising birds is a 24/7 job), our family has decided to take some time off for extended traveling. Therefore we (and our budgies) are taking a break for several months. Feel free to submit your preadoption questionnaire and once we return, we will contact you in the order of date submitted. Thank you for your patience.

Babies we’ve placed with new families — see for yourself how stinkin’ cute they are (and how we raise ‘em)!

How long does the laying, hatching, hand-feeding and weaning process take?

Tiny, pink babies hatch from tiny eggs. We let momma bird feed them in the nest for the first 3 weeks, then we take over with around-the-clock handfeeding so they grow up tame, tame, tame!

Once a breeding pair is placed together in a separate flight cage with an attached nest box, they typically spend 2-3 weeks bonding, then mating, before the first egg is laid. The hen (momma parakeet) lays one egg every-other-day until she has 2-8 eggs in her clutch (4-6 is typical). She incubates the eggs (lays on them to keep them warm) for 18-21 days until they hatch.

We let the hen feed her tiny hatchlings for the first 3 weeks so they get a good dose of the immunities found in the hen’s crop milk. Then we remove the babies from the nest box, place them in a temperature controlled brooder, and give them round-the-clock hand-feedings, care and affection for another 3 to 5 weeks. Therefore, assuming all goes well, we have tame babies weaned and ready for new homes 12-15 weeks after the breeding pair is put together (9-10 weeks after eggs are laid).

Waiting List for Baby Budgie Parakeets:

People who have requested to SKIP a round (or more) because the timing isn’t right, they want a different color, etc:

1. SKIPPED 3x (waiting for specific mutations) 4/26/11: 2 for Vickie/Victoria K in Colorado Springs, CO (DEPOSIT PAID, M, opaline spangle / light green greywing)
2. SKIPPED 3x (illness in family): 6/11/11: 1 Juay McC… Fort Collins, CO (m. E. yellow)
3. SKIPPED 2x (moving, wait until 2013): 6/30/11: 2 Carroll Harr… Boulder, CO (any, or hf adults)
4. SKIPPED (until further notice): 10/1/11: 2 Jennifer Wal… Centennial, CO (same gen, A or X)
5. SKIPPED 1x. 10/13/11: 1 Leanna Kir… Arvada, CO (M, A or X)
6. SKIPPED 1x (waiting for specific mutation and gender). 10/26/11: 2 Denise Bog… Livingston, Montana (2 spangle males, X, kit and gym)
7. SKIPPED 1x (timing). 11/28/11: 1 Marie Win… Steamboat, CO (has Buddy/Hopi and Maya)
8. SKIPPED 1x (not in area). 12/1/11: 2 Serese and Faye Kud… Pinedale WY (same gen, E or X)
9. SKIPPED 1x (timing). 12/5/12: 2 Molly Ire… and Katie Bir… Aspen, Colorado (M/any, has M companion+Oedipus)
10. SKIPPED 1x (timing).  12/7/11: 1-2 Ema Lev… Denver, CO (or hf adult; has companion, A, needs larger cage)

Remainder of the waiting list for FUTURE baby budgies (see “Breeding Schedule and Updates” above):

1. First pick(s) from each clutch for Jen, the breeder. (When I keep babies, I usually offer a similar number of young adult budgies from previous clutches to adopters on this list.)
2. 2/29/12: 2 Carol Hall… Boulder, CO (m, needs cage)
3. 3/3/12: 2 Chris and Jill Pant… Westminster, CO (any)
4. 3/14/12: 2 Marsha Ster… Boulder, CO (baby or adult, any)
5. 3/15/12: 1 Becky Edwa… Centennial, CO (any)
6. 3/16/12: 1-2 Andrea Jone… Golden, CO (m)
7. 3/31/12: 1 Becky McCli… Ronan, Montana (m, X, therapy bird)
8. 4/2/12: 3 Sophie Pepp… Highlands Ranch, CO (X, any)
9. 4/2/12: 1 Thomas Fren… Colorado Springs, CO (m, A)
10. 4/4/12: 4 Kathryn (Katie) Grubb-Grover… Dubois, WY (hb or tame adult, any)
11. 4/27/12: 2 JD Wide… Fort Collins, CO (any, cage?)
12. 4/28/12: 1 Rebecca Fry… Parker, CO (X, has companion)
13. 4/28/12: 1 Pam Groe… Greeley, CO (has companion)
14. 4/29/12: 1 Karen McBet… Loveland, CO (or adult, any, needs larger cage)
15. 5/1/12: 2 Sara Huth… Estes, CO (any, blue)

Prices:

American Parakeet (left) compared to an English Budgie (right). Same species, just different types. And yes, the two types can live together in the same cage -- these two are best buddies in our aviary.

Baby AMERICAN PARAKEET (hand fed/raised, socialized, selectively bred for temperament):
Green or Gray (normal or opaline) = $60
Blue (normal or opaline) = $70
Spangle, Yellowfaced Blue or Gray, Pied, Greywing, Cinnamon-wing, Albino, Lutino = $80
Rare (Violet, Rainbow Spangle, Texas Clearbody) = $90 and up

Baby ENGLISH BUDGIE x AMERICAN PARAKEET CROSS (hand fed/raised, socialized, selectively bred for temperament):
Green or Gray (normal or opaline) = $75
Blue (normal or opaline) = $85
Spangle, Yellowfaced Blue or Gray, Pied, Greywing, Cinnamon-wing, Albino, Lutino = $95
Rare (Violet, Rainbow Spangle, Texas Clearbody) = $105 and up

Baby ENGLISH BUDGIE (hand fed/raised, socialized, selectively bred for temperament):
Green or Gray (normal or opaline) = $90
Blue (normal or opaline) = $100
Spangle, Yellowfaced Blue or Gray, Pied, Greywing, Cinnamon-wing, Albino, Lutino = $110
Rare (Violet, Rainbow Spangle, Texas Clearbody) = $120 and up

Adults:
$5 and up depending on age, color, variety and tameness. Go to our Adults Currently Available page to see photos, descriptions and details.

(Please note that as the price of organic food, formula and other bird care supplies increase, our adoption fees are subject to change as well.)

FAQ

What is the difference between an American parakeet and an English budgie?

Can males and females share the same cage without laying eggs?

What do the budgie parakeet colors and mutations indicate?

How do I train, tame, and bond with my budgie parakeet?

What cage, supplies and foods will I need for my new budgie(s)?

More Budgie Parakeet Pages:

Hand-fed Budgies and Parakeets available in Colorado!: Our family raises, hand-feeds, trains and adores Budgie Parakeets. Learn more about our selective breeding program and view our gorgeous, tame birds.

Inside Our Aviary: See where our birds live — flight enclosures, breeding room, play gyms.

Our Flock of Adult Budgie Parakeets: Take a peek at our gorgeous feathered friends. Lots of photos!

Adorable Pictures of Our Hand-fed Babies: Come ooh and aahh over all the cuteness and watch them grow up!

Pre-Adoption Questionnaire: If you are interested in adopting one (or more) of our parakeets when they become available, please respond to these questions.

Budgie Baby Waiting List: I know how hard it is to wait when you’re excited but I promise you, the wait is worth it!

FAQ (frequently asked questions): What is a Budgie Parakeet’s personality like? What are the differences between American Parakeets and English Budgies? How do you tell a male from a female? Should you keep one, two or more? How long do they live? Where did the species originate?

How To Care For Your Pet Budgie Parakeet: Learn about housing, cages, homemade aviaries, cleaning tips, health, safety, nutrition, exercise, playtime activities, toys, and more.

Bird Nutrition and Food Recommendations: Malnourishment is a leading cause of premature death in pet birds. We provide lists of healthy foods, and tell you how to grow your own sprouts.

Training, Talking, Tricks: Entertaining video demonstrations and informative tips.

Colors, Varieties, Mutations, Genetics: Budgie Parakeets come in a rainbow of colors. This page has beautiful photos and variety descriptions.

Bird and Parrot Playgyms, Stands and Perches for Sale: Learn how to make your own — or order a custom one from us.

Homemade Aviaries and Flight Cages: How to convert used furniture into large flight cages and beautiful indoor aviaries.