Budgie Parakeet Care: Tips, Articles and Links

Our Budgie Parakeets

Health and Safety

Most homes are full of things that can pose a serious threat to pet birds. For instance, common household cleansers, fragrances and fumes can be toxic — even deadly — to our feathered friends. We clean our entire house with only water, vinegar and baking soda — it’s very effective, inexpensive, and improves indoor air quality for birds and humans alike. Please review the following links for other ideas on how to keep your pet safe.

Nutrition

Seed mixes are NOT a complete diet. One of the leading causes of early death in parakeets and other parrots is improper nutrition. Furthermore, “Avian veterinarians estimate that poor nourishment is the underlying cause of about 75 to 80 percent of the medical problems they see.” (source: Bird Talk April 2010)

Cages and Housing

Cage size and specifications:

For one small bird, choose a cage that is at least 20″ wide x 18″ deep x 18″ high. For two small birds: 30′ wide by 18″ deep x 18″ high or larger. There is no such thing as a “too big” cage. Get as wide a cage as you can afford (rather than tall) because birds are not helicopters; they fly sideways, NOT straight up an down. Small birds need a between-the-bars spacing of 1/2 inch (0.5″) or less. The door should be as large as possible to allow easy access to take the bird in and out: at least 7″ wide by 7″ high — but larger is much better.

Avoid round cages as these don’t provide very much usable space, plus they have bars that converge at the top that can pinch and damage toes. Choose a wide cage with a flat roof as you’ll find that you can make better use of the space for hanging toys and perches. Place the perches to allow your bird to fly back and forward across the longest part of the cage. Don’t put any perches or toys over the food and water dishes where poop will fall into them.

Essentials to include in the cage:

  • Perches: 3 or more of various sizes and materials to exercise your bird’s feet: natural wood branches from pesticide-free and non-toxic trees (e.g., Northern hardwoods, citrus, eucalyptus, Australian pine), tight-woven cotton or sisal rope, a swing. To keep nails from growing too long, make sure to include perches that the bird’s feet cover 3/4 or less around so their nails come into contact with the sides of the perch. Do NOT use sandpaper-covered perches because they can cause injuries to feet. Birds prefer to spend most of their time perched as high as they can in the cage, so try placing two up high; one on each side of the cage so they will get exercise flying back and forth between them.
  • 1 feed cup, 1 water cup, 1 veggies cup
  • 3 toys which are rotated with other toys every week (birds are intelligent and get bored of the same old toys)
  • A cuttlebone and a mineral block

Where to place the cage:

The cage should be placed off the floor in an area that is well-lit (but not in direct sun) and away from drafts. Locate the cage in an area where there is plenty of family activity because most parrots love attention, noise and commotion — but do allow your birds to get 10 hours of sleep per night. DO NOT put the cage in the kitchen because birds can be killed by harmful fumes like heated Teflon. Steer clear of rooms where people smoke, and where room fresheners or other toxic household fragrances or fumes are present.

Cleaning:

Don’t buy pelleted bedding, corn cob, or wood shavings because they an be ingested and/or grow mold. Instead, line the bottom of the cage with paper towels or newspaper. Be prepared to replace the liner paper daily to prevent dangerous food spoilage. Fill a spray bottle with 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water and use this non-toxic mixture to thoroughly clean the cage once per week or more often as needed.

Bathing

Bathing stimulates normal grooming behavior and decreases dust and dander. Give your bird a bath or shower two or three times a week. Bathing can be accomplished by offering either a flat dish that your bird can step into and throw water on itself, or by spraying your bird with a light mist of lukewarm water from a clean spray bottle.

Playtime Activities

Exercise and play are important activities for the physical well-being and psychological health of your pet bird. Watch out for toys that have “jingle” type bells on them because your bird can get its beak, feet, head, tongue or feathers stuck in the bell. If you get a rope toy, watch for fraying that can tangle around your bird’s feet and toes. Make sure toys do not contain any lead, zinc, lead and lead-based paints, or anything so small that they can break it off and swallow it.

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