Regardless of whether you are a beginner at owning bird pets, or a seasoned pro, budgies are generally ideal small pets. These colorful tiny birds have a personality that makes up for their size while also being quite affectionate and easy to care for. In this article we offer a few tips that may help you to care for your lovable budgie.
Are Budgies Good Pets for Beginners
Budgies are usually regarded as good pets and actually the best “starter bird” for those people that love birds and are ready to bring one as a pet into their lives.
The budgie, or sometimes referred to as parakeet, is a small colorful bird originating from Australia that is both really easy and really affordable to take care for. Budgies are delightful, lovable, affectionate, and you can even teach them a few words if you have the patience and pay attention to their needs.
Should you get one budgie or two of them
Even though individual personalities differ, most budgies are generally active and playful, so if you fancy yourself the type of pet parent that has a lot of time to dedicate to your little winged friend, then keeping a single budgie would be more than fine.
However, if you are not sure how much time you can dedicate to interact and bond with your bird pet, then it may be for the best that you get a pair so neither get lonely, bored and ultimately destructive. With all that said, solo budgies are much more likely to learn to speak compared to those that have companions sharing their space.
Once you’re in the choosing process it is always a good idea to look for budgies (and birds in general), that have been hand – fed as babies and were handled often by humans when they were young. This will help a bit to make sure that your pet budgie won’t be too afraid or nervous of you or other humans that live in your household.
How to take care of a budgie
Like we mentioned before, budgies make good starter pets for new pet owners that are basically beginners in this area. Here we have a few guidelines on how to care for your pet budgie.
How to pick a cage
- Make sure to buy the largest and the best quality cage that you can afford, and to make it fit into your space. It is also important that the cage can provide enough space for your budgie to extend their wings and flap without touching the sides of it.
- Add on to the budgies cage a variety of perches so that they can move around freely and change positions with ease. Make sure to include one concrete perch to aid in keeping your budgie’s nails trimmed, and do not place a perch directly over food and water since this could lead to contamination.
- Put the cage in a space where they will be able to see you or family members moving around, make them feel like they are part of the family. The most ideal place to put the cage would be a spot with a lot of natural light but still out of direct sunlight or drafts.
- Make sure to clean your budgie’s cage at least once per week and also scrub the food and water bowls, toys and the bottom of the cage with hot soapy water, and of course, rinse it well after.
Regarding entertainment
- It doesn’t matter whether you own a solo budgie or a pair of them, one of your top priorities is going to be their entertainment. These birds are really intelligent and active so they require a lot of mental stimulation to keep them occupied.
- Give your little winged friends a variety of bird specific toys that won’t catch on their beaks or tails. Additionally, look for budgie specific mirrors, swings and chew toys alike in order to avoid any potential choking hazards and toxic materials.
- One great way of giving your budgie a lot of exercise it to let it roam freely outside the cage, with supervision, of course. Limit the budgies access to only one room and make sure there are no hot elements or open windows that may ultimately cause your budgie harm. There are bird specific play gyms that you can go to help in keeping your budgie both occupied and happy while they enjoy their time outside their cage.
Regarding their diet
- About 75 percent of your budgies diet should definitely be a specially formulated pellet food for small parrot breeds, and the remaining 25 percent should consist of various fresh foods such as leafy greens, sprouted greens and fruits. For more info on what to feed your budgie consult with your veterinarian.
- It is crucial to always have clean and fresh water in close proximity to your budgie. Also, you will need to change your budgies water daily to keep that bird staying happy and healthy.
Regarding budgie health
- Before even considering purchasing or adopting a budgie, make sure you find a vet in your area that specializes or has training in the treatment of avian patients. Knowing where to look for help quickly is key for when your budgie falls ill.
- You should take your budgie to an avian vet biannually for a standard check up which includes blood work, a fecal exam and a wing or nail trim, if it is required.
- Some of the most common health issues that are seen in budgies are obesity, parasites, overgrown beak and nails, chronic egg laying and egg binding. If you have any concerns about your budgies health you need to get in contact with your vet immediately.
