Budgerigar World Help Line
A Selection of QuestionsCocks & Hens
Submitted by: Paul rsmin@ozemail.com
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: Hi, I'm only 12 years old and I'm doing a project on budgies. If you can I would
appreciate it if you could reply to me about these questions. a) How can you tell if
budgies are female or male. b) Tell me about their habitat in the wild and in a cage. c)
Tell me a bit about their feet, wings and their feathers and any more general information.
Thank you, Paul.
Hallo Paul,
Male budgerigars have a blue patch of skin above their beaks, where their nostrils are.
This is called the cere. On the female budgerigar it is brown. There are a couple of
exceptions to this across the various varieties of budgie. The main ones are Lutinos and
Albinos plus Recessive Pieds. On these varieties the cocks cere tends to be a fleshy pink.
They come from Australia originally but very few have been exported from the wild for something like 100 years. The UK are reputed to have the best show birds in the world and some of these have been exported back to Australia in the past 10 years.
I suggest that you look at some of the articles that are linked to www.budgerigarworld.com for more details and the rest of your answers. Doing your own research is the best way to learn.
Good luck with your project.
Regards,
Terry
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Diseases
Submitted by: Julie, silverj@mailcity.com
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: I'm really interested in getting a budgerigar. My mom won't agree to it because
she's afraid of diseases they could have and pass on to humans. Is there anything she
should be afraid of?
Hi Julie,
Although there are a couple of diseases that can be passed to people by parrot-like birds
this is very rare, especially when the bird is a pet. Millions of people all over the
world have pet budgies as they are great entertainment, have low running costs, are cheap
to buy and live a long time. If you buy a baby at about 6 weeks old they tame easily and
can become a great friend. Cock birds are especially the best as they tend to be more
gentle than hens (hens can bite quite hard) and learn to talk easier. I have been breeding
budgies for more than 20 years and currently own more than 400. We have had no problems
with disease. Please tell your mom that she has no need to worry.
Regards,
Terry
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French Moult
Submitted by: L R COOPER rosy@netactive.co.za
Type? Exhibition Varieties
Status: Champion
Question: Are there any remedies for French Moult?
Hi,
It is now generally accepted that a virus causes FM. Unless the affected bird is severe in
its affliction they will usually recover fully as their immune system combats the virus.
For prevention it is suggested that a virusidal disinfectant is used regularly, such as
Virkon S.
Regards,
Terry
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Lovebirds Feeding Budgie
Chicks
Submitted by: Yossy Raiko raikoy@cs.bgu.ac.il
Type? Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: I also have a couple of Lovebirds, and I want to put their eggs to my
Budgerigars, because they are better parents. Can I do it? Will they know how to feed the
"babies"?
Hi Yossy,
Personally I do not think Budgies will feed your lovebirds because Budgerigars are one of
the few varieties of bird that feed their young on their backs. If you try it let me know
what happens.
Regards,
Terry
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Breeding Season
Submitted by: Mona Dwidar IwonaD@aol.com
Type?: Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: Do Budgies have a special breeding season?
Hi Mona,
Only in the wild at the time when food is plentiful. In cages or aviaries, so long as the
birds are old enough and fit (not in a moult) then they should breed OK. Spring is the
best time.
Regards
Terry
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Chirpy
Submitted by: Sherri slj84@yahoo.com
Type?: Pet Owner
Status: Junior
Question: I just bought two female keets from a pet shop, they are about 16 - 18 weeks
old, and one keeps balancing on one foot and wobbling back and forth. It is in a really
chirpy mood and is bigger then my 6 month old parakeet and my other 16-18 year old
parakeet. Is that a sign that she could be pregnant, and if it is will she lay the eggs
without a nesting box?
Thanks
Sherri
Hi Sherri,
Budgerigars seldom lay eggs without a nest box being in place. Also, the birds you
describe are too young. As you sure this is a hen as it is the cock birds that tend to
dance. Hope you enjoy your birds.
Regards,
Terry
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Mirror
Submitted by: theresa marley pbrman@alltel.net
Type?: Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: Being a new owner I have only one bird and was wondering if you should put a
mirror in the cage with the bird?
Hi Theresa,
Budgerigars enjoy company from either their own kind or from humans. The mirror makes them
think that they have company. It is certainly a good thing as they enjoy a mirror and it
will give you great entertainment.
Regards,
Terry
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Recessive Grey
Submitted by: Shawn Weisflock scgw@mail.com
Type? Exhibition Varieties
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: Just how rare is the rare Recessive Grey variety? I've heard they're almost
extinct except for a few in Australia, but am recently being told they're more common than
I thought. Someone else also told me he thought that the Recessive Grey and the Slate
varieties are the same variety. Any truth to this? Sorry, but I've never seen a slate.
Thank you.
Shawn, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Hi Shawn,
There is no connection between the slate and the recessive grey. The slate is sex-linked
and has a violet cheek patch, whereas the Recessive Grey is recessive and has a grey cheek
patch. I have about 20 Slates at the moment and have never (to my knowledge) seen a
recessive grey although they are rumoured to be in Aussie. I have however, seen a
Recessive Lutino but I had to take the breeders word for it.
Regards,
Terry
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Victoria
Submitted by: Bret Dawes trinaboof@bigpond.com.au
Type?: Exhibition Varieties
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: Could you please let me know of some contacts for breeders in Victoria Australia
so that I can start pursuing my hobby once again, I used to breed Budgies in Tasmania and
loved every minute of it.
Thank you,
Bret.
Hi Bret,
I suggest you go to the Budgerigar Related Web Sites page at http://www.budgerigarworld.com here you will
find Budgerigars Victoria.
Regards,
Terry
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Lifespan
Submitted by: June Ramsay June_Ramsay-1@sbphrd.com
Type? Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: Could you please tell me the expected lifespan of a caged budgerigar, bred in
the UK please.
Hi June,
In the safety and warmth of a front room the average age is about 7 to 10 years, however,
budgerigars have been known to live much longer and well into their teens.
Regards,
Terry
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Eggs
Submitted by: Crystal
Type?: Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Subscriber: No
Question: I have 4 budgies. I put a nest box in one of my pairs cage 4 weeks ago. They
seem to be going in it a fair amount because almost every time I go in and check the box
the stuff inside has been moved around. How long do budgies usually take to start laying
eggs? One of the hens droppings was a little bigger than normal. Also the hen is yellow
with a few black stripes on parts of her back. The cock is blue with a little bit of green
on him. Do you have any idea what color of chicks they might have?
Thanks,
Crystal
Hi Crystal,
My guess is that your budgerigars are Pieds. You will probably produce both blues and
greens from them. As for other varieties - you can never tell unless you have their
breeding records and so you will just have to wait.
Budgerigars usually start to lay at about 10 days from having the nest box in place.
Regards,
Terry
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Pairs
Submitted by Jason Richards
Type?: Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: I have two budgies both were found outside. They are in a cage together is this
ok. as one is male and one female.
Hi Jason,
Should be no problem at all. Usually they will not breed until they are given a nest box
and so should live quite happily together.
Regards,
Terry
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Strain
Submitted by: A Ray ajray23@hotmail.com
Type? Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: I have kept budgies as pets for several years now and would like to breed. I
would like to know what strain is best to begin with (i.e., show budgies, pet budgies,
other) and whether there is a market for the more unusual varieties. Also if any
particular problems in certain varieties.
Thanks
Hi,
I will assume you are from the UK and am sad to say that there is not much of a market for
budgerigars these days. You may get £2 or £3 each from a dealer. Greens and Greygreens
are in less demand than other colours and varieties.
If you would like to breed budgerigars I suggest that you start with better than pet
quality birds and if possible to cage breed rather than aviary breed. In this way you can
observe things as they occur and select breeding mates. To get your stock I suggest you
get in touch with a local breeder. Please advise where you live as I may be able to help
in this area.
Regards,
Terry
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Egg Laying
Submitted by: Trevor Broadbent trevor@zeta.org.au
Type?: Pet Owner
Status: Non-exhibitor
Question: I have a female budgie that is 7 months old who has laid 3 eggs in the past 5
days. Should I remove the eggs from the cage as she is sitting on them and is fairly
aggressive when I go near the cage. She is usually a very tame bird.
Thanks,
Trevor
Hi Trevor,
This is unusual as Budgerigars normally need a trigger to get them breeding - this is
usually a cock bird and a nest box. I suggest that you allow her to finish laying and then
discard the eggs. However, she may start laying again in about 10 days time.
Regards,
Terry
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Nest Box
Submitted by: sandy beattie sandybeattie@yahoo.com
Type: Pet
Question: What is the ideal size for a budgie nest box, I plan to keep my nest
boxes inside the cage, is it okay to place the nest box on the floor of the breeder.
Hi Sandy,
Nest boxes can vary in size but I would suggest boxes measuring externally about 6 inches
x 7 inches x 9 inches. The hole should be about 1.5 inches for small budgerigars and 1.75
inches for show birds. A short length of perching should be attached beneath the hole. The
boxes should be made from plywood.
It is ok to place the nest box on the floor of the cage but remember it will be chewed
and messed upon by the parent birds. I suggest that you put the box on a platform that is
about 4 inches high as this gives the chicks somewhere to hide when they first leave the
nest. Try not to place the box so that the hole is in direct sunlight.
Regards,
Terry
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Moulting
Submitted by: Jennifer sunflowerkitty@hotmail.com
Type: Pet Owner
Question: I recently got a new budgie a few weeks ago, lately he has got
several course, thick spikey feathers on his head and face. Is this a sign of illness or
just a molting phase?
Hi Jennifer,
If your budgie was baby it will still have its nest feather. At this stage they are known
as bar heads. When they are about 12 weeks old they begin to moult and will lose these
feather and gain their adult plumage. What you are seeing is the growth of the new
feathers, at this stage they are called pin feathers. The bird will take several weeks to
moult out fully. This is a natural thing to happen.
Regards,
Terry
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Problem Bird
From: Nick Seeley N.A.Seeley@uel.ac.uk
Dear Terry,
I found your home page on the web and thought you might be able to point me in the right
direction. My father has a female budgie, which is starting to pull all her feathers out.
Is this a condition to be concerned about, or is it just the time of year? Thanks for
helping.
Nick Seeley
Hi Nick,
No, it is not that usual for any single budgies in a cage to pluck themselves. This is
often due to boredom and I would suggest that if the bird is left on its own for long
periods of time, the radio is left on to keep it company. Also, there are anti-pluck
sprays available from pet shops, which may help.
Regards,
Terry
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Oldest Budgerigar
From: Dan Cunningham danny_boy@optusnet.com.au
Given your expertise in Budgerigar I thought you would be able to assist me in
finding out what the oldest age of a budgerigar in captivity is. We have a blue male
budgerigar that was hatched in January 1984 which is still in good health and was
wondering if there are any older birds that you know of. He has outlived three generations
of his off-spring. We were amazed that after his recent stroke that he is still alive and
kicking (even after his stroke he can still talk the leg off a chair!)
Your assistance would be appreciated and looking forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Regards
Dan Cunningham
Hi Dan,
Certainly a long-lived birds you have. There are no records so far as I know on the oldest
Budgie but I guess 10 or 12 would be considered a good age for a pet and 7 typical. Show
birds do not usually live beyond 7 years.
Regards,
Terry
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About 1 month ago I noticed that the male was sleeping with his head hung in front so low that his head was below the perch. We knew that this wasn't a good sign. The bird was fine in all other aspects, he ate a normal amount and was still drinking. He seemed bright and alert and would even sing to his mate.
Two weeks ago my husband decided to move the bird into a hospital cage with some heat as we were quite concerned about him (the bird never really used the heat, he usually sat away from it). He was still sleeping with his head below the perch. He was still eating and drinking. When my husband caught him to move him to the hospital cage he noticed that the bird was a little thin. We got him into a smaller cage and put a heat lamp on part of the cage (so he could get out of the heat if he wanted). We gave him vitamins in his water, millet, food (budgie mix with a little added oats/groats for weight gain).
The bird ate a normal amount and was seen drinking. He even slept with his head in his back feathers occasionally. The friend who I originally got the bird from visited. He thought that perhaps the bird had been thrashing in his cage at night and injured his neck. This was a possibility as we would not be able to hear if this happened, we do have a night light on for the birds at night just in case.
On Friday May 28, I went to give the bird fresh seed/water and he was laying in the bottom of the cage breathing quite heavily. Within 5 minutes he was dead. We took his body to my veterinarian and had a post mortem done. We haven't been given anything too concrete but this is what they found:
Enlarged Kidney
Smear of Lung tissue (air sacks) - fungus present all other organs seemed normal (intestines, crop, gizzard etc.)
He was however, quite thin although he had a normal appetite.
The hen that was caged with this cock bird shows no sign of infection. His droppings were normal but tended to have a slight yellow tinge.
The bird was being fed the following on a daily basis:
50/50 Budgie Mix
Added Oats/Groats
Millet seed (not a constant supply, every 3 days or so)
Romaine Lettuce (daily)
Fresh Water with vitamins added twice weekly.
All my other birds seem fine. There is one male that looks a little rough but he is going through a moult. I currently have two males and three females. We have recently separated the males and females the two males are caged together and the females are caged together. I have not had any luck in breeding these birds, I have had 1 pair for 10 months, and the other two for approximately 8 months.
I have worked with a vet before and I realise that it is pretty much impossible for anyone to make any kind of diagnosis from what I have written. I am hoping that an experienced breeder may be able to spot something that I am doing wrong, or perhaps has had a similar situation and may have some answers. Any advice that could be offered would be greatly appreciated. It is always very disheartening to lose a bird. I am the type of person who has my birds as pets, I am greatly attached to all of them. I have named each bird (Rhett, Scarlett, Gerald, Ellen, Melanie and the late Ashley - Gone With The Wind). I only want what is best for my birds. If there is something I can do to help improve the life of my birds I would be more than willing...
(A little about myself. I am married and I live in Midhurst, Ontario. We have an assortment of animals. As far as birds go I have my budgies, we have two amazon parrots and my husband breeds foreign finches).
I appreciate your consideration of my letter, I look forward to hearing from you. I can't wait until I have a little more time to dive into the web site a little further and find lot's of information about budgies. The friend that I got my birds off of is originally from England. He has loaned me copies of Budgerigar World before. Now that I have found you on line I will be sure to read up often!
Hi Richard and Amanda,
Thank you for your detailed Email. I need to ask one or two questions before I can guess what the problem was with your bird. And it will be a guess because as you say, things are difficult to diagnose when the vet actually sees the bird but I will try for an internet diagnosis.
Were their any signs of regurgitation from the bird i.e vomiting?
When you emptied the seed dish was there much dust evident?
Did the bird show signs of laboured breathing, i.e. pumping tail?
When the bird slept with its head on its back did it have both feet on the perch?
The other thing that is worth remembering is that a sick bird will not show its sickness very often until there is no point of return. This is to protect it from predators in the wild because a sick looking bird is easy prey.
Regards,
Terry
From Richard & Amanda Thomas rathomas@ionsys.com
First of all I would like to thank you for responding to my email so quickly. It is
greatly appreciated. Although I realize that I will probably never know what happened to
the bird for sure, I would like to have some idea of what to look for and what I can do
should this ever happen again.
Was their any signs of regurgitation from the bird i.e vomiting?
There wasn't any sign of regurgitation or vomiting, nor was there any nasal discharge or sneezing.
When you emptied the seed dish was there much dust evident?
I feed a high quality budgie mix, I have not had any troubles with dust. I also buy in fairly small batches so the seed is always fresh.
Did the bird show signs of labored breathing, i.e. pumping tail?
He did but it wasn't constant. It got worse near the end but even then it wasn't really bad. One of my other cock birds does show this symptom occasionally. We have been concerned about him, he is eating and drinking but as I said in my earlier note he is going through a molt too. It is hard to know what is the problem with him.
When the bird slept with its head on its back did it have both feet on the perch?
He was sleeping with both feet on the perch with his head in his back feathers.
Regards,
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
I asked about the dust in the seed bowl and the laboured breathing because this is a sign of a blocked windpipe. The bird crushes the seed but cannot swallow. This may be caused by Trichomoniasis. These single celled creatures do not show up on poste-mortem because they die with the host. However, I do not think this was the cause because the bird usually spits and vomits. It could have been Megabacteria but this should have shown up on the PM results as would a heavy fungal infection. Sleeping with both feet on the perch, especially at unusual times and excessively is a sign of sickness.
My guess, as there was no sign of discharge, it would be a stroke of some kind, especially with the bird carrying its head so low showing possible muscle paralysis.
Probably no help at all but my best guess.
Regards,
Terry
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