Budgies As Pets

The budgie, or parakeet, is among the smallest of the parrot species commonly kept as pets. And they are also the most popular pet bird by a large measure. Due in part to the fact that they are quite affordable. These small parrots are exceedingly friendly and easy to tame. Budgies As Pets!

Budgies As Pets

Budgerigars are very popular pets for good reason. They have loads of playful character for their size, can be taught to talk. And they are inexpensive to buy and keep. As a member of the parrot family. Budgies are very gregarious and make ideal companions, providing hours of entertainment.

Native to central Australia, wild budgies fly about in huge, noisy flocks. The cage-bred budgie is far removed from its wild cousin. It’s much bigger in size and cannot survive in the wild. Unlike undomesticated budgies, pet budgies also come in a vast array of colours.

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Scientific Name

The taxonomical name for the budgie is Melopsittacus undulatus. Although this bird is frequently known as a parakeet, in reality, the budgie is just one species among several parakeets native to Australia.

There are two types of budgies common to the pet trade. The American budgie or parakeet, and the English budgie. The American variety is the one most commonly found in pet stores, while the type often seen in exhibitions and shows is the larger English budgie. English budgies have a different appearance than American budgies but both types belong to the same species, Melopsittacus undulatus.

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Care and Feeding Budgies

Budgies can live between 7 to 15 years. Though the average is far less than seven due to mistreatment, accidents, or lack of knowledge about appropriate bird care. It seems that this little bird is often seen as a “throw away” pet because it’s inexpensive. Budgies are also prone to obesity, fatty tumors and liver. Foot disorders, scaly face, and intestinal parasites, all of which require veterinary care.

Most budgies are ground-feeders that eat primarily seeds and plant material. Lafeber foods are a simple and healthy way to feed your parakeet properly. Our research has shown that little birds get “hooked” on seeds easily. Many of our foods incorporate seeds with healthy pellets, fruits and vegetables, as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and chelated minerals.

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Toys for Budgies

Toys should not be introduced into your budgies cage while he adjusting to his new surroundings. They should be introduced gradually, starting with a small for example, and then perhaps a ladder before moving onto toys that provide environmental enrichment.

Rather than fill the cage with toys, it is better to change the toys from time to time to offer variety for the bird. If your family are out at work every day, the best ‘toy’ could be another budgie, but ensure the cage is of suitable size to accommodate two. The little birds are very sociable by nature and welcome their own species for company.

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Exercise and Entertainment

Budgies are intelligent and inquisitive birds that enjoy playing and climbing. Toys are essential to stimulate them mentally and physically – especially important for birds kept on their own. Budgies can also be taught to mimic sounds and talk.

If they hear the same words repeatedly from the same person they may pick them up and begin mimicking the words or phrases. A solitary bird will need more attention and affection than a pair or group and should be handled every day.

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Budgie Cages

When it comes to cages, the bigger the better. Budgies are very active and need room to flap about and climb around their toys. They are also very good escape artists, so the spacing between the bars should be no wider than 12mm, and the bars should run horizontally for your pet to climb and exercise on.

Typical of parrots, budgies love to chew, so don’t use a cage made from wood or cane, and make sure the door can be secured tightly shut.

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What do Budgies eat?

You should feed your pet good quality food containing the right amounts of all the nutrients your budgie needs. You can also supplement this with fresh fruit and vegetables to make their meals more interesting. Things like grapes, carrots, apples and broccoli all make great additions to mealtime, and should be washed and but not peeled. You can also speak to your vet or one of our experts in store about certain vitamin supplements that can help to keep your budgie healthy.

Last but not least, give them some bird grit as this mixes with the food in their stomach and aids digestion. Budgies have no teeth so this means that they need a bit of extra help to grind up their food. Remember to provide plenty of water for your budgie to drink, and replace the food and water every day to keep it fresh.

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Budgies As Pets

Give your budgie a friend! Budgies like to live in groups and need the company of other budgies, so we recommend that your budgie has a friend or two. Ideally, buy your budgies at the same time so they already know each other.

It’s best to keep male and female budgies separate so they won’t breed. If your budgies have babies you’ll be responsible for finding the young budgies a new home. That can be a difficult and stressful process. You can tell if your adult budgie is male or female by looking at the fleshy lump at the top of their beak (the cere). It’s blue on males and brown on females.