The Budgerigar

The Budgerigar

Breed:  Budgie/Budgerigar

Description:  This very small lively Parrot is an extremely popular pet. The budgie can be found  in a variety of lovely colours and patterns.

Characteristics:  The Budgie makes a fine starter pet and is a good choice for children. They are very friendly and easy to tame and train and fit well into almost any household. They are gentle and docile birds, who are very playful and active. The Budgie is an intelligent little bird who learns tricks easily and can be taught to mimic human speech. It is said that they are among the best talkers and have been known to learn up to 200 words. Training any bird to speak or to do tricks, takes time and patience and is best accomplished with a bird that was acquired at a young age. Not all Budgies will learn to talk but many do.

Budgies are very happy to live in pairs or solo, solo birds tend to bond better with humans, but also take much more social time to alleviate loneliness and boredom. These small parrots make delightful, easy to care for pets, who are far less messy, expensive and noisy as their bigger cousins,

Origins:  The Budgie is a native of Australia and has lived in its interior for over 5 million years and has been domesticated for several centuries. They were originally only found in yellow and green with black marking but through careful breeding are now available in a multitude of beautiful colors and variations. The name Budgerigar comes from the Australian Aboriginal word “Betcherrygah”, which means good to eat.

Special needs:  Budgies are very playful and active birds who need a cage large enough for their toys and to fly around in. Cages with horizontal bars are best as they offer the opportunity for exercise by allowing the bird to climb up and down the cage. Cages should be big enough for at least a couple of perches set at different levels, a swing and several toys. No matter the cage size they will enjoy. They do however need some time out of it regularly, care should be taken when out flying free to ensure all open containers of liquid are covered, the toilet lid is shut, ceiling fans are off and windows are covered. They also need to be protected from cats, some breeds of dogs and youngsters who may hurt them accidentally.

Highlights :

- English Budgies have a shorter life span than the American Budgie. English living for only 5-7 years while the American Budgie can reach up to 15.

- When purchasing one of these beautiful birds it is recommended to buy a young or better yet hand fed baby, these birds may be more expensive but are well worth it as they are far easier to tame and bond with than an older bird.

- Males and females are fairly easy to tell apart. Males have a purple or aqua blue cere, where females have a white or tan cere. The cere is the hard area above the beak and around the nostrils.

- When purchasing a Budgie look for a bird that looks alert and bright and has smooth feathers that are not puffed out. The bird should be clean and give the impression of being vibrant and active.

- The Budgie’s diet should consist of a variety of pellets, seeds, fresh vegetables and fruits. Avocados, alcohol, anything with caffeine, chocolate and junk food should never be given to a Budgie.