Proper care of a parrot. Budgerigar in the house - creating comfortable conditions for the feathered pet

So, you have decided to buy a budgie.

Before you go to the store or market to buy it, determine for yourself the purpose of purchasing the bird: do you need it as a companion or will it be used for breeding.

Further care for the budgie depends on this.

Budgerigars: proper care. How to choose a feathered pet?

Rules for choosing a budgie

It is important to take the choice of birds seriously and it is better to purchase them from an experienced breeder, where you can personally evaluate the conditions in which the birds are kept and observe their behavior. The risk of buying a sick bird here is much lower than at the poultry market.

The selected bird must be examined. Healthy parrots are active, their plumage fits tightly to the body and looks shiny, their eyes are clean and clear, without clouding. The paws should have 4 toes (2 directed forward and 2 backward) with claws, the scales should fit evenly to each other. A sick bird is inactive and indifferent to what is happening, sits ruffled, its plumage is dull and disheveled, and around the cloaca it may be stained with liquid feces.

A sick parrot sits ruffled

You should buy young parrots aged from 1.5 to 3-4 months. During this period, they most quickly get used to humans and a new place of residence. Older birds have a harder time withstanding a change of environment and are less tamed.

How to determine the age of a parrot?

In order not to be deceived by the seller when buying a budgie and not to buy an old bird instead of a young one, you should learn to determine its age yourself by the following signs:

1. On the beaks of chicks up to 2 months old there is a black “smear”, which disappears as they grow older;

2. Parrots under 3 months old have a characteristic “wavy” pattern on their heads from beak to back;

3. At the age of 3.5-4 months, the first “juvenile” molt occurs. After its completion, the parrot will have a yellow or white “cap” on its head with the remnants of barely noticeable “waves”;

4. Chicks have completely black eyes. By 5-10 months, the iris of the eyes brightens. Adult birds have a white rim around the pupil;

5. The throat spots of young birds have a semicircular shape with blurred contours. Parrots older than 6 months have clear, oval-shaped spots;

6. The cere of young birds is pale lilac or pinkish in color. After 4 months of life, the beak of males becomes bright blue, and that of females becomes beige or light blue. By 8-9 months, the cere of females becomes brown;

7. The tail feathers of young animals are shorter than those of adults.

The above age determination criteria are not suitable for variegated birds, albinos (all white) and lutinos (all yellow). Their beak is always light, their eyes remain black (in albinos they can be dark red) for their entire lives. Therefore, it is better to buy birds of this color from trusted breeders who will not hide the true age and health status of their parrots.

How to determine the gender of a budgie?

Females and males can be distinguished by the color of the cere (the mandible, where the nostrils are located). When young, it is a pale lilac or mauve color in both sexes, only females have light rings around the nostrils. By the 4th month of life, the beak of males turns blue and becomes brighter. In females, the cere acquires a pale blue or beige tint, and after puberty (8-9 months) it turns brown.

On the left is a female (brown cere), on the right is a male (blue cere)

Budgerigars: proper care. Cell selection and placement. How to equip the “home” of a budgerigar?

Where to put a “house” for a parrot in an apartment?

Necessary criteria for the safe living of parrots at home are high-quality food, a bright location of the cage, and cleanliness in the cage.

It is best to place the cage in a bright place in the room. It is not recommended to place it on a windowsill, as budgies are afraid of drafts. However, these birds require long daylight hours - at least 12-14 hours in summer and 10-12 hours in winter. Therefore, in the autumn-winter season it is necessary to turn on additional lighting. In order for a feathered pet to quickly get used to its owner, the cage must be at the level of human height.

How to choose a cage?

A birdcage is selected according to the following criteria:

Shape – the optimal one is rectangular with a flat top. It is easier for birds to move around in them. In addition, it is easier to hang toys, a mirror, and swings from a flat “ceiling”;

Size – depends on the planned location of the cage in the apartment, the number of birds and their size. The size of the cage is selected so that the bird can freely spread its wings and flutter from perch to perch. The minimum parameters of the cage are 25x40x40cm;

Arrangement of twigs - horizontally located twigs are more convenient for moving birds along the walls of the cage. When moving over them, the parrot will not slide;

Safety for birds - parrots love to walk on the bottom of the cage, so it should be solid and not made of twigs. Otherwise, the bird's fingers or claws may get stuck between the twigs, and the bird, trying to free itself, can easily break its leg;

The cage must be cleaned every day, and general cleaning is carried out monthly. To disinfect after washing, the cage is wiped with a decoction of wormwood or chamomile.

Cage equipment

In order for parrots to feel comfortable in their home, the cage must be equipped with perches of different diameters (at least 2 pieces), feeders, drinking bowls, baths, toys and a mirror.

Equipped cage for budgies

The perches are placed so that the bird can easily flit from one to another and not pollute the feeder and drinker with its droppings.

It is better to choose glass or porcelain drinking bowls (the water in them stays fresh and clean longer). They should be washed daily with hot water and soda and wiped dry.

At least two porcelain or plastic feeders are needed in a cage: one for grain food, the second for soft food.

Baths with clean warm water are placed in the cage periodically, especially on hot summer days. After the bird has taken the “water procedures,” the bathhouse is cleaned.

If the parrot lives alone in a cage, then you need to hang a small mirror from the ceiling so that the bird does not feel lonely.

On a note! After purchase, all accessories and the cage itself must be disinfected by pouring boiling water over it and wiped dry.

Budgerigars: proper care. Feeding, diet

The diet of budgies is quite varied and includes grain mixtures, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and mineral supplements.

Grain mixtures include peeled oats, canary seed, flax and millet of varying degrees of maturity. It is better to purchase such food in a sealed package with a transparent “window” in order to visually assess the quality. In cardboard boxes, grain may become moldy due to improper storage.

As a source of vitamins, minerals and plant fiber, budgies' menus should include vegetables, fruits, berries and seasonal greens. Birds happily gnaw on such juicy root vegetables as carrots, beets, cucumbers, zucchini, and cabbage. Their favorite fruits are apples, peaches, pineapples, pears, and citrus fruits. Among the berries, feathered pets will enjoy raspberries, wild strawberries, and strawberries.

In the spring-summer season, you can give parrots leaves of dandelion, clover, plantain, spinach, horse sorrel, and in winter you can grow oats and millet for greens.

Important! You cannot feed parrots persimmons, mangoes, all types of nuts, celery root, dill, meat and dairy products, potatoes, cheese, chocolate.

For full development, birds also need mineral supplements. For example, offer organic sand, chalk or sepia (the skeletal part of a cuttlefish). These substances enrich the parrots’ body with calcium and other trace elements. In addition, by gnawing chalk, parrots naturally wear down their constantly growing beak.

Budgerigars: proper care. First days at home

After purchasing and delivering a budgie home, for the first 2-3 weeks it should be kept separate from other birds (if you have them).

At first, the bird will experience stress due to the change in environment and transportation. Therefore, you should protect your pet from frightening factors: loud noises near him, intrusive attention of children and other animals (if any). Communicate with the bird in a calm, gentle voice, do not try to forcefully pick it up - this way you will establish a trusting relationship with it. This process requires time, patience and endurance. After the bird gets used to you and fearlessly sits on your outstretched hand, you can begin teaching spoken words.

Budgerigars: proper care. Diseases of budgies

If improperly cared for and without sanitary conditions, budgies are susceptible to diseases such as scabies, inflammation of the goiter, and poisoning. Possible injuries to the paws, damage by feather eaters.

Budgerigar infected with knemidocoptic mange (scabies)

If you notice the following signs, you should take the bird to the veterinarian:

Refusal to eat;

Faded, ruffled plumage;

Lethargy and apathy;

Nasal discharge;

Growths on the beak and legs.

The health of your feathered pet is in your hands!

Many inexperienced parrot breeders think that by getting such a pet at home, you can completely forget about keeping it, systematically adding food and cleaning the cage from time to time. But this is far from true, or rather, not true at all!

If your choice falls on this bird, then it is extremely important to know how to properly care for a budgie at home, because the health of the bird, and, consequently, its duration and quality of life, directly depends on this knowledge.

When a new long-awaited tenant appears in the house, you must be fully prepared, first of all, this concerns the inevitable period of adaptation to the new environment, which lasts about four weeks for the parrot.

You must understand that you are not taking into your home a toy, but a full-fledged neighbor who needs comfortable home conditions, proper nutrition, walks and communication. After all, the quality of care directly determines how long the wavy fidget will delight you and your family.

For those who have a budgie at home, the advice in this article will be especially useful. Start with what size cage you will need and where best to place it.

At the same time, your pet budgie will thank you for your care, because it is one of the most talented birds. This is the most suitable pet for a city apartment. In captivity, it can live up to 15 years, although not all birds have the same abilities.

The length of the body usually does not exceed 20 cm, while the weight of the parrot is only 40-45 grams. Although it is approximately the same size as a sparrow, the parrot appears longer due to its tail. This bird is always interesting for both children and adults, because it loves to play with toys, and can try to imitate human speech or the singing of other birds.

Therefore, so often budgies, whose care and maintenance are completely simple, become real pets. For older people, this bird can brighten up lonely everyday life, and children, communicating with parrots, learn to show care for our smaller brothers.

Before purchasing a pet, the future owner must be fully aware that feathers, food husks and droppings will henceforth become an integral part of his life.

What precedes the purchase

If a bird is bought for children, then adults should be prepared that care and concern will fall on their shoulders. However, almost everyone likes budgies, photos of which can be found on any website about animals.

Before you buy a bird, take care of its home. We are talking, first of all, about the cage, and the larger it is, the more comfortable your parrot will feel. Before moving your pet into it, treat it with boiling water and let it dry. If the cage is equipped with plastic perches, you can throw them away and replace them with wooden ones.

Who and how much should I take?

Often the future owner cannot decide what gender of parrot he needs. But if you approach the issue more deeply, then there are no differences in caring for a specific gender. There is an opinion that a girl learns speech less well and the chance that she will speak is much less.

But in fact, it all depends on the character of the bird and the efforts of its owner. Problems with speech arise in the wavy, who has no one to communicate with, and instead of an interlocutor hangs a mirror that can absorb all his attention. The parrot cannot always understand that this is just a reflection and mistakes it for another bird.

It is better to take parrots in pairs, then he will not have problems associated with loneliness. From lack of attention, the wavy can get sick. Moreover, if you plan to get offspring in the future, then you should take individuals of different sexes, but do not forget that the pair will only take place if there is mutual sympathy.

Be sure to consider the size of the cage so that the parrots, especially if there are more than three of them, have room to spread out in their new home.

Distinguishing a male from a female

How to teach a budgerigar to speak is one of the main questions that future owners ask themselves. This question is inextricably linked with the sexual characteristics of the bird. This can be determined by the color of its cere. However, only a specialist can do this with certainty. Young birds have a very similar color of the wax, which is most often light purple.

It becomes possible to distinguish the sexes only by the uniformity of color. Females have white circles around their nostrils. Upon reaching 4 months of age, the cere of males acquires a certain blue color. But in females, on the contrary, this place becomes beige or light blue.

How to choose a healthy bird

So, you have seen what budgerigars are like, a photo of these wonderful birds really makes you want to get yourself such a pet. The question remains to be answered: where to go shopping? It is best to purchase it not from a reseller, but from those who are directly involved in their reproduction.

To choose a healthy bird, pay attention to the following signs:

the bird should be active and cheerful;
its plumage must be solid, without bald spots;
the parrot should breathe through its nose, not through its beak;
there should be no growths on the bird’s legs;
the bird's plumage in the cloaca area should not be contaminated with droppings;
Make sure that there are also healthy budgies sitting nearby; in this case, the birds are cared for and maintained correctly.

Adaptation or first days in a new home

Caring for wavy plants at home begins with a rather difficult adaptation period.

There are a number of mistakes that new owners often make:

They are constantly near the parrot, talking loudly.
They try to immediately make tactile contact and hand feed and stroke.
Move the cage from place to place.
They are released to fly on the first day.
They are trying to cure diarrhea.

Too much attention

When a bird is brought to a new home, it is already in a stressful state, because it was taken from its home cage, and then taken or carried to an unfamiliar place.

To digest such an amount of information, the wavy needs peace and time to get used to the situation, and people standing nearby and talking loudly do not contribute to this.

The only reason to open the cage is to replenish food and feed supplies. Although, as practice shows, even if the owners behave correctly, the first day a budgerigar looks like a statue that moves little, does not eat or drink anything.

Close contact

Tactile contact is unusual for a parrot, and comparison with pets such as cats or dogs is not suitable here. In addition, you are a completely new person for the bird, to whom you still need to get used.

Any close communication should occur precisely on the initiative of the wavy, otherwise, at the sight of your hand, the bird will try to run away and hide in a corner. Of course, there are individuals who like to be scratched on the tummy or stroked on the neck, but remember that for this the parrot must be tame and make contact first.

When the wavy calmly begins to eat from the feeder, this is the first sign of successful adaptation to the new environment. After this, when approaching the cage to pour food or change the water, talk gently and quietly to the parrot, and over time the bird will begin to respond to you calmly, without trying to hide in a corner or fly away. When you are sure that all of the above stages have been successful, offer the parrot a treat through the bars of the cage, but under no circumstances put your entire palm in there, it can greatly frighten the wavy and negate the successfully completed stages of acquaintance.

It is worth offering food from the palm of your hand after the bird begins to confidently and without fear take treats through the twigs. At the first stage, a palm with food should be offered in the morning, when the wavy is still hungry. Keep it down, most likely the bird will not eat right away, but will simply remain on the perch to watch. By repeating this ritual every morning, without much persistence, you will see results.

At first, the budgie will carefully grab a couple of grains, then do it more confidently and without leaving the hand. The final stage will be confident eating of food while sitting on the palm of your hand. It is after this stage that the bird will calmly sit on your hand and will be ready for its first walk.

Moving the cage, first walk

The cage should be in the same place for one simple reason - getting used to the situation in the room. After all, it is while inside it that the parrot carefully examines the surrounding objects, which is of great importance for the first flight in a new room. The more often you move your parrot's house, the less comfortable he will feel.

Do not forget to equip the cage with the necessary equipment in advance so that the wavy does not have to be disturbed to hang a new perch or bell.

As already mentioned, for the first flight it is necessary for the parrot to become familiar with the situation and remember the arrangement of objects, which over time will become familiar to him. But when the new owner brings the bird home, he naively worries about the fact that it needs to stretch its wings and makes an unfortunate mistake, which quite often ends in failure.

A budgie, when under stress, and even in a new room, can crash into a window or mirror. Only after the successful completion of the adaptation period, which is about four weeks, is it worth letting the parrot out of the cage for a walk.

Stomach problems in the first days

Liquid droppings for a budgerigar on the first or second day after arriving at a new place are usually the norm and a sign of stress. The best thing you can do during this period is to leave the bird alone. There is no need to try to give her medication or clean out the cloaca, you will only worsen the situation and exacerbate stress.

After a couple of days, the problem will resolve itself without your intervention. But if this does not happen, the bird looks sick, does not eat or drink anything, then there is a serious reason to show it to a specialist and find out the cause of the illness.

A good home means a quality life

It turns out that you should take care of your budgie not from the moment you acquire a feathered pet, but much earlier - when the need arises to purchase a future home for the bird, as well as its arrangement.

Budgerigars need to develop their wings and the muscles of their entire body, so experienced ornithologists do not recommend keeping their feathered friends in cramped cages. The most suitable home for a wavy is considered to be a cage that is longer in width than in height.

For example, for keeping one parrot, a cage with dimensions of 0.5x0.6x0.8 m will be the most ideal. If you want to breed these bright birds at home, then you will have to buy a large cage.

Many of us try to fill the cage with all sorts of toys for our parrots, thinking that they really like it. However, this is not entirely correct.

Parrots love to spread their wings from time to time, and overcrowding their home with various perches and other interior items will only prevent the pet from feeling cozy and comfortable.

When choosing a future home for your feathered friend, pay attention not to intricate cages with branches, but to simpler models that can be cleaned without problems, because cleaning is an important component of proper care for a budgie.

As for the placement of the wavy's future home. The cage must be placed in a warm room where there are no sudden temperature changes. Try not to place your feathered friend’s home near the door or on the windowsill. A well-lit room will only stimulate the good mood of your home flyer.

Cage dimensions

The parrot's future house should be as comfortable as possible, and therefore spacious. Birds of this species are characterized by increased activity and a playful disposition, so they simply need space to have fun and stretch their wings.

If you really want to take care of the well-being of your feathered pet, then try to find a cage model in which the parrot can fly from one place to another.

Qualified ornithologists say that a cage with dimensions of 0.5 m (D) x 0.6 m (H) x 0.8 m (W) will be an excellent home for budgies.

I would like to note a few important points:

When purchasing a cage, pay attention to models that are wider than they are tall. Budgerigars are characterized by horizontal flights, so in fact the height of the product should not play a decisive role when choosing a cage. For the same reason, it is recommended to buy houses for parrots with a flat roof.
A feathered pet should feel comfort and freedom in its house, so try not to clutter its cage too much with all kinds of entertaining toys.
When choosing a cage, you should take into account the fact that you will need to clean it from time to time, so try to choose exactly the model that you can clean without difficulty.
Do you want to get a pair of parrots at once? No problem - the same cage will work for two birds. But if you plan to house three or more parrots in it, then purchase a cage in advance, the size of which will be much larger than that indicated above.

Arrangement of the cage

You can properly care for your parrots only when you have fully equipped its house.

Surely you have noticed more than once that parrots love to litter, but at the same time they always try to stay clean themselves.

Therefore, many qualified experts recommend placing a special bathing suit in the bird’s cage, which will be as accessible as possible for the pet and can be easily filled with water outside the bird’s home.

Equip your budgie's cage with perches. If possible, try to give your preference to natural materials. And if the perches are different in texture, your pet will constantly exercise its paws.

Many experienced ornithologists place the simplest wooden branches in the homes of their pets, which, by the way, look very harmonious and natural.

In this case, you need to make sure that the poles are securely fastened, so you can avoid traumatic situations for the pet itself.

Currently, there are a lot of all kinds of educational toys that are very attractive to wavy animals. All kinds of abacus, bells, mirrors, beads, etc.

But, as was said a little above, it is extremely undesirable to overload the cage of a feathered pet; a couple of toys will be quite enough. If you really want to diversify the life of your flyer, then change the toys in his house from time to time.

Swimming area

Surely, after watching a budgie, you noticed that they really like to litter (especially boys), while they themselves try to take care of themselves and stay clean. For this reason, experienced ornithologists advise installing a small bathing suit in the parrot’s home, which can be hung on the bars of the cage.

The main requirement when choosing a container for bathing a feathered pet is the fact that it should be as accessible as possible for the parrot and be easily filled with water from outside the cage.

To ensure that your feathered friend can fully care for his feathers and not spill water on the bottom of his home, it is not recommended to fill the bathing container to the top.

The size of the bathing suit must match the size of the pet, then your feathered pet can be completely immersed in the water.

Perches for parrot “gatherings”

It would be nice if the cage of a feathered pet contains several perches at once, each having different thickness and texture. Many experienced ornithologists recommend using natural twigs as perches. Firstly, they look very harmonious in a parrot’s home, and secondly, natural material is not harmful to the bird, while plastic products can emit a toxic odor.

If you nevertheless decide to attach a pole made of natural material in the cage of your domestic flyer, then make sure that it is a safe material. For example, a tree such as eucalyptus can harm the health of a parrot, oak contains tannin that is harmful to birds of this species, and trees from the rose family contain a toxic carcinogenic glycoside.

Perches made of concrete are too hard for parrots' legs, so try not to use them in your feathered pet's home.

When installing a perch in a pet's cage, it is necessary to check the reliability of its fastening in order to prevent all kinds of traumatic situations.

Pleasant trifles

Currently, there are a huge number of entertaining toys for feathered pets. All kinds of ladders, bells or balls will lure your bird into games, keeping his leisure time occupied with exciting entertainment.

And yet, don’t get too carried away with arranging the wavy’s home. Three toys will be enough for a medium-sized cage, otherwise you will simply “litter” his flying space, thereby hindering his movements.

Where to place the cage?

In order to provide your parrot with complete care, you need to take care of the placement of its home. Experienced ornithologists recommend placing the cage in a room with a consistently warm temperature. Also, the room should be well lit and ventilated.

It is extremely undesirable to place the wavy’s home near a sunny window or in a passage area, since overheating, drafts and unnecessary fright can kill the bird.

Providing proper care for your parrot

Caring for a parrot at home is not just about feeding the bird and cleaning its house from time to time.

Proper nutrition is the key to your pet’s health

Many of us are accustomed to thinking that parrots can be fed with everything that is on the human table. However, this is not quite true. There is a special diet for wavy fish, which consists mainly of seeds, vegetables and fruits.

I would like to note that seeds should be systematically replaced with grain feed, since a seed diet can lead to obesity in the bird.

the diet of a feathered pet should not contain caffeine, alcoholic beverages and chocolate, since these products are toxic to birds;
Make sure that there is always clean water in the parrot’s drinking bowl by making daily changes;
add calcium-based mineral blocks to your bird’s menu;
in the warm season, fruits and vegetables must be present in the parrot’s diet, while in cold weather you can give preference to vegetables and some types of fruits (apples, pears, etc.), which have long-term storage.

Cleaning work is the key to health and comfort

You should clean your bird's house at least once a week. Otherwise, your feathered pet is at risk of infectious diseases and worms.

It is necessary to wash the bird's cage with a gentle product. Most experienced birdwatchers use liquid dishwashing detergent that does not contain phosphates or other harmful impurities. Wash your parrot's house only with proven products that you completely trust.

In the warm season, use a spray bottle to spray the bird, so your pet will not be so hot at home.

Adequate sleep is the key to health

Like any living creature, birds vitally need a full night's sleep, during which the feathered friend regains its strength in order to delight you with its radiant mood.

As soon as it’s time to sleep, you should throw a light cloth over the bird’s cage, making sure that adequate ventilation is maintained in the bird’s house. If the blanket is too dense and completely envelops the bird’s home, it may suffocate.

You should also take care that the parrot does not get caught on the fabric, so check the quality of the material in advance.

You can use the cape not only while you sleep. For example, it is necessary to pacify a feathered pet or calm it down for a while while other residents of the house are sleeping.

If while the parrot is under the blanket he rushes around the cage, this means that he is afraid of the dark. In this situation, a night light will help, as it will provide the bird with a sense of calm.

Monitor your pet's health

Caring for a parrot at home means having regular checkups with a veterinarian. If you notice strange behavior in your feathered friend (abnormal breathing, discharge from the nose and eyes, mucous discharge on the feathers, loss of body weight, etc.), immediately seek help from a qualified specialist.

Only a veterinarian can correctly diagnose the disease and tell you how to care for the bird in a given case.

If you do not observe “abnormal” symptoms, then experienced ornithologists recommend visiting a veterinarian at least once a year.

Surround your pets with care and attention and they will definitely delight you with their good mood!

Light and temperature conditions

High-quality care involves setting optimal lighting and temperature. Why is it important? Budgerigars are sensitive to the light factor; breeders know how many diseases can arise due to improper light conditions. These include hormonal disruptions, vitamin deficiency, and changes in behavior. In addition, if there are errors in lighting, they live in constant stress.

For the wavy, the period of darkness is of great importance; if it sleeps at night, then it will be less likely to be overtaken by diseases. Experts recommend covering the cage with a cloth at night, so the bird will avoid chronic lack of sleep.

How long should a parrot sleep? The time varies depending on the seasons and ranges from 10 to 14 hours. In winter, the bird sleeps longer, in summer a little less.

The bird should not be disturbed during its lunchtime nap.

What about the temperature?

Basic Rules:

Although parrots live in hot climates, they do not tolerate high temperatures well.
The ideal temperature for wavy plants is from 22 to 25 degrees.
Birds are afraid of sudden temperature changes and drafts.
In the hot season, the bird should have a drinking bowl with clean water and a bathing area.

Important: Heatstroke can cause death for your pet.

Major diseases

Wavy pets have been living at home for a long time, but poor quality care and maintenance can cause them various diseases. There are so many cases in the practice of veterinarians that birds could not be saved due to the poor attitude of the owners.

So, wavy diseases.

What might the owner encounter?

Wavy individuals in their natural environment are not limited in movement; they fly a lot and climb branches. At home, their activity is limited to the open spaces of the cell, which weakens the immune system. A number of factors influence how long a pet will live. Parrot diseases occur if poor-quality care and nutrition are provided, and the temperature and light conditions are not met. It is worth paying close attention to the requirements for keeping birds, then the pet will delight you with longevity.

Breeding

In their natural habitat, breeding in budgerigars occurs all year round. To properly organize the process in captivity, you should select a female and a male. Young individuals should not be allowed to reproduce; the most optimal period in which wavy birds can begin to reproduce is from the age of one year.

Budgerigars are very demanding when choosing a partner; if the female does not like the male, then there is a high probability that breeding will not work. But if a couple has formed, then the birds touchingly care for each other, their affection lasts a lifetime.

How many pairs of parrots can you keep together? If space allows, then how much will fit for comfortable living. But during the nesting period, it is advisable to seat the couples in different houses. In this case, the cell may be small in size.

Reproduction is best done in the warm season; it is not recommended to breed birds in early spring.

Pet wavy birds bring warmth to the house, they can relieve stress and fatigue, and it is a pleasure to watch your pet. But it is important to think about caring for the bird, otherwise your pet will be plagued by diseases. You should not take a bird home for fun; experts consider parrots to be highly sensitive creatures, so owners must take responsibility for the life of the little bird.

At the end of our publication, I would like to give you some useful recommendations:

Parrots need to trim their nails and wings from time to time. However, doing this yourself is highly undesirable. And to avoid negative consequences, it is better to entrust this procedure to qualified specialists.
If your pet suddenly bites your finger, then you should not react too violently to it (even if it hurts a lot, although in most cases the pain is tolerable), because with such actions you can scare the bird. And parrots endure stressful situations very difficult, and sometimes even die.
Communicate with your parrot in a gentle, kind and calm voice so that he understands that you will not harm him.

Show your feathered pets attention and care, and they will definitely give you positive emotions and a good mood!

Many people believe that these birds require less attention than cats and dogs. But keeping birds has its own characteristics. And if you are a busy person, you have little time to communicate with the bird, and you often go on business trips, then keep in mind that the parrot will be very bored and even pull out its feathers. So, what should the owner know about the proper maintenance of these birds?

What do parrots eat?

The basis for proper bird nutrition is special grain feed. It contains grass seeds, millet, and peeled oats. Such mixtures must be purchased in sealed packaging. The food in the box may be moldy. Experienced poultry farmers advise regularly feeding sprouted grain to parrots. To do this, buy a special one at a pet store or use millet. It is poured into a saucer so that it covers the bottom, and warm water is poured to the top. It must be changed every 4 hours. After a few days, the grains will swell and sprouts 2-3 mm long will appear. After this, the grains are washed, dried, and given to the parrot.

Fruits, berries, and vegetables are an essential component of a parrot's diet. At any time of the year, the bird needs them to support normal digestion, energy, and add shine to its plumage. An attentive owner will determine the bird's taste preferences by observing the eating of such food and will take them into account. It is forbidden to feed persimmons, avocados, mangoes and papaya to parrots.

As for green feeding, it should be on the bird’s menu in the summer. It is recommended to offer her lettuce, plantain, dandelion, carrot tops, and arugula. Make sure that the bird does not eat the green parts of indoor plants during leisure time outside the cage - this is dangerous!

Porridge can be offered to parrots steamed in boiling water. Buckwheat, wheat, wild and brown rice, pearl barley, and millet are suitable. Do not feed your bird instant cereals.

About the parrot house

The larger the bird, the more spacious its house should be. Large species of parrots need to buy an aviary. Ideally, there the bird should be able to fly and jump freely from perch to perch. A rectangular cage with a flat roof will be convenient for a parrot, so that toys, swings and other entertainment can be attached to it. The house should be placed in a bright and warm place so that there are no drafts.

It is necessary to maintain hygiene in the bird's home, clean it in the morning and evening. You cannot use household chemicals for this. You need to wipe it with warm water, and once a month prepare a decoction of wormwood, soak a rag in it and treat all surfaces.

The drinking bowl and feeder should be thoroughly washed daily. The bowl intended for fruit must be poured with boiling water. It is better to choose an open type feeder so that a curious bird does not climb into it and get stuck there.

Bathing is another important element of a bird house. In nature, parrots are very fond of water treatments. They should be given this opportunity at home.

Communication with a parrot

Experienced poultry farmers and ornithologists advise taming a bird from the very beginning of its appearance in the house, training it and raising it.

Give her a week to adapt, during this time come up with a name and start accustoming her to it. This species of birds is smart, quick-witted birds that appreciate the attention and kind attitude of the owner. If you surround them with care, warmth and calm, they can learn to talk faster (although not all types).

Accustom your bird to short phrases of address: “hello, Fred”, “eat, Gosha”, “come to me, Garik”. Constant repetition will help you make your parrot talk. It is important that communication with him occurs on the same level. That is, you should crouch in front of the cage so that your eyes are in line with the parrot, and not looking from above. It is also convenient to communicate when your pet sits on your hand and watches the articulation of its lips. When training your feathered friend, be sure to use treats - your pet’s favorite food.

When it comes to flying, it is recommended that your parrots be allowed to fly out of their cage twice a day. At the same time, it is important to observe safety precautions, for example, if a bird flies in the kitchen, then nothing should boil there, and the windows in the room should be closed.

You need to understand that parrots are shy. They are very afraid of the noise of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, and other appliances. Therefore, they should not be turned on near the bird. Guests at your home who show increased interest in the bird and try to get into its house with their fingers can also become a source of stress. Stop such attempts and take care of your pet.

Buying a budgie and putting it in a cage, having first poured food and water into it, is not exactly the kind of care that your new family man needs. By purchasing a budgie, you take responsibility for its health.

Many will immediately ask, so how to care for a budgie?

Fortunately, there is nothing complicated here, but failure to comply with these requirements can lead to the death of the bird. The first point is that the new family member needs to be allowed out of the cage to fly around the apartment, at least for 30-60 minutes a day. If you have purchased a chick, and having bought him a large cage, you think that this is enough, then it is better not to torture the animal and give it to someone who, without pity, will give his new curtains and cornices to be torn to pieces. Not only these objects can be damaged, but also everything that is at height. It is likely that the top of the wallpaper will be chewed off. You should not open the windows, rest assured, the parrot will feel the fresh air and will probably fly away, and do not hope that it will return. Perhaps your pet will fly in to strangers who will try to find the real owner, but most often parrots are victims of pigeons and simply die in an unusual environment for them. If you haven’t changed your mind about giving away the already purchased chick, then move on.

An important point that I would like to draw your attention to is the care and maintenance of a budgerigar. The cage where your feathered pet will live should contain: a drinking bowl, a feeding trough, a perch, a bathing area and, if possible, a swing with a mirror. Only lonely parrots who live alone need a mirror. Place river sand and crushed eggshells at the bottom of the cage; you can also put charcoal. All these components will provide the “feathered” with good digestion. The cage with the bird should be in a room where there are no drafts. Do not allow direct sunlight to hit the bird cage. Don't forget that the parrot loves to swim. When caring for budgies, bathing must be included. Just place a bath on the roof of the cage once a week; a regular plate of warm water will do. After bathing, it must be removed, otherwise there is a risk that the bird will drink dirty water.

If there are other pets in the house, try to make their introduction to the new family member as friendly as possible. It is unlikely that the cat Vaska, who will hang on the cage with all his limbs, will bring positive things to the life of a little bird.

Have you noticed that there are two types of budgies in the store? The first species is an ordinary budgie. The second is the Czech show parrot, which is twice the size of its relative. Caring for a Czech wavy parrot differs only in that it needs a large cage, otherwise the care is no different from an ordinary “wavy”.

Many people wonder about feeding budgies. The store has a very rich assortment of grain mixtures, at a variety of prices. What food is most suitable for poultry and is it worth overpaying for seeds and grains produced by well-known manufacturers?

In caring for and feeding budgies, trial and error will help you. The bird itself will choose which food is most pleasant to it. Of course, for this you will have to buy more than one grain mixture, but in the end you will understand what the parrot likes best. Don’t limit yourself to just the seeds from the pack; periodically add grass, a loaf of bread soaked in milk, and sunflower seeds into the cage. Be sure to insert chalk or a mineral stone through the bars of the cage - the parrot will receive all the necessary substances and sharpen its beak.

By the way, you must not forget about caring for your budgerigar’s beak. There is nothing complicated here, just give him pebbles, twigs and other hard objects so that the parrot can grind it down.

Most bird lovers are interested in the question: who is better to buy a female or a male?

Caring for a male budgie is practically no different from caring for a female. The only thing is, it is possible to teach a boy to talk, but if you bought a pair in advance, a female and a male, or put a mirror in the cage, then most likely you will not hear the phrase “Kesha is good” in the Russian-parrot language.

The color of the wax will help you determine the gender of your wavy friend. In other words, you need to determine what color the parrot's nostrils are. In boys, after 4 months the cere becomes blue, in girls it remains pink.

It happens that after buying a female and a male, you want new offspring, but for some reason they don’t appear.

As strange as it may sound, the “loves - doesn’t like” factor plays an important role in the care and reproduction of budgies. It happens that the birds live together in harmony, receive proper nutrition and care, but there are still no chicks. I don’t want to upset you, but they are unlikely to appear. Try to solve the problem by changing the pair. Place the female in another cage and buy a new one or swap with familiar males or females. If you notice that relatives scratch each other’s feathers, kiss and feed each other from the beak, then expect a quick replenishment (see).

Don't expect the female to lay eggs right on the perch or in the corner of the cage. She will need a house to breed chicks. She will lay eggs in it. You can make such a structure for breeding future parrots with your own hands; for example, take an ordinary birdhouse and do the same, only according to the size of your cage. That is, the breeding house should not occupy half of the free space, but it should not be the size of a matchbox.

The budgerigar (lat. Melopsittacus undulatus) is a species of bird from the order Psittacidae, the family Psittacidae, the only representative of the genus of budgerigars (Melopsittacus).

The Latin name of the species is formed by 3 words: the Greek word “melos”, meaning “singing”, the word “psittacos” - “parrot” and the Latin word “undulatus”, which means “wavy”. Therefore, literally translated, the name of the bird sounds like a singing budgerigar. A number of ornithologists suggest calling the bird the wavy singer.

Budgerigar - description, appearance and characteristics.

All of the above names are absolutely true: budgies are really very noisy and talkative, they perfectly remember and imitate individual words and phrases, which they repeat many times, often without much meaning.

The budgerigar is a beautiful and slender bird, which, due to its long tail, looks much larger than it actually is. Body length a budgerigar excluding the tail reaches 17-19.8 cm with a body weight of about 40-45 g. Poultry participating in exhibitions often have a body length of 21 to 23 cm.

Wings Budgerigars, 9.5 to 10.5 cm long, are used by birds exclusively for flight and are completely unsuitable for support when walking or sitting. The flight is beautiful and arched, similar to the flight of a swallow, and when landing, the bird’s wings bend downward, like a quail’s. Thanks to this structure, the budgie flies quite quickly and is able to cover considerable distances in search of food.

The budgerigar has quite a long tail step-shaped, growing up to 8-10 cm in length, and in young individuals the tail is much shorter.

Limbs birds are developed and tenacious, ending in 4 long fingers: 2 of them are directed back, 2 look forward. This design allows birds to grab various objects and food with their paws, as well as deftly climb trees and walk on the ground. At the end of the fingers grow strong curved claws of dark blue, black or almost white. The budgerigar's paws can be colored gray-blue, reddish, bright scarlet and pale pink.

In budgies living in nature, eyes dark blue in color, and the color of the iris is yellowish or almost white. These birds are able to distinguish colors, and a sufficiently large viewing angle allows them to view 2 perspectives at once.

The budgerigar is distinguished by its strong beak, protected by a durable horny substance, and its curved shape resembles the beak of birds of prey. At the base of the budgerigar's beak, a cere with nostrils is clearly visible. The bird's beak is quite mobile, the upper jaw is not fused with the bones of the skull, but is supported by the ligamentous apparatus, while the lower jaw is much shorter than the upper. Due to its unique morphology, the beak of these birds serves as an excellent mechanism for tearing and crushing shoots, leaves and seeds of plants, and at the same time is a convenient tool for carrying objects, food and climbing tree branches. In the event of an enemy attack, the beak of a budgerigar acts as a reliable object of protection.

Budgerigars have a small, short and thick tongue, and its rounded tip is protected by keratinized epithelium. In almost all individuals, the inner surface of the beak is equipped with special horny teeth, which act as a file that sharpens the beak, help clean grains, and also pick and break fruits. The beak of the chicks is dark in color, but with age it becomes intensely yellow, with a slight greenish tint.

Thanks to their natural grass-green coloration, budgerigars are invisible to enemies against the backdrop of the natural landscape. Cheeks All individuals are decorated with symmetrical purple marks of an elongated shape, and below, on both sides of the crop, there are black spots - special signs inherent in all representatives of the species. As a rule, the markings partially overlap the throat spots.

Crop and scalp budgerigars living in nature are painted in an intense yellow color; in the occipital region, a thin and light dark brown waviness passes to the back, where it becomes much wider and brighter against the general yellow background. In young parrots, the waviness is not so noticeable and begins right from the wax, and as they grow older, it is replaced by a characteristic yellow mask.

Feathers budgerigars on the forehead of males have a unique feature: under the influence of ultraviolet light they fluoresce, due to which females in nature choose a partner for nesting. Moreover, the human eye can detect this radiation only at night, but budgies see the glow even in daylight.

Determining the sex of a bird is not difficult. To find out the sex of a budgerigar, you need to look at its cere, which is located at the base of its beak.

Young males have a purple cere; in a young female it is intensely blue with a light border around the nostrils.
In mature males, the cere is dark blue or purple (in albinos). An adult female can be distinguished by the beige-blue or brown color of the wax. By the way, the brown color of the wax in females appears during nesting.

Male on the left, female on the right

Types of budgies, photos and colors.

Today, the budgerigar is considered the most common and favorite ornamental bird for home keeping. Over many years of breeding work, more than 200 varieties of these birds with a wide variety of plumage colors have been bred, including recessive varieties that lack the characteristic waviness.

Photo from budgerigar.com

The yellow color of the budgerigar is the first mutation color and was created in Belgium in 1872, and subsequently all modern color variations based on a yellow or white base appeared. Below are some varieties of budgerigar colors:

Natural, traditional color budgerigar plumage - light green(Light green color) with a glossy sheen that covers the breast, belly and lower back of the birds. The traditional mask is light yellow, the dots on the throat are black, and there are purple markings on the cheeks. The head, wings and back of the parrots are decorated with pronounced black undulation. The long tail feathers are dark blue, the supporting surface of the wings is colored black with a minimal light yellow edge.

Dark green budgerigars (Dark green color) are especially elegantly colored; they appeared in France in 1915. The chest, belly and lower back of these parrots are dark green, the mask is light yellow, the spots on the throat are black, slightly overlapped by purple cheek spots, and the body has a characteristic waviness. The shade of the wing plumage is identical to the classic variety, but the tail feathers are darker.

Olive green budgerigars (Olive green color) are descended from dark green individuals and were bred in France in 1919. The predominant plumage color of birds is olive green, the mask is bright yellow. Black waviness is contrastingly indicated on a yellow base. The wings of budgerigars are black with a green tint, the feathers on the tail are darker compared to dark green specimens.

Sky blue The budgerigar (Skyblue color) was bred by the Belgians in 1878. The chest, belly and lower back of the parrot are blue, and the bird's mask is pure white. The characteristic undulation is clearly defined on a white base, the tail feathers are distinguished by a blue color, the primary flight feathers are black with a minimal white edge.

Cobalt Budgerigars (Cobalt) were first shown at the London Exhibition in 1910. Their chest, abdomen, back and tail are distinguished by a blue color, the bird's mask is pure white, the bright wavy is well expressed on a white background. The wing color of a budgerigar varies from black to blue. The tail feathers are darker compared to sky blue parrots.

Lilac budgerigars (Mauve color) appeared as a result of mixing 2 dark factors, giving a deep lilac color without the presence of a gray tint.

Gray-green budgerigar (Grey Green color) is the fruit of the labors of Austrian breeders, which was obtained in 1935. The front, lower part of the body and lower back of these birds are distinguished by a very light mustard or gray-greenish tone. The parrots' mask is bright yellow, the spots on the throat are black, and the cheeks are gray, the clear wavy contrasts well with the yellow background. The tail plumage is black, the parrot's primary flight feathers are black with a minimal light yellow edge.

Gray Budgerigars (Gray color) appeared in Austria and England at the same time, in 1943. Representatives of the variety have a gray chest, lower body, cheeks and lower back, a snow-white mask, and black markings on the throat. The characteristic undulation is clearly marked on a white base, the tail is black and the wing feathers are black or greyish.

Violet The budgerigar (Violet color) first appeared in Germany in 1928. The chest, abdomen and lower back of the bird are distinguished by a deep purple color. The budgerigar's mask is pure white, the throat markings are black, the tail is dark purple, and the primary flight feathers are black with minimal white edges.

yellowface There are two types of budgies:
- The first type, single-factor, assumes that the bird has a lemon-yellow mask, which rarely extends beyond the occipital region and onto the chest. A lemon yellow hue may cover the white tail feathers and other white areas of the bird's plumage. The yellow tint does not extend to the remaining feathers. In two-factor birds the yellow mask is absent.
- The second type of yellow-faced parrot also includes two varieties: single-factor and two-factor. Both have a yellow mask. At the same time, the yellow color extends not only to the white feathers of the budgerigar, but also to the main plumage of the bird, turning it from light green to turquoise, from cobalt to dark green, from mauve to olive.

Lutinos(Lutino) is a very unusual species of budgerigar with a bright egg-yolk yellow plumage. These parrots have red eyes with light irises and pearlescent cheek markings. The feathers of the budgerigar's tail and wings are light. Males are distinguished by a pink or purple cere, while females have a brown cere. The birds' feet are red-brown or deep pink.

Albino on the left, lutinous on the right

Albinos(Albino) were first obtained in Germany in 1932, by two amateur breeders. These budgies are distinguished by their pure white feathers and red eyes with a white iris. The cere and tarsi of albinos are the same as those of lutinos.

Crested Budgerigars come in a wide variety of color variations, but differ in the type of crest. Some individuals are decorated with a pointed tuft of feathers growing on the forehead or crown. In others, the crest has the shape of a semicircle, formed by feathers that grow to the beak in a kind of shield. The third variety of budgerigars is decorated with a double or round crest growing from 2 points, while the feathers are arranged symmetrically and can form crests of different shapes and lengths.

Where do budgies live in the wild?

Budgerigars live throughout most of Australia, Tasmania and other nearby islands and are the most common and numerous species of Australian parrots.

In natural conditions, budgerigars live in flocks of 2 dozen to several hundred individuals and spend their entire lives wandering around the mainland in search of food. Typically, birds stay in semi-desert and steppe landscapes with open forests, therefore they inhabit the entire eastern and western coasts, as well as the central part of the mainland, with the exception of the northern regions with dense forests.

The composition of a flock of budgerigars is constantly changing: individual individuals fly away, others join, small groups can gather into giant flocks of up to a million individuals, representing an unforgettable spectacle of beauty.

Birds usually wait out the hot time of the day in the shade, hiding on branches in the dense foliage of trees. At night, budgerigars sleep, and at the first rays of the sun they gather in small flocks and go to watering places and feeding areas located several kilometers from their roosting site. Some birds drink at the water's edge, others descend to the very surface and quench their thirst in flight. They are often accompanied at watering places by cockatoos and zebra finches.

What do budgies eat?

According to scientists, the basis of the diet of budgerigars in nature is the seeds of land plants, mostly the seeds of kangaroo grass. Due to human intervention in natural habitats, birds are forced to adjust their diet depending on changes in environmental conditions. Today, Australia's main cereal crop, grown everywhere, is, but the grains of this cereal are too large for small birds. In addition to grains, budgies eat young shoots and leaves of plants, various berries, vegetables and fruits, and occasionally feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Nesting of budgerigars in their natural habitat occurs all year round: the northern part of the population begins to breed immediately after the end of the rainy season, in the south nesting begins in November and December. Nesting pairs occupy hollows, stumps with crevices and any other hollow niches.

The mating games of budgerigars consist of various courtships, an important part of which is “kissing” and regurgitation of food by the male. In this way, he demonstrates to the female his ability to feed future offspring. In the chosen place, practically without any bedding, the female budgerigar lays from 4 to 12 white eggs, their incubation lasts about 3 weeks. Throughout the incubation period, the male budgerigar feeds the female, being nearby in a tireless search for food.

Budgerigar chicks hatch from eggs naked and blind, weighing about 2 g, the mother warms the offspring, and both parents do the feeding. 10 days after birth, the chicks' eyes open, at the age of 1 month they are fully feathered and can leave their native nest, although some young individuals remain near the nest for some time. At the age of 3 months, grown individuals are already able to reproduce.

Breeding budgies at home is a rather labor-intensive process. The male and female, unlike most birds, must grow up together and feel great sympathy for each other, and artificially created pairs, as a rule, do not produce offspring for several years.

How long do budgies live?

In nature, budgerigars live for about 7 years, and at home, with proper care, birds can live up to 10-15 years. The lifespan of some individuals in captivity can reach 22 years.

Budgerigars at home: maintenance, care, feeding.

It is better to stop choosing a feathered pet for home keeping at 3-4 month old individuals: at this age, budgies easily get used to their owners and their new home. But before you bring the bird home, you need to stock up on everything necessary for proper care and maintenance of your budgerigar at home.

A rectangular cage is considered the best option. The size of the cage for a budgie should be such that the bird can flutter from one perch to another without its wings touching the walls. To keep one budgerigar, a cage measuring 25x40x40 cm is sufficient. A cage with frequent vertical and sparse horizontal bars will ensure the unimpeded movement of the bird and prevent slipping. The best material for the cage is unpainted stainless steel. If the rods are painted, the bird will chew on them and may eat paint particles.