Budgies

Image of budgies.

Budgies (budgerigars) are an extremely popular pet bird, and for good reason. These small parrots make delightful pets, and are usually friendly and easy to tame. While they can sometimes be difficult to understand, they are quite capable of mimicking speech. Budgies are sometimes also called parakeets (specifically shell parakeets) as they are members of the parakeet family. There are also two types of budgies - the American budgie or parakeet, and the English budgie. The American variety is the one most commonly found in pet stores, while type often seen in exhibitions and shows is the English budgie. English budgies are larger and have a different appearance than American budgies, but all budgies belong to the same species, Melopsittacus undulatus.

Their life span is 10-15 years and they can live to be up to 20. They originated in Australia and the normal wild coloration is green with black bars on the wings, back and head. Mature females have a tan or beige cere (the fleshy part around the nostrils) and the males have a bluish cere, but this is unreliable in some color variations and young birds of both sexes have pink ceres. Young budgies have bar markings on the forehead that recede with age, and their eyes have dark irises that gradually become grey with age, but again this doesn't necessarily hold true for all colors. Through selective breeding a huge variety of colors and patterns are available, such as violet, blue, yellow, pied, albino, and more. Gentle and docile bird, very easy to tame if acquired at a young age. Pairs of birds make good company for each other, but usually will not bond as well with their owners or mimic speech as well. A single bird is fine, as long as you spend a significant amount of time interacting with the budgie on a daily basis. Very playful and active, and quieter than some other parrots (although they can still be noisy).

Choosing a Bird

It is best to choose a hand fed baby or at least a young bird that has been handled regularly. You can expect to pay more for a hand reared or very young bird, but this is worth the extra cost. While widely available at pet stores, these birds may have an unknown history, and if they are older will be more challenging to bond with and tame. Look for a bird that is bright, alert and active. A bird sitting quietly with puffed feathers might be ill and is best avoided. The feathers should be smooth and shiny and lay down flat on the body. The feathers around the vent should be clean, dry, and free of fecal matter. The scales on the feet should be smooth, the nails in good condition, the beak should be smooth and well-shaped, and the nostrils should be clear and clean.

Housing Budgies

Budgies are active and playful and should have a large cage to allow room for toys and exercise. The minimum cage size is 18 inches long by 18 inches wide, and 20 inches tall, but larger is better. The spacing of the cage bars should be 1/2 inche or less. Horizontal cage bars offer the best opportunity for climbing and exercise. There should be space to place at least a couple of perches at different levels with enough space to comfortably move between them. Offering a variety of perch sizes will help keep the feet in good shape (using pesticide free, non-toxic tree branches for perches is another good option). Even with a large cage, budgies need play and socialization time outside of the cage as well. Keeping the wings trimmed is a good idea though, to prevent escapes.

Feeding Budgies

Variety is the key to a healthy diet. Seeds can be a nutritious part of the diet, but are high in fat so should only make up a part of the diet. Pelleted diets are often a good choice for birds as they are nutritionally balanced and birds can't pick out their favorite seeds and leave the rest, although budgies have a reputation for stubbornly refusing pellets if used to a seed diet. Seeds and pellets can be fed in combination, but with both seeds and pellets a wide variety of other foods should complement the diet. A variety of fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli, corn, spinach, beans, etc.) and fruit should be offered, although persistence might be needed before your bird will try new foods (particularly if they are accustomed to an all-seed diet). Sprouted seeds are also an excellent way to add variety to your bird's diet. Avocados must be avoided. A cuttle bone can be provided as a source of calcium, but contrary to the advice given in older references and by a number of pet stores, grit is not needed and can be harmful if the bird eats too much

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Testimonials

Feedback from our clients

  • "Words can not begin to express our gratitude for the care you had given Hunter over the years. When his time came, he watched for you to come through the door and his tail showed his affection towards you. That was most comforting having you there. Thank you.""
    ~R.H
  • ""Thank you so much for taking care of Maggie over the years. Y'all are the best and Dr. Johnson, you are the best vet in the world! God bless you all.""
    ~ J.D.
  • ""Your care for my beloved Mattie these last 10n years made her life, and mine much better….God bless each of you for all you did for us and I'm sure for all your other two and four legged patients.""
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    ~T.C.
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  • ""A sincere thank you for taking such good care of Dulce. We are so thrilled that she is back to her normal self. You gave her the support and care she needed in her darkest hours and kept us confident in her recovery.""
  • ""Just to say how much we appreciate all of you. You all are wonderful people. We feel blessed to have our beloved furry children in your care when they need it. Your professional knowledge and your acts of kindness have a beautiful act all it's own. You are a great vet, compassionate and everything good all in one. You are in our daily prayers.""
    ~T.F.
  • ""Thank you and all of your staff for the excellent care you gave to my wonderful Abbey, who was so much a part of the family. Thank you for all the advice and support you gave to me these last few months. I don't know how I would have gotten through this without your constant support. I will, and I have highly recommended you to family and friends, as I feel you are the best!""
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  • ""Thank you for taking care of my kitty, Slingshot. He is feeling better and better. My Paw-Paw said that you took extra special care of him and I really appreciate it. So, thank you again for taking care of my cat.""
    ~T.B. (age 6)
  • ""Dr. Johnson, I don't know why you decided to move here from your home in New Jersey, but I absolutely believe it was so you could help me and Mickey. I know coming to someone's home is not what a typical veterinarian would do, but you are obviously an extraordinary man in a world filled with ordinary men….On top of that, your sensitive and wonderful handwritten note arrived and touched my heart…You are one of those quiet, unheralded champions who make life easier for everyone you touch.""
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  • ""Thank you for all of your support for Maxine during her illness. All was very much appreciated and will always be remembered. I have related to all my friends of what a great doctor and staff at Birdneck Animal Hospital.""
    ~O.B.
  • ""Thank you for taking such good care of me over the last 4 years. I am doing well and both legs and feet feel great. You sis an awesome job on me Dr. Johnson, and I'm gonna have a great year this year and I hope to see you only for my check up. You guys are the best!""
    ~Budkus
  • "We can't thank you enough for the wonderful and loving care you gave to"Budkus" while he was in your care. He was so little and so sick and we were so scared for him. Each and every one of the staff members made us feel like we had the only dog in the world. Like nothing else mattered except getting "Budkus" well again. Our deepest gratitude to all of you for the excellent care and attention we received, for your encouragement, comfort, and understanding, and most importantly for saving his life! Thank you so much.""
    ~ J.,B.,C.