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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 10, 2018 13:30:26 GMT
I just made this account and it's my first time on a forum so please do tell if I'm doing this the wrong way. So, I have two budgies, one female about 3 years old and a male 2 years old. They started breeding about two weeks ago. In the end I decided to not separate them (the first time they mated last year they were seperated immediately) and keep the eggs. I put a nest in yesterday, there diet is pretty good from the research I've done, hard boiled eggs and veggies every day with a mineral block and cuttlefish bone in always. There cage is pretty big so there environment is more or else good enough I believe. I'm writing all of this (bare with me please) because today the female budgie attacked the male. I was at school but I was told it was pretty bad,she chased him and bit him in the legs, under one eye where now there is a bald spot.She had done this again, but they were in a very small travel cage, but maybe because he was stressed? When I got home they were separated and stayed like that for about 2 months, until I put them again in this current cage. She didn't attack him again so badly, although there was the occasional chasing and she sometimes made him change perches or feeders. She hasn't laid any eggs,she's looking into the nest but hasn't entered it, although I think she has moved some bedding around. She can't raise chicks alone obviously so should I put in fake eggs or take out the nest all together. Is there a chance to put them back together? Please help.
P.S. : Thank you for reading this:)
Edit: It's dark right now so sorry for the quality. The cages are a mess because I didn't have a lot of time to set them up properly.. Yellow-green budgie (Seze) is the female in their normal cage. Blue budgie (Blueberry) the male that was moved today in the smaller cage. I hope this helps. (They look a bit terrified, I know, because I uncovered them and the camera light🙈)
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Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,800
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 10, 2018 17:37:32 GMT
Can you please post some photos of your budgies and their cage so that someone can help you with your query?
Thank you.
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Post by skysmum on Jan 10, 2018 18:11:40 GMT
I'm afraid 3 is too old for a first time Budgie hen to lay eggs, she could become egg bound, i would remove the nest box.
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 10, 2018 18:13:36 GMT
Can you please post some photos of your budgies and their cage so that someone can help you with your query? Thank you. I hope they help👍
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 10, 2018 18:20:07 GMT
I'm afraid 3 is too old for a first time Budgie hen to lay eggs, she could become egg bound, i would remove the nest box. I did, how can I prevent that, I'm not sure if she'll lay eggs though. I try to feed her the best I can. What else can I do?
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Post by clt80 on Jan 10, 2018 19:10:48 GMT
Try to occupy her mind, give her mental stimulation with more toys, some natural perches (branches of different sizes), not only is it good for their feet/toes it gives them something to peck at which they love doing, try to rearrange the cage so it's all new and she can go poke about and keep herself busy. Does she just eat seed? Put some veg in, she may not eat it but I'm sure before long she will get inquisitive and want to know what it is etc. Does she have out of cage time ? I agree with skysmum remove the nest box to discourage her. Lovely budgies by the way. Edit - sorry I can see in your first post that they eat eggs and veg.
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 10, 2018 19:57:39 GMT
Try to occupy her mind, give her mental stimulation with more toys, some natural perches (branches of different sizes), not only is it good for their feet/toes it gives them something to peck at which they love doing, try to rearrange the cage so it's all new and she can go poke about and keep herself busy. Does she just eat seed? Put some veg in, she may not eat it but I'm sure before long she will get inquisitive and want to know what it is etc. Does she have out of cage time ? I agree with skysmum remove the nest box to discourage her. Lovely budgies by the way. Edit - sorry I can see in your first post that they eat eggs and veg. Thank you so much for your reply! The problem with her is that she likes chewing, but unlike normal budgies that chew perches and toys she just chews the cage?? Idk she did that from when she was small. She had and has toys, which she touches once and then ignores and she chews rarely on the perches, the plastic ones usually, but mostly the cage bars or the any type of cloth she can find. Also, I won't put them in the same cage again right? When they were separated they were both in the cages like the red/orange one above. But it was too small for both of them. I already have too many cages and don't think I can buy something bigger at the time. No, she doesn't have out of the cage time. She isn't tamed, she was always more afraid of me unlike the male but I trained her when she was younger. But two years ago she escaped her cage and flew out of the window (we found her in the end, a little yellow dot on huge pine tree in front of our window, we opened it and she flew right inside, proving she's good at heart haha) so after that I didn't want to disturb her too much. Although I can get back on track with their training if I plain my day well enough I guess haha. Sorry for these essays btw
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 10, 2018 20:06:15 GMT
Five minutes ago she started shaking her right leg up and down on the perch??? Is she okay? Stressed maybe???
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 10, 2018 20:18:16 GMT
Now she stopped. I don't even know anymore..
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Post by clt80 on Jan 10, 2018 22:22:37 GMT
Not sure about the leg shaking. Some of mine like to stretch their legs but I wouldn't say they shake it. Maybe some else has experience with this and can help.
I'd let them be together in the big cage only when you can supervise and for short periods of time. If they fight then separate them. Maybe in short bursts they will be okay with each other, and it's just they want their own place to retreat to when they want, which is why they fight. But if you supervise you can stop it. If that doesn't work then separate cages for good I suppose.
If you could train them, so they can have free flight and a bit of freedom it may help. I know it's a lot of work and a big ask, but in my own humble opinion I think if they had time out of the cage it would give them a better quality of life and some freedom. That may not be everyones thoughts, but they are my own.
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Post by helenmat on Jan 10, 2018 23:28:34 GMT
Try giving pieces of paper for her to chew on and more toys to stimulate. In my opinion a bird should not be permanently shut in a cage, it is worth the extra effort to allow them to fly around a safe room.
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Post by Hezz on Jan 11, 2018 2:09:31 GMT
Even your bigger cage is too small for two budgies with no free flying time. If she is hormonal and confined all the time, she will take her frustrations out on the male. I would definitely remove the nest box, maybe think about changing some of your smaller cages for a much larger, flight cage, so that they have room to remove themselves from each other. While any violence is going on, they do need to be separated.
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 11, 2018 5:16:14 GMT
Thank you all for your your advice. I will start their training as soon as possible and whill try my best to keep them healthy and occupied.
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Post by lilballsoffury on Jan 11, 2018 12:30:41 GMT
About the leg thing, she's continuing it until today, sometimes she has it tucked in but keeps the claws open. I checked for any wounds from yesterday but there weren't any. I'll take her to the vet as soon as possible. Both of them. Also, while I was handling her I noticed that her vent was a quite swollen, it wasn't like usual. Does that mean she's egg bound or going to lay eggs? She hasn't nested anywhere though.
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Post by clt80 on Jan 11, 2018 18:09:36 GMT
Sometimes when resting budgies tuck a leg up and perch on just the other leg. But the leg shaking you describe I'm afraid I don't know - could be something serious or it could be not. Your avian vet will be able to advise hopefully, I'd be keen to hear what they say it is.
As for the swollen vent, she could be egg bound, about to lay an egg, have a tumour, have a cyst, fluid, a whole plethora of things I could guess at, and that's what I'd be doing guessing as I'm no expert by a long shot so if you're able to get her to your avian vet asap that would be her best chance.
Let us know how you get on.
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