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Post by Morgan on Jan 5, 2021 6:22:27 GMT
vangellis - I have all the grills removed from my cages, but there is no gap at all for escape, so it probably depends on the cage design.
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Jan 2, 2021 16:52:40 GMT
vangellis
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 10
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Post by vangellis on Jan 5, 2021 18:15:43 GMT
Well, for starters, budgies don’t need grit (especially insoluble grit which can cause impaction), though offering small amounts of oyster shells grit may be fine as it also contains some calcium and is digestible. But dinNt give them a whole bowl full because if they are feeling unwell they may just start eating it in large quantities which can still cause impaction. Sand sheets also can cause bumble foot, so you should probably just try to return those or throw them away. Maybe someone else will have a better suggestion what you could use them for alternatively if you more like me and don’t like to waste things Are the sheets meant to be used as a cage liner though? I have heard of that, and maybe if the budgies don’t spend much time in the ground it would be ok to just use them up til they are gone? Get someone else’s opinion on that though because it still seems dangerous to expose them to the rough paper at all. You shouldn’t need to clip their nails if they have all natural wood perches of varying diameters which will keep their nails filed somewhat. I know that beaks can become overgrown due to fatty liver disease (just something to be aware of), so if you see that happening don’t assume just having it trimmed is solving the issue. I have heard that some illnesses can cause nails to overgrow also but I am not positive about that. As far as them staying up high and together, that is completely normal. You are a big scary human and they are two baby birds who know and can communicate effectively only each other. Since they are tame enough to not be freaking out and flying all over when you go into their cage, you can try to interact with them slowly by offering a known treat to them from your hand. You can also just sit next to their cage and talk to them, and play the winking game. Don’t look at them directly with both eyes, close one or turn your head so they can only se wine of your eyes, or blink often and keep your eyelids relaxed and almost sleepy. This breaks up your predator stare so they won’t think you are hunting them down to eat them! Even pet birds are wild by nature - not domesticated like dogs - so you will have to be very patient and move slowly as not to scare them and earn their trust. Others will be along to offer additional advice. Thank you very much for your advice regarding the grit, I have now removed it completely.Best wishes. Vangellis-UK
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Post by Hezz on Jan 6, 2021 0:42:20 GMT
Thanks Hezz, I've put it back in now. I've never seen a grid in a bird cage before, but then again, it's almost 60 years since I last had a budgerigar. I haven’t seen a cage that hasn’t had a grill. . Whether you use it or not is entirely your decision, I’ve never felt the need to remove mine at any time. Another positive about keeping the grill in place is that while budgie mess will fall through to the tray, even with the paper on, the paper over the top does seem to contain some of the mess, trapping it between the tray and the paper. Unfortunately for stuff as light as millet husks, ne beat of a budgie wing will have it scattered everywhere.
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Jan 2, 2021 16:52:40 GMT
vangellis
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 10
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Post by vangellis on Jan 12, 2021 15:25:51 GMT
Hi, me again. I have taken morgan's advice regarding the grit, I threw the grit away and have now got a 1-kilo pack of oyster shell grit, How much of this should I give them? Another thing, in my 1st post I said the bird's eyes were black, no pupils, I meant no irises, sorry I have had them now for approximately 7 to 8 weeks and they still have jet black eyes with no irises, at what age do the birds have irises? I was always under the impression this meant they were less than 14 weeks old, but I am obviously wrong somewhere along the line. Thanks Vangellis
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Post by Hezz on Jan 13, 2021 1:05:43 GMT
While a fully black eye can be an indicator of age, not all mutations actually get an iris ring. Some photos of the birds may help us there. Regarding how much grit (soluble) to serve up, a finger drawer is all you need, and they won’t chew on it all the time. Like this: www.naturallyforbirds.com.au/shop/plastic-finger-drawers
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Jan 2, 2021 16:52:40 GMT
vangellis
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 10
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Post by vangellis on Jan 28, 2021 17:14:35 GMT
Hello Everyone, it's me again. I have noticed since I have had these two budgerigars since early January, they have not once gone on the bottom of the cage, is this normal? I have tried to coax them onto the floor of the cage by putting some red foxtail millet on the cage floor, they both love that, but they still won't come down. Are they simply a weird pair or what? Oh, and here is a photograph of them, somebody requested.
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Post by ffiscool on Jan 28, 2021 17:24:13 GMT
Why do you want them to go into the bottom? Normally they won’t, they like to be high up.
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Post by Hezz on Jan 28, 2021 22:14:35 GMT
It certainly isn’t unusual for budgies to go down to the floor of their cage. A lot depends on what is there to entice them to do so, and if millet hasn’t as yet, so be it. There is no reason to be concerned, or to try to force them to do so. They either will or they won’t in their own good time.
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Post by Morgan on Jan 29, 2021 5:40:59 GMT
Mine definitely took some time (and probably encouragement in numbers as I have eight) to go to the floor of their bird room (and they won’t very often).
Their original cages are much smaller than what you have, two of them 30” wide and 18” tall and wide, and a slightly smaller one with that terrible scalloped roof shape (I keep it on hand anyway just to have an extra one) - which they only use to sleep in mostly. I always have kept their food on the floor in the middle (where it can’t be pooped on), and since the cages themselves are not so tall they had no problem going down for it.
I recently got a much bigger cage for them, and I think because they are used to their food being down below they didn’t have too much trouble - but I could tell that with the added height they don’t like being down low as much. And sometimes they have a bit of trouble going vertically down from perch to perch without using the bars. Usually they do use the bars, but when they choose not to it’s pretty comical!
So I’m making rope bridges for them with uncoiled sisal twine and cut pieces of apple wood and madrone branches/sticks to hang diagonally to see if that makes it easier for them. I have to fill the new cage with toys and such too.
Anyway, my point being, it may just be too much trouble for them to go down if there isn’t a big motivation, or if they just aren’t used to it. It’s always safer up high, and if their food is there too why bother going down? In the wild budgies would go down to the ground to eat seeding grasses, and even pick spilled seed from the ground itself, but there are more predators down below too. So they need to have a reason to go down and feel safe enough to do so.
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Post by blue48 on Jan 29, 2021 7:24:46 GMT
Hi vangellisBeautiful budgies My boys are both 16 months old. One has iris rings and one has black eyes.
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Jan 2, 2021 16:52:40 GMT
vangellis
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 10
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Post by vangellis on Jan 30, 2021 10:45:55 GMT
Why do you want them to go into the bottom? Normally they won’t, they like to be high up. I don't particularly want them to go on the bottom of the cage, I'm not really bothered whether they do or not, I was wondering if this is normal behaviour, that's all.
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