Nov 7, 2011 21:14:49 GMT
phoenix
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 7
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Post by phoenix on Nov 7, 2011 21:30:26 GMT
Hi all. i'm new to the forum and looking for some advice about my little girl, she is green and yellow (sorry if that has a technical term, but i dont know it ) her name is cherry-pie (blame the kids not me!) she is probably about 4years old (?) we got her around 3 years ago to keep our blue boy (tweety-pie) company but he passed away more than 18 months ago. The kids dont seem to bother with her anymore and she just 'lolls' around in the cage looking forlorn we put a mirror back in about 6 months ago (someone told us to take it out when there was two of them) and she sits in front of it. But recently she has taken to laying on her tummy along the small perch attached to the mirror and closing her eyes. She seems very lonely. I dont want to get another really as we will have the same trouble when she goes, and we spend most weekends away so i dont think we should get another. Any help, ideas etc.. would be greatfully received. D/H says we should find her a new home where she will have more company. Do you think that would be best? Many thanks in advance.
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Post by Gaile on Nov 7, 2011 22:37:50 GMT
welcome to the forum! sorry to hear that your little budgie not well! do you have a phone to see how she is sitting! do you know if she seems to be breathing heavily! do her droppings look normal as in not green and runny!
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Nov 7, 2011 21:14:49 GMT
phoenix
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 7
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Post by phoenix on Nov 7, 2011 22:46:46 GMT
she seems perfectly normal. . . . .droppings normal, breathing normal, just sad! She tends to 'lay down' more in the afternoons and always across the front of the mirror. She dosn't seem to drink much, but then she never has so thats not unusual. She tweets a bit but not a lot. She used to be infront of the window but we had to move her to the other side of the room (no window) maybe thats it?
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Post by Gaile on Nov 7, 2011 23:34:30 GMT
hens like to chew at toys maybe get a wooden toy to shred!! as you can see from the photo one is new and the other only 10days old!!!!
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Post by Hezz on Nov 8, 2011 0:44:15 GMT
Hi and welcome Phoenix. Sorry your little Cherry-pie is out of sorts. A couple of questions: was she getting heaps of attention from the family before the kids lost interest? Were she and Tweety-pie close to each other? Does she have plenty of toys to keep her occupied? I have recently made a sticky regarding this very topic: one budgie or two? It's under Budgie talk -General. Check it out, it may help.
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Post by BudgiesBuddy on Nov 8, 2011 8:28:11 GMT
Hi and welcome to the forum Phoenix I am sure you will get very good advice from Hezz after replying the questions. I hope Cherry-pie feels better soon.
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Nov 7, 2011 21:14:49 GMT
phoenix
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 7
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Post by phoenix on Nov 9, 2011 23:56:37 GMT
well not that much i suppose. They would talk to her but not a great deal, they just don't at all now she was very close to tweety. We got her to keep him company, as he was a stray found in the garden, we had no idea of his age. She was only young so he would feed her all the time. She very rarely fed herself! Then he passed away (must have been older than he looked) and she is now lonely. He would always feed from the same dish and leave the other one for her and when he went she wouldn't touch the food in his dish at all. She would scrat around on the floor first! How long do they live for then? roughly. she has lots of toys, but not wooden ones. hers are all plastic.
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Post by nat on Nov 10, 2011 0:07:37 GMT
Hi Phoenix and welcome to the forum:) It does sound like your hen is bored and lonely. Some budgies can live for upto 14 years, but the avarage age is about 8 years. I would really consider getting her a male friend as unless she is tame and getting plenty of human interaction then her life will be quite miserable. An older male would be a good idea as hens can be a bit offish with males that are under the age of breeding. On the worry you voiced about one dying and leaving its mate again, well yes, it will happen, but theres no telling when and which one will go first. Its not always the oldest ones. I'm sure if you advertised on the forum in the trading section that you wanted an older male budgie there would be a breeder in your area who would give you a budgie at a much cheaper price than a shop and of the age you would like. Many breeders have surplus budgies that they sell at the end of the year which are perfectly healthy but just not up to scratch to show.
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Nov 7, 2011 21:14:49 GMT
phoenix
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 7
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Post by phoenix on Nov 10, 2011 0:18:58 GMT
Unfortunately she is not hand tame. She pretty much freaks out when i put my hands in and dosn't like to come out and fly around either. She's a bonny little thing, i can't bear to see her go on looking thoroughly miserable. Working on my D/H to get another buddy for her. He dosn't really 'do' birds and says we should find her a new home where she will get the attention she deserves. Don't know what to do for the best?
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Post by nat on Nov 10, 2011 0:32:15 GMT
If you decide to rehome her then you might find someone on here with an aviary near you:) It must be a hard decision to make. Maybe as well as shes not coming out to fly is she getting a bit unfit? Perhaps thats why shes lazing about rather alot? Either way a friend or an aviary would liven her up:) If you decide to keep her on her own then the wooden toys as mentioned are good, but you can also buy birdsafe shredding materials to keep them occupied during the day. I find these much better at encouraging budgies to chew. Some natural wood perches picked from willow or apple trees might get her jaws working a bit as well:)
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Nov 7, 2011 21:14:49 GMT
phoenix
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 7
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Post by phoenix on Nov 10, 2011 0:34:05 GMT
ok thats it!!!! just watched Barries 'chick pics' video where the mum is feeding the babies and cherry-pie, who was fast asleep, hopped around the cage looking for the 'new birds' totally wide awake! in an instant! I had to mute the sound ;D So....where do i start getting her an older male to bond with> (hubby's going to kill me)
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Post by nat on Nov 10, 2011 0:42:45 GMT
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Post by Hezz on Nov 10, 2011 0:48:09 GMT
Hi phoenix, good decision! Under general topics (where we are now) there is another section titled "Trading Post". Put up your request in there, listing all your requirements eg older male.etc and where exactly you are, or can get to easily and see what happens. I think Barrie has also started a list of breeders on this forum somewhere, just not sure where. If you find it you may find a breeder close to you. Good luck with the search.
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