Oct 20, 2016 17:43:26 GMT
garethw
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 22
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Post by garethw on Oct 20, 2016 22:48:13 GMT
Good evening all. I am new the forum, so I will briefly tell you what brought me here. On Monday this week our family bought our first budgies (I actually had one when I was approximately 4, but i can't remember that far back), due to loosing our cat in a road accident 2 weeks ago, we lost our 13 year old house rabbit in February. The wife and kids took a fancy to the smaller budgies (often called wild ones I believe?) but I preferred the larger (English?) budgie, but we ended up with 2 smaller ones. I am unsure of the sex, but looking and reading online, I think one is male and the other female. Both birds have been named rum and raisin, lol. Rum being (I think) a light blue/yellow/white girl (light pink cere), and raisin being a grey/yellow/black boy (light blue cere). Rum is very active, agile and more then happy to explore, but raisin is very reserved and quiet. She often goes up to him and tries to be close but he pecks her away, but she then stands tall and does back close to him (to groom I think). We can put our hands in the cage to change water and so on which is fine with rum, but raisin does the death wall around the cage and hates it when you go in. He is very cautious and always watching if you put new things in, but she just does not bother and continues to groom herself and will investigate later if she see's it. Rum Raisin Their home Together
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Aug 28, 2016 23:54:30 GMT
redbeardnz
Normal Violet
Posts: 136
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Post by redbeardnz on Oct 21, 2016 2:29:31 GMT
welcome to the nut house you shall learn a lot here. i know i sure have already. never seen a grey budgie before...i want one!
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Post by Hezz on Oct 21, 2016 6:55:25 GMT
The bigger budgies are from show or exhibition stock and are usually known as such - show budgies or exhibition budgies; the smaller, more natural-looking birds are simply pet budgies. Since budgies originated from Australia, I find the terms English budgies and American budgies highly amusing. Rum and Raisin are indeed male and female, and lovely little birds. The wife and kids made the right choice, I feel. Not to be critical first off, but there are a few issues that can be improved with their cage. Firstly sand sheets on the bottom of the cage - not only unnecessary, but a health threat to your birds' feet. Sand sheets and perches, if you have any, can cause horrible sores on the bottom of their feet which are very painful and very hard to heal. It is called bumblefoot. Put newspaper down over the bottom, several sheets at a time and simply lift off the top layer and you immediately have a clean cage. Plastic perches are no better than sand perches. and should be replaced asap with natural tree branches from budgie-safe trees. If you have any toys with tassles, cut them off as short as possible and tie a cable tie tight below the knot to stop the rope unravelling. Moving their seed and water containers up to the level of the highest perch is much more hygienic as there is less likelihood of either being soiled. Replace any metal pieces on toys, particularly bells, with stainless steel, the only metal that is safe for budgies to lick, and it won't rust, rust being extremely toxic to birds. Also, what are the dimensions of the cage, please? This one looks rather on the small side for two budgies who are not yet having out of cage flying time. Please don't be offended by the things I have pointed out. It is only for the health and well-being of your birds that I am concerned, but I would also guess that your kids don't need to be losing yet another pet in the near future. Welcome to the wonderful world of budgies.
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Post by OP on Oct 21, 2016 7:30:40 GMT
Hello and welcome to our forum a real fountain of knowledge, the most sane forum on the planet, sometimes. I notice you are from Sheffield, I must assume that to be Sheffield UK. Canadians are welcome just as much as anyone else. You have also been taken under the wing of our matriarch and supreme budgie keeper who's knowledge about budgie keeping is second to none. I have my serious head on for that paragraph.
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 21, 2016 7:35:52 GMT
Welcome to the forum garethw, Rum and Raisin! Hezz is right - unfortunately not many people are aware that these sand sheets are a wasted expense as it is pet companies who want money rather than the birds welfare. You will find that a lot so if there is something you are unsure about product wise give any one of us a yell and we'll hopefully be able to help you Lovely pictures of very lovely birdies btw!
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Post by jellybean on Oct 21, 2016 7:43:48 GMT
Hi garethw, welcome to the forum. You have two lovely little birds, like their names 😂 As OP said, great advice from Hezz. Hope you and the family enjoy all the fun with these little ones.
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Post by Hezz on Oct 21, 2016 8:55:16 GMT
Hello and welcome to our forum a real fountain of knowledge, the most sane forum on the planet, sometimes. I notice you are from Sheffield, I must assume that to be Sheffield UK. Canadians are welcome just as much as anyone else. You have also been taken under the wing of our matriarch and supreme budgie keeper who's knowledge about budgie keeping is second to none. I have my serious head on for that paragraph. I thought that might have been rather tongue-in-cheek, coming from you, OP.
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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: 28,770
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Oct 21, 2016 10:04:22 GMT
Welcome Gareth, Rum and Raisin. Lovely budgies As Hezz has said Sandsheets, Sand perch coverings and tassles on toys are all a no no! Plus keeping the water and seed low can contaminate them with droppings. Glad to have you here
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Post by starlingqueen on Oct 21, 2016 10:10:54 GMT
They are boy and girl but round the other way. Raisin is the hen.
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Post by Hezz on Oct 21, 2016 10:40:41 GMT
They are boy and girl but round the other way. Raisin is the hen. Yes, as has been mentioned.
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Post by starlingqueen on Oct 21, 2016 10:55:14 GMT
They are boy and girl but round the other way. Raisin is the hen. Yes, as has been mentioned. I can't see anywhere that anyone has said the sexes are round the wrong way. The OP said that Raisin is the boy and Rum the girl, I was just commenting that they are boy and girl but the other way round. Sorry if I have misunderstood or missed something. Save
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Post by Hezz on Oct 21, 2016 11:01:57 GMT
Yes, as has been mentioned. I can't see anywhere that anyone has said the sexes are round the wrong way. The OP said that Raisin is the boy and Rum the girl, I was just commenting that they are boy and girl but the other way round. Sorry if I have misunderstood or missed something. SaveSorry, I must admit to not reading the first post properly .... just jumped straight to the photos, and missed this: , I think one is male and the other female. Both birds have been named rum and raisin, lol. Rum being (I think) a light blue/yellow/white girl (light pink cere), and raisin being a grey/yellow/black boy (light blue cere). I do tend to do this, and I do apologise for not being clearer in my own post. Rum fits the boy description right down to a "T", Raisin, exactly that for a hen.
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Oct 20, 2016 17:43:26 GMT
garethw
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 22
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Post by garethw on Oct 21, 2016 11:13:00 GMT
Hi all, thank you for the warm welcome. I am shocked to read that I guessed the birds sex are the wrong way round.
Hezz thank you for the tips. I'm more the happy to get rid of the sandy paper, it's chuffing expensive stuff. The food pots have a perch and a cover over them, will they still be OK? If not I will buy some stainless pots.
I have food and water low down as that's what I had read to be OK (like being in the pet shop) till they settle in and learn where to get food from.
I have 1 tree branch like perch, 1 wooden smooth rounded swing with 2 perches on, 1 wooden smooth rounded swing and a plastic perch. But I will be getting new perches very soon.
None of the toys have and rope/string, but great advice for the future.
The cage dimensions are 61cm high, 38 deep and 58 length. Which I read to be fine, but I am wanting a better style and size anyway. What would you recommend for the 2 birds?
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Post by jellybean on Oct 21, 2016 12:47:45 GMT
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Post by starlingqueen on Oct 21, 2016 13:17:14 GMT
I can't see anywhere that anyone has said the sexes are round the wrong way. The OP said that Raisin is the boy and Rum the girl, I was just commenting that they are boy and girl but the other way round. Sorry if I have misunderstood or missed something. SaveSorry, I must admit to not reading the first post properly .... just jumped straight to the photos, and missed this: , I think one is male and the other female. Both birds have been named rum and raisin, lol. Rum being (I think) a light blue/yellow/white girl (light pink cere), and raisin being a grey/yellow/black boy (light blue cere). I do tend to do this, and I do apologise for not being clearer in my own post. Rum fits the boy description right down to a "T", Raisin, exactly that for a hen. No problem Hezz, I thought I had missed something that had been posted already. Save
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