Oct 8, 2016 15:21:31 GMT
weelouie
Normal Violet
Concierge at Budgopolis: Condo to the Stars!
Posts: 184
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Post by weelouie on Oct 22, 2016 2:07:21 GMT
I'm seriously considering getting into the show hobby or at least keeping some exhibition budgies. I've been doing a lot of research on them, including reading the pinned threads here. There's a lot of info on conformation, which birds should be bred to which etc. but not many details on the husbandry aspect. So, I have a lot of questions. Feel free to send me links as well.
First - cages. I know exhibition budgies are larger than the wild type, so do they also require a larger cage? I read that they don't fly as much or are not as strong flyers, is that true? Also, is the bar spacing the same for an exhibition bud or can they be kept in a cage with larger bar spacing.
Food - do they require anything different from the wild types? Do people feed them special foods like Ce De or Perle Morbide (usually used for canaries and finches)?
Personality - are exhibition budgies more attached to humans than the wild types? Do they require more human interaction? Or do people tame and/or train them for showing or handle them more and that's why they seem to be more "tame"? Is it better to keep them with other birds? Are they more or less active, or the same?
Health - I read that exhibition budgies don't live as long as the wild types, how long do they normally live? Are there particular things a keeper can do that extend or reduce their lifespan? What is the most common cause of death?
Feather - this is probably a dumb question that exhibitors get asked a lot, but do the longer facial feathers interfere with sight, feeding/drinking or breathing?
Breeding - should I decide to breed exhibition budgies in the future (I'm in no rush because I'd rather learn first) how many pairs of birds would be necessary? I've read of some major breeders who keep hundreds of birds - out of the question for me.
Finally, what's the best way to learn about the hobby? I plan on going to a local show in a couple of weeks to see things for myself. Many years ago I bred Siamese cats, and the way I got into it was by going to a lot of shows, meeting exhibitors and being mentored by an experienced breeder. Is it possible to do something similar with budgies? I believe there's a budgie club in my area, but their website is woefully out of date.
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Post by OP on Oct 22, 2016 7:33:41 GMT
I know nothing about breeding budgies full stop. But I would ask you this question. Could you learn to ride a bike by just reading about it? I guess the answer would be no, you need a mentor or some-one very local who can help you. You could try and learn all by yourself, but it would be mighty painful.
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Post by Shirls on Oct 22, 2016 8:58:18 GMT
Like oldpecker I haven't the experience of breeding any budgies weelouie, but have two exhibition budgies at the moment and up until recently had four. The only comment I can make about the facial feathers is that it DOES affect their eyesight. You can hardly see any of my exhibition budgies eyes. They have and do fly, albeit a little clumsily at times. They don't fly much as they are much bigger birds. See the difference in eyes here, Missy the exhibition girlie on the left and Billy Boy the 'normal' (if I could ever call him normal!!) budgie. I feel the lack of eyesight, because they are covered in feathers, has affected her flight mobility. Click on the image to enlarge it. Missy is one of my 'skiniest' birds, always has been.
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 22, 2016 9:02:17 GMT
Hi weelouie I dont breed exhibition birds but I do however keep them so I will tell you of what I know if its helps! So to answer your list of questions: Cages - I would still (in my limited experience) always get a decent sized cage for any bird you are going to keep whether it be exhibition or pet. Width of cage is more important that height. The cage bar spacing should be 1cm so that they cant fit through or get caught up. And exhibition types are not the greatest of flyers but they still do so would encourage you give them the option. Food - fresh foods are important here as well as seed as any bird should not be on a seed only diet. So take a look at our list of fresh foods for budgies section here and you may also be interested in some of the recipes for veg mashes etc for youngsters (which you would need to look for online) When it comes to breeding you need to make sure that they have optimal calcium and protein levels for egg shell making so some supplement with Calcivet. Personality - You can still have a good bond with an exhibition type bird too! As long as you are willing to put in the time and effort - breeders also like to get their budgies to "blow" see here for an example Health - It does depend on a lot of things the life span of an exhibition type - because of what we as man have done to breed out imperfections, unfortunately we have bred in IMPERFECTIONS too (shorter lifespan) being one of them but as long as you dont breed to much from one hen as they have a breeding time and shouldn't breed when they are old. More information can be sourced about breeding budgerigars hereFeathers - Not sure about an answer to this question some say yes some say no so guess it is debatable! Breeding - Again would ask questions via the Budgerigars Society Website and if possible go to a show and ask questions as there are many who would encourage new members to get into the hobby - and of course it does depend on how much space you have as to how many you wish to breed! Oh and answer to your last question I didn't read that until now so you are going to a show which is GREAT! I hope you are able to glean a lot form that day, you might want to take a camera (obviously ask permission if you are allowed to take pictures) as you are wanting to get into the hobby. Also take a pad and pen for any notes you wish to make. Have only given basic answers to your questions but hopefully it will be enough to point you in the right direction for now! Best of luck and let us know how you get on
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Mar 29, 2024 13:14:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2016 19:48:33 GMT
Please check out my website at - rayfox.org
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Mar 29, 2024 13:14:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2016 19:49:37 GMT
rayfox.org
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Oct 22, 2016 21:38:32 GMT
Ray It would be great you could give some of your breeding advice on the forum rather than just directing someone to your website.
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Mar 29, 2024 13:14:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2016 10:46:24 GMT
Ray It would be great you could give some of your breeding advice on the forum rather than just directing someone to your website. Hatching When to assist the struggling chick and particularly when not to intervene!! As we know, opening too early can reveal the chick which still has not absorbed the yolk into its body and it is pale and weak. The outcome is death! Opening too late and the chick for various reasons also dies, unless helped a fraction earlier. Close observation and timing are therefore vital assets to your husbandry. Sound Appearance Action Quiet tapping. Two mm. crack. Too soon –replace Quiet tapping. Group of fine cracks. Too soon –replace Quiet tapping. Cracks plus a brown line. Too soon- replace Weak squeaks. Cracks plus a tiny hole. Too soon- replace Medium squeaks. Cracks and early discolouration. Too soon-replace Loud squeaks.. Crack line round the circumference,) Normal hatching- - Creamy patches, moist membrane. ) replace. Loud squeaks. Crack line round the circumference, Creamy patches, dried membrane. Assist immediately. Loud squeaks. Large hole-drying membrane. Assist immediately Silence! Large hole –drying membrane. Dead in Shell. Remember if it is the first chick to hatch, leave the empty shell in situ, and move the tiny chick to a pair you know feeds small hatchlings really well to increase its chances of survival. Also bear in mind that a pale chick may not make much squeaking noise. It is the bright red chicks you want. A red chick will be fed as the hen will feed it easily, but if the chick does not call because it is exhausted and weak it may not be fed and will die. Fanciers frequently blame a hen for “crushing “tiny chicks. Occasionally this is true especially when young hens are in use and have no idea what to do when a chick hatches. However, the most common reason is that non red chicks have not demanded to be fed and consequently look “flattened”. Cold” eggs that a hen has deserted, or, kicked to one side in the nest and also for chicks that have similarly been left to go cold, can be saved. Deserted chicks may often look dead and white, but it is surprising after a few hours how some can recover using heat in almost any way or an incubator.
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Oct 8, 2016 15:21:31 GMT
weelouie
Normal Violet
Concierge at Budgopolis: Condo to the Stars!
Posts: 184
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Post by weelouie on Oct 25, 2016 2:08:46 GMT
Ray It would be great you could give some of your breeding advice on the forum rather than just directing someone to your website. Hatching When to assist the struggling chick and particularly when not to intervene!! As we know, opening too early can reveal the chick which still has not absorbed the yolk into its body and it is pale and weak. The outcome is death! Opening too late and the chick for various reasons also dies, unless helped a fraction earlier. Close observation and timing are therefore vital assets to your husbandry. Sound Appearance Action Quiet tapping. Two mm. crack. Too soon –replace Quiet tapping. Group of fine cracks. Too soon –replace Quiet tapping. Cracks plus a brown line. Too soon- replace Weak squeaks. Cracks plus a tiny hole. Too soon- replace Medium squeaks. Cracks and early discolouration. Too soon-replace Loud squeaks.. Crack line round the circumference,) Normal hatching- - Creamy patches, moist membrane. ) replace. Loud squeaks. Crack line round the circumference, Creamy patches, dried membrane. Assist immediately. Loud squeaks. Large hole-drying membrane. Assist immediately Silence! Large hole –drying membrane. Dead in Shell. Remember if it is the first chick to hatch, leave the empty shell in situ, and move the tiny chick to a pair you know feeds small hatchlings really well to increase its chances of survival. Also bear in mind that a pale chick may not make much squeaking noise. It is the bright red chicks you want. A red chick will be fed as the hen will feed it easily, but if the chick does not call because it is exhausted and weak it may not be fed and will die. Fanciers frequently blame a hen for “crushing “tiny chicks. Occasionally this is true especially when young hens are in use and have no idea what to do when a chick hatches. However, the most common reason is that non red chicks have not demanded to be fed and consequently look “flattened”. Cold” eggs that a hen has deserted, or, kicked to one side in the nest and also for chicks that have similarly been left to go cold, can be saved. Deserted chicks may often look dead and white, but it is surprising after a few hours how some can recover using heat in almost any way or an incubator. That's interesting info, even though I haven't found the parent birds yet. I will keep it, as I'm sure it will come in handy. I also looked at your website and I liked the pics of the baby blue birds. I guess you breed for that colour? I'm guessing it would be harder to breed for certain recessive colours. When I bred Siamese cats, I bought a foundation sire from a cattery that only bred Lilacpoints, the most difficult colour to breed (and win with) because it's the most recessive and judges are fussy about the exact shade they prefer. Re caging and other requirements, I always get my cages from breeders or breeder supply; I buy the wide flight cages. I learned long ago that the pet store cages with their decorative shapes are far too small and the decorative shapes are just wasted space. All of my birds are in rectangular flight cages except the "budgie city" which is the equivalent (by size) of three flight cages stacked on top of each other. Re foods, my budgies and other birds get fresh veg of different kinds every day. Twice a week they also get chopped hard boiled eggs from my button quail. Of course they get the usual millet and a seed/pellet mix. I also sprout seeds for them every so often. Once a week I give them Clay-Cal, which is a clay/calcium mix I used to give my African Grey. I'm really looking forward to the show this weekend. I hope I'll be able to talk to some people and find a show calendar. Sadly all of the breeder, club and show websites around here are half-built and years out of date. I'm hoping there will be more shows in my area because I don't have a car. Either way, I'd at least like to find a decent pair of birds to buy and possibly breed. I've been studying the show standard so I'll at least have an idea of what to look for
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 25, 2016 8:27:47 GMT
That's fantastic weelouie, having some knowledge before you go is better than nothing! Not only that, these people love having questions asked as they love to show off their stock (especially for selling on potential breeding birds) Would love to know how you get on, so please do share your experience!
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Post by jujubiiird on Oct 25, 2016 18:04:41 GMT
I don't know anything about Exhibitions/Shows either, so I will be really interested in what you've learned Are you excited to go? As I have mentioned before in another post, I have found that Show/English budgies are very hard to find here in Chile! In fact I haven't seen or heard anything about them, and we have looked at Pet shops and Local Aviaries...so these types of things are a Mystery to me
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Post by OP on Oct 25, 2016 18:44:52 GMT
So what species of budgies do you get in Chile?
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Post by jujubiiird on Oct 25, 2016 22:41:38 GMT
Just the wild Aussie types OP. They come in a whole variety of mutations but I haven't seen any English. The Aussies at the Pet shops seem to mostly be Yellow/green and Blue/White but if you go to the aviaries they have the different mutations. I saw a Blueish purple (Violet Factor?) Budgie last weekend but my Husband wouldn't agree to my having him...
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Post by OP on Oct 26, 2016 6:49:31 GMT
Thank you for educating me. I had no idea there were places that never saw the larger budgies. There's always something to learn.
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Oct 8, 2016 15:21:31 GMT
weelouie
Normal Violet
Concierge at Budgopolis: Condo to the Stars!
Posts: 184
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Post by weelouie on Oct 31, 2016 2:24:30 GMT
Thank you for educating me. I had no idea there were places that never saw the larger budgies. There's always something to learn. Here in Canada the larger English/exhibition budgies are unknown among the general public. You don't see them in pet shops, although the occasional specialty parrot shop will carry them. Even though I'm an animal/bird nut, I found out about them less than 5 years ago. At that time my bird was an African Grey and he took up any time I'd have for other birds. He was a rescue who had some health issues. including a deformed beak from a ham-fisted hand feeder, and an abnormal tendency towards obesity. Speaking of bigger budgies being hard to find, the show was a disappointment - not one person there with budgies of any kind. There was one vendor selling pairs of grass parakeets of different species (from splendids to rosy bourkes) but other than that, all finches and canaries. I did see a couple of finch species I'd never heard of, including a big one that looked like an Australian bower bird. But no budgies. I did find a good deal on a flight cage, and picked up odds and ends like perches, a communal seed trough for the Budgie City, a bag of millet the size of my head, and some Perle Morbide to try. It's supposed to be a substitute for sprouted seeds and good conditioning food.
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