Unexpected New Budgie Owner

[sophiemaisie]

Hello



Two lovely budgies came to live with us a couple of days ago, unexpectedly, through no fault of their own. I believe they are both girls and around 8 months old. They are not hand tame.



I have absolutely no experience with budgies but totally smitten with them already. If you can offer some snippets of advice (however small it all helps) on things such as diet, hand taming and generally ways we can help to become a positive part of their lives I'd really appreciate it.



Thank you!

[Hezz]

Hi and welcome. Do these little souls have names yet? Your green pied is definitely a girl, the blue possibly, but can't see the cere in the photo .... just a tiny bit of it.
Instead of rehashing stuff already posted, follow the links below and/or read through the pinned threads at the beginning of each section. Here are some to start with, you don't need to read the whole thread, just the information at the start:
Any specific questions you might have, just ask.
budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/509/fresh-foods-offer-budgie
budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/13493/essential-budgie
budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/13365/budgie-safe-toys-equipment
budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/2204/budgie-safe-materials-toys-etc

[sophiemaisie]

Thank you Hezz I'll take a look at the links you kindly provided.

[Shirls]

Hello and welcome to the forum sophiemaisie. Hope you enjoy being with us. Ask anything you like, we all had to start somewhere like you.

I am intrigued as to how you came to be owner of the two lovely budgies, want to share with us?? We also love pictures if you are able to upload some and tell us a bit about yourself in 'Introductions'.

[sophiemaisie]

Aug 2, 2017 7:58:28 GMT Shirls said:

I am intrigued as to how you came to be owner of the two lovely budgies, want to share with us??

Hi Shirls, thank you for the welcome. The budgies were no longer wanted by their previous owner - "too messy and boring"  so I gave them a home here.

A bit about me:

I keep chickens (including poorly ex battery hens) and have done so for over 10 years - I mainly have Brahmas which are huge birds - I've never kept budgies or birds so small! I have a lot of knowledge of poultry and have the patience to win trust and affection which I'm sure will help me with the process of hand taming these lovely little girls.

I've kept many rescue hens over the years, I know we shouldn't have favourites but mine was a very traumatised hen from a battery farm who needed one to one care and lots of patience with fear aggression, eventually we had a very trusting relationship and strong bond - I loved her dearly. Sadly I lost her earlier this year, she had 5 years of freedom. I understand flocks and strict pecking orders, avian diseases/pests/behavioural problems, good husbandry and day to day care (including wet winters working outside with birds!). I have a great avian vet locally too (I ignore the odd looks I get for taking a chicken to see a vet and I've grown a very thick skin from stupid comments I get).

My other pets are a lovely GSD bitch who turns 8 years old today and tropical fish.

I think you'll see me on the forum regularly, I'm reading and learning.

[Marianne Marlow]

Lovely to meet you and your two budgies. I'm so glad you felt able to take them in.
I expect they'll have names soon too

[OP]

I can see we will have right old trio going, what with Shirls, starlingqueen and yourself sophiemaisie. What is the common factor, chooks of course. Welcome to the forum. A right old funny farm this is.

[Shirls]

Sorry to hear that you lost one of your favourite hens sophiemaisie. They certainly do wheedle there way into your heart don't they? Your only consolation is of the wonderful 5 years you were able to give her after her terrible beginnings. What was her name?

You will have great fun learning and training your two new little budgies, they are still quite young too, so, hopefully, with lots of patience, will train easily. (? if ever training a budgie is easy!!!) What are their names?

I only have budgies and chickens at the moment, they keep me busy enough.

Btw .... I have gone over to 'Other birds and pets' to talk about chickens!

[sophiemaisie]

Thank you Shirls - her name was Pumpkin. She really was a handful at times and would NEVER accept another chicken, I've done my fair share of introductions and as you probably know they're rarely easy, but she was just something else - so aggressive to the point it just wasn't fair on the other chicken(s). I took the decision it was best (and safer!) that she lived alone but within sight of others. She preferred my company anyway and followed me everywhere, I would call her name and she would come running! I do miss her.

I have finally settled on names for the budgies, Willow and Gracie. There are so many things that need addressing with their cage and perches etc but for now I'm trying to gain some sort of trust and allowing them settling in time before changing everything. I've replied to your chickens thread btw

[Shirls]

Aw that sounds a lovely name for a hen. She sounds lovely too, even though she was agressive.

There are a lot of good things to introduce new budgies to, especially wooden/natural perches. Bad perches do cause serious problems for their feet, so that is something I would change straight away. Same with sand sheets or sand perch covers. Like chickens... budgies can get bumble foot which is very hard to cure.

[sophiemaisie]

I bought some natural perches and popped one in straight away, they eyed it suspiciously and ignore it. I'm having trouble getting the plastic ones out - they're jammed in so tight and I don't want to freak the girls out by me having to really wrestle with their perches. I've since been reading I can use apple tree wood (after a good wash), so that's something I will defo do.

Sand sheets - threw those straight out! I'm using white soft paper to keep an eye on their droppings.

[Shirls]

They will come round to the wooden perches and start to chew them eventually! I use newspaper on the floors of my cages. We are fortunate to be able to pick up free newspapers in our local supermarket so saves the pennies!

I have answered your questions on the chook thread!

[sophiemaisie]

Thanks for all your help Shirls

[OP]

I wouldn't worry too much about a couple of plastic perches as long as they don't roost on them. They seem to prefer the natural wood ones, given time. You can always get the plastic ones out when the buds are out and flying around.
It's quite normal for the standing statues game whenever anything new goes in the cage. They soon come around and investigate.

[jellybean]

Well done to you for giving these two gorgeous little girls a loving home. Look forward to hearing more about them.