Aug 12, 2019 15:44:50 GMT
Biggles
Normal Violet
Posts: 165
|
Post by Biggles on Sept 27, 2021 13:32:03 GMT
When do baby budgies stop needing feeding by the parents? Mine are around a month old and they've all climbed into the cage (the parents promptly retreated to the nest box ) and the middle one seems to be eating and feeding the others! Is it time to bring them into the main cage with the other budgies?
|
|
|
Post by ffiscool on Sept 27, 2021 13:39:01 GMT
I don’t know as such, but whenever I’ve got a budgie, they’ve been around 8 weeks old
|
|
Aug 12, 2019 15:44:50 GMT
Biggles
Normal Violet
Posts: 165
|
Post by Biggles on Sept 27, 2021 15:24:49 GMT
Thanks. I thought it was a bit early, but they're really enjoying being out in the cage.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 27, 2021 16:24:29 GMT
Ethical breeders don't sell the babies until they are sure the babies can feed themselves. I'm guessing that the baby budgies could be fairly independent at 6 weeks so yours might be getting close. Hopefully someone who actually knows will let us all know.
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Sept 27, 2021 21:31:55 GMT
At four weeks they should just about be there. Leave shallow bowls on the floor of the cage with seed in them or else sprinkle the seed over the floor of the cage and they will soon be foraging for themselves. This is where Dad should be earning his keep, teaching them to crack seed. It is not uncommon for an elder sibling to pitch in feeding the younger ones.
Now is also a good time to add a low perch to the cage, so that they can easily reach it when they are ready to get off the ground. It’s also a good time to remove the nest box so that Mum doesn’t want to go through another round of baby-raising. Give her a rest; raising a clutch for a budgie hen is as exhausting for her as it is for any other mother.
|
|
Aug 12, 2019 15:44:50 GMT
Biggles
Normal Violet
Posts: 165
|
Post by Biggles on Sept 27, 2021 21:49:21 GMT
They've got a ladder and a couple of low perches and some grain down low. It's actually the middle bird feeding the oldest one mostly, which I was a bit surprised by. But then the middle one seems to be more active and more adventurous, and the oldest is definitely the most inclined to sit still and snuggle. So they're okay to be in a cage full time now, rather than a nest box? I'm not sure the parents will be very pleased-they liked their peace and quiet, they are rather unimpressed by the invasion. They're very sweet now they're feathered and doing lots of flapping. Again the middle one managed a sort of almost controlled flap down about 6" yesterday, but they haven't taken off yet.
|
|
|
Post by tweetiepiesmom on Sept 27, 2021 22:40:34 GMT
So exciting - first flight coming soon!
|
|
|
Post by ariella on Sept 28, 2021 12:15:45 GMT
My goodness, they’re progressing so quickly.
|
|
Aug 12, 2019 15:44:50 GMT
Biggles
Normal Violet
Posts: 165
|
Post by Biggles on Sept 28, 2021 13:27:02 GMT
So exciting - first flight coming soon! The middle one flew this morning. My son was holding them and talking and suddenly they took off. I'm not sure who was more surprised-him or the budgie. 🤣
|
|
|
Post by jellybean on Sept 28, 2021 15:59:13 GMT
That would have been a sight to see.... A little baby budgie on its first flight 🥰
|
|
Aug 12, 2019 15:44:50 GMT
Biggles
Normal Violet
Posts: 165
|
Post by Biggles on Sept 28, 2021 16:43:14 GMT
I've decided the middle one is definitely a girl. The reason is this: This afternoon the middle one was out in the cage trying to eat some seed. Then the dad came up behind and pecked her to get her to move because he wanted the food (goodness knows why that particular food was more desirable, there are 4 alternatives). She turned round and not only pecked him back but chased him into retreat. The youngest must be a boy. It says "feed me, feed me, feed me..." and doesn't try doing it itself even if it's next to the food. 🤣
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Sept 29, 2021 0:46:01 GMT
Get them used to foraging for their food rather than it being served up in a pot all the time, sprinkle it around on the floor of the cage, preferably mix in between something else so that they do have to work for it. Have they started on leafy greens yet? The sooner you get them eating their veg, the easier it will be to introduce new foods into the mix.
|
|
Aug 12, 2019 15:44:50 GMT
Biggles
Normal Violet
Posts: 165
|
Post by Biggles on Sept 29, 2021 9:53:10 GMT
They've tried spinach, or rather the middle one has definitely and I'm not sure about the others.
What else might be a good idea to feed them?
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Sept 29, 2021 23:55:30 GMT
Biggest favourites for most budgies are spinach, corn, snow peas, broccoli, sprouts are great, leafy herbs such as dill, basil, seeding grasses are always a hit. Small amounts of fruit are okay infrequently such as apple and grape, but do limit their fruit intake as they do not need the added sugar.
|
|
|
Post by Morgan on Oct 4, 2021 9:37:32 GMT
Ethical breeders don't sell the babies until they are sure the babies can feed themselves. I'm guessing that the baby budgies could be fairly independent at 6 weeks so yours might be getting close. Hopefully someone who actually knows will let us all know. This is correct. Six to eight weeks to weaning. Parent raised tend to wean faster than hand raised budgies do. It is a gradual process though. Offer as much variety of food as possible during this time period while the babies are curious to try new things - to encourage healthy eating habits as adults. They may even run off on their parents and get you other birds eating more variety too later on!
|
|