Complicated Situation with Older Budgie..

[missbrazilianxx]

Hello All,
I am new to this, So I apologize for any inconvenience and a lot of talking I'll be doing here.. I have a different situation from most, so I will include as much information as possible so anyone who has knowledge or ideas of what can be done will know the background story.

While at work, in July, I found a Parakeet. Probably one of the most beautiful parakeet i've ever seen in my life, and different from any ones you'll see online or in a store. With that being said, I've put up ads, Online, and in person, to find the birds owner. (And I mean, everywhere) This Thursday, will be 1 month I have had him.. and has now become my pet...

I live in an apartment, and I own two rescue cats. ** Just keep that in mind.

Now the problem:
-With this bird I have gone through so much stress it's ridiculous. I have spent over $500 in a matter of 2 weeks for this parakeet.
Including an Avian Vet visit..

I know nothing about this bird in regards to, his past owner (if he was abused /// or a breeder bird), diet etc.
I do know he is a male, and estimated by 'professionals' to be 5-6 years old.
Although the relationship between this budgie and I, is declining...dramatically.

Problems:

-I used to sing to him and he would have this beautiful tune back to me, and now he SCREAMS and you can tell he doesn't want me to sing, or any music or tv to be on (It's not loud)

-He's a picky eater. The first day I got him I bought "cheap" food.. Not really cheap but not what they offer in Exotic Pet stores..
Well I went and bought ALL their food, and he doesn't like it and just the "cheap food"

-He puffs up NON stop. The vet said thats "behavioral" he's not cold.. or near a vent.

-If I have him out of the cage, or on my finger, he starts breathing like he is over-heated, except he shouldn't be? but as soon as he's put in his cage he stops (I'm guessing, stressed... But he never did that before)

-His biting. He never used to bite me, and now it's terrible. The bird definitely does NOT want to come out of the cage. I've tried to lure, leave the cage open, have treats out, and he gets very angry when I take him out. (So I've heard he's cage bound)

-He doesn't want to even be with me, On my finger, shoulder, etc.. basically the whole time is spent with me chasing him around the room, because he is trying to figure out how to get back into the cage.

-He HATES baths. I have tried every possible way to bathe him, and he DOES NOT want it.

-Another problem with the food, is that besides him being a picky eater, he won't eat any human food either.. I'm afraid he is lacking A LOT in his diet which I am sure of, but I don't know what to do..


OK SO..
Heres what his "life is like"
-I talk to him often.
-his cage is cleaned everyday.
-new food, clean water everyday.
-He has a nice size cage
-Tons of toys (that he enjoys)
-A play gym outside of the cage for when he actually ever lets me get him out.

BUT.......
Like I said before though about my cats..
I have the cage hanging on a wall, in my room. From where he is hung, he can see all the activity in the room, the window, the t.v etc. BUT everyone keeps telling me I have to put the cage down because he is looking down on me and he feels superior... BUT I have cats.. So I can't risk it, or even stress the bird more with my cats interested in him.
I do keep the cats out of the room, but I will not abandon my cats either...

So.. With ALL that being said, I am in a desperate situation.
I have gotten close with this little man, even though he doesn't like me.. (but I have bent over backwards for him)....

I need help/guidance/advice. Anything anyone has to offer me.
I apologize this is so long.. But I'm running out of options...and truly need help.

Thank you SO MUCH in advance.

[Hezz]

I don't have a lot to offer, but one thing I will say. You have had him a month, and as you have mentioned have no idea how he came to be where you found him. So ......... a month isn't a long time. Some budgies can take a month or two to settle into a new home, and it can take them that long before they start to show their personality. I am suggesting that the previous behaviour was maybe firstly relief that he was safe (he may have had to escape from other birds, cats etc), and then secondly, oh, oh this isn't were I am used to being, eeek I am in a strange place. Most budgies are not fond of change - things have to be introduced slowly for them not to feel threatened.

Don't put the cage down low! Low down is where the danger is, and no budgie likes being low down. The cats could well be the cause of a lot of his anxiety - even if they have never come close or frightened him, their presence could be enough.

The bathing isn't a real problem either. Lots of budgies hate having a bath. Some love it, some love being misted, others just don't like getting wet.

For the rest depending on what you want to do. Spend as much time with him as possible, beside the cage talking quietly, definitely not staring at him. It sounds as though he was an aviary bird and not a inside pet, so you may never have a real closeness with this little fella. It may be kinder in the long run to find an aviary willing to rehome him. That is up to you, but having cats .......... well ........ that is your decision. But in the meantime, take things very gently and slowly with him. Birds are not like taking on a cat or a dog. They are a prey animal and everything poses a danger to them.

[Bird Junky]

Hello That's a lot of questions. Some of the info you have
been given isn't quite correct. It will be far easier to start
again, armed with the knowledge of what your doing is
correct. Can I suggest that you leave the bird in his cage
for a while & read my bonding post. (Click on bellow)
..Yours.. B.J.
budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=budgietaming&action=display&thread=2867

PS He does't hate you, just what your doing to him.

[missbrazilianxx]

Hezz..
I wanted to thank you in advance for your response..

I know that a month is barely any time, but again it was kind of thrown on me type thing.. haha.. Once I felt I would no longer find the owner, I took is personal that I needed to give him a good home, and he found me for a reason.

I haven't put the cage down, I only take it down if I'm putting him near the window for him to get fresh air, or hear the birds. Sometimes I take the cage outside and let him talk to the other birds outside and he loves it. But do you think he will feel 'superior' ?

I have considered giving him up.. to a loving home.. But I am almost selfish I guess.. The thought makes me cry.. haha Sounds foolish, but I am a very big animal lover and am very upset that I am unable to make him happy,
I just wanted to include that at the Avian Vet, the vet clipped his wings. I don't know how I felt about that.. but the vet said that was the best possible thing to do.

I just wanted to state also, so I don't appear "the bad guy" is that, everything I have done, wasn't just because I thought it was correct, I did tons of research, read books, and EVERY ONE and EVERY PLACE has a different outlook, and a different opinion. Including the right foods to eat, to exactly how to take him out of the cage...

Thank you again..

-Ash & Little Man.

[missbrazilianxx]

Bj..


Thank you for the link. I did read it, but since I already started "backwards" can I still start fresh?..
I almost think it would be traumatizing if I just took out his toys, etc.. if I already started with that?


Like I said, in regards to the information I have been given, was truly a lot of research, even though It might not seem like it. I have like I said, done a lot of reading, and spent a lot of money to try and be the best home for this little guy... Again, the issue is every place has a different opinion and different advice.

I appreciate you taking the time to answer..

Just a question..
you said the bird doesn't hate me, but hates what I am doing to him?
Ouch.. .


-Kindest regards
Ash & Little Man

[Bird Junky]

Hi If you look at it from the birds point of view. Being
chased around & handled by a giant ain't no
picnic. ......B.J.

[Rachael Kellett]

Hi missbrazilian, welcome to the forum, I will try my best to answer your questions.

-I used to sing to him and he would have this beautiful tune back to me, and now he SCREAMS and you can tell he doesn't want me to sing, or any music or tv to be on (It's not loud)

Screaming is an attention seeking thing. It is very annoying but your best thing to try is to ignore it. If he starts screeching at you then simply turn and walk away. See how that goes

-He's a picky eater. The first day I got him I bought "cheap" food.. Not really cheap but not what they offer in Exotic Pet stores..
Well I went and bought ALL their food, and he doesn't like it and just the "cheap food"

You will need to give him a good budgerigar seed mix, so have a chat with them at the exotic pet store, also have a look in the diet section of this forum. He will also need an iodine block, which is a pink square, and a cuttlefish. You should also be able to get these from your pet store. I would also suggest buying some millet sprays, these will help you with taming him plus he will enjoy them as a treat.

-He puffs up NON stop. The vet said thats "behavioral" he's not cold.. or near a vent.

Yep this can be pretty normal, budgies puff up when they are excited usually.

-If I have him out of the cage, or on my finger, he starts breathing like he is over-heated, except he shouldn't be? but as soon as he's put in his cage he stops (I'm guessing, stressed... But he never did that before)

This means he is stressed at being handled because he isn't used to you yet. Give it time, lots of time probably because of his age and you not knowing his background but you should get there ;D

-His biting. He never used to bite me, and now it's terrible. The bird definitely does NOT want to come out of the cage. I've tried to lure, leave the cage open, have treats out, and he gets very angry when I take him out. (So I've heard he's cage bound)

When you first found him he was probably in shock and confused about what was happening. It is very scary for a tiny bird to come to a new place with a scary (to him I mean lol) homan who he doesn't know. So when you were first handling him he was stunned and simply sat there. Now he is settling in and doesn't want to be handled so you will need to start from scratch with taming and bonding with him. I'd suggest checking out millet training where you have a millet spray on your hand and just hold your hand inside the cage. Its about not forcing him but making him see your hand as a nice thing.

-He doesn't want to even be with me, On my finger, shoulder, etc.. basically the whole time is spent with me chasing him around the room, because he is trying to figure out how to get back into the cage.

See above answer ;D

-He HATES baths. I have tried every possible way to bathe him, and he DOES NOT want it.

This is another thing that will take time, for all you know he may never have had a bath in his life! You could try misting him with tepid water in a clean spray bottle but there is no need to worry about that too much just yet.

-Another problem with the food, is that besides him being a picky eater, he won't eat any human food either.. I'm afraid he is lacking A LOT in his diet which I am sure of, but I don't know what to do..

If we go by the age your vet has told you then its not going to be an easy thing to get him eating anything other than seed. Budgies should also be eating a good mix of vegetables, there is a thread here on the forum that tells you which are safe and which aren't. He shouldn't be allowed any other human foods. Just try introducing him to a small bit of carrot each day, stick it through the bars of his cage. Persevere with it and one day he will get tempted and try it.

As for the advice you have been given about removing all his toys I have to say that is not the right idea at all, you need him to be happy and having fun in his new home The only thing you should take out is anything with a mirror on it as this will hinder you bonding with him.

Well I hope my loooooonnnggg advice helps ;D Please keep us updated on how you get on and feel free to ask any more questions you have.

[Hezz]

Hi Ash, I don't agree with removing his toys either, and no, the little guy isn't going to get on his superior high horse because his cage is higher than you! That is a bit of a myth - I got that one too when I got my first budgie. But I learnt.

I understand you not being totally happy with the vet clipping his wings. I wouldn't be either. With his wings clipped he is in twice as much danger from those "terwible puddytats" as before, and he will know that too! Did the vet give you any explanation for why he thought it was for the best?

With him being a middle-aged budgie, training him will be an up-hill battle, and a lot will depend on how much time you have to put into it. But still even with a lot of time, there is no guarantees that the little man will become to fully accept you. At the moment it isn't that he hates you, but more he doesn't trust you. The trust has to be gained first, and without knowing what he has gone through, makes your job just that little bit harder.

The ideal situation for him would be if you had someone close by with other budgies to keep him company, where you could visit and assure yourself he is happy and safe. If he is from an aviary as I assume, he could be quite lonely too, even though you are doing your very best.

As you mention, every place you look for information has a different opinion, and that is what they are - opinions. Some are worth more than others, but in the end you are the only one who can make decisions for your budgie. Hopefully you can sieve through the muck and find some helpful advice to get you through this.

[sweetie]

Aug 16, 2012 14:40:22 GMT missbrazilianxx said:

Bj..


Thank you for the link. I did read it, but since I already started "backwards" can I still start fresh?..
I almost think it would be traumatizing if I just took out his toys, etc.. if I already started with that?


Like I said, in regards to the information I have been given, was truly a lot of research, even though It might not seem like it. I have like I said, done a lot of reading, and spent a lot of money to try and be the best home for this little guy... Again, the issue is every place has a different opinion and different advice.

I appreciate you taking the time to answer..

Just a question..
you said the bird doesn't hate me, but hates what I am doing to him?
Ouch.. .


-Kindest regards
Ash & Little Man

hi hun! easier said than done i know, but try to remain posotive. i very much doubt that he hates you he is just confused about the whole situation. the most important thing is that you are doing everything you can to make him happy. other members on here have given you very good advice to follow and i can totally sypathise with the amount of conflicting research you have done, it was the same for me when i first got my girl, it wasnt until i joined here i started getting the info i really needed from other members, this is the most help ive ever had on here so i cant stress enough how much it will help you so keep posting and dont be put off by certain harsh comments, everyone else has been very helpful. i agree with some of the others, maybe find him a friend if you think its in his best interest to get him a friend then look into doing that, there are plenty of others on here that will give you grade A advice xx

[missbrazilianxx]

I wanted to thank EVERYONE for giving me their suggestions and thoughts. Many things were very helpful !..


Rachael,
Thank you so much for taking the time to thoroughly answer each of my questions..I was honestly astonished with the time you took out to answer them, and I can't thank you enough.
I also, did not remove his toys.. and I wouldn't be able to do that anyway...


Heez,

Haha I'm glad about that.. Because I can't take the cage down;
BUT in regards to his wings being clipped, he said there are too many accidents with these little guys dyeing or escaping. I have to say though, I have noticed MOST users here are from England, UK, etc.. And I'm all the way over here in America haha.. But over here UNFORTUNATELY Budgies aren't as popular over here, as in.. people don't dedicate themselves as much as I have seen here on this site.. *Ps: if someone is from America, I'm not saying EVERYONE.. just a lot..**

Also, many have stated about the Aviary. I have asked, and searched and that is not common around here.. I actually didn't even know what that was. haha.. But I actually went a different route.. which I'll state a little below..



& Finally..

Sweetie,
Thank you. I know things aren't stated to truly offend me, but sometimes things are taken differently just because of how much effort you put into something. I truly appreciate your message.




******* & NOW THE UPDATE*********



I went the different rout... I still have my budgie.......and two more.
I adopted two more budgies 2 days ago. And TRULY best decision yet. They are very little, and I have accomplished a lot already with bonding with them. And he has bonded a lot with the other budgies. I am aware this will make it more difficult to bond with him but even if I cannot, I know he IS happy with these 2 new members of my family... He sings, and plays with toys he hasn't played with. I guess he was lonely. The only thing that kept me from adopting a feathered friend was the Avian Vet said not to put another bird with him because it would stress him....... Like I said everyone has their own "experience" or "opinion" and Fortunately, for me.. I went and did what I felt was better... I know though, that I am moving closer to a positive relationship with "Little Man" because, just changing food or water in the cage he would run away from me, now he just sits there and stares but doesn't move. He hasn't screamed either

I will continue to work with him, and now my other 'kids'

Also, I just wanted to add...
In My budgies cage, there is a Cuttle bone and no mirrors...
The only thing I can't find is an Iodine block, only online.. I don't know why..
Also, Little Man, is the only bird I know who doesn't like Millet Spray, I've tried different brands, and different kinds (light and dark).. So training him with Millet will not work, but the little babies love it.


Tips and advice are welcomed and still AMAZING. Taking things day by day is the only thing I can do, but I appreciate everyone taking the time to answer me.


Thank you SO MUCH !
-Ash

[sweetie]

Oooooooo!! New birdies!! Maybe he was lonely then. Let's have some pics please would love to see them all x

[missbrazilianxx]

I seem stupid, but how can I upload pics on here?
I am so confused on names haha Nothing ever seems good enough...
and I still don't know the gender of the new ones, because they are still so tiny..


thanks so much again,
and will upload pics as soon as I figure out how to??

[Deleted]

Do you have photobucket? If so you can upload the pictures onto there once you've put them onto the computer and then copy and paste the image URL into a post on here

Names are the trickiest. You can always wait until you have a good idea of their personality. Mine is Munchy, which everyone laughs at, but he ate so much the first time I saw him eat that I couldn't think of anything more appropriate. He still lives up to his name.

[sweetie]

Yes using photo bucket is very easy, let know how you get on. I'm sure that all the members will be more than willing to suggest some names when you get pics up can't wait x

[Hezz]

Sam put this together a while back:

budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=budgiepictures&action=display&thread=1788