How do you weigh an untamed budgie?

[Nicola]

Hi all. I have 8 budgies in an aviary that are all untamed. (they are friendly and don't mind me hand feeding them, but most of them won't sit on my shoulder etc) 2 of my males, Romeo and Gilbert have scaly face and I have been looking for somewhere online to by ivermectin 0.1%. I have come across a problem though. I have read that in order to know how many drops to put on them, you first have to know their weight, and as I said, they are untamed. So, does anyone know how to weigh an untamed budgie?

Nicola

P.S. Even if you don't have to weigh budgies to treat them with ivermectin 0.1%, I would like to way them anyway because they have never been weighed.

[BudgiesBuddy]

This can be done in a bird room or closed area by putting a millet spray on the scale and let the budgie fly to it. Let's see what others do

It's one drop of ivermectin 0.1% for budgies and small parrots. Basically it's one drop for birds with 50 grams weight. Budgies fall in that category.

[Bird Junky]

Hi The way to weigh any uncooperative creature is to weigh
yourself holding the bird/animal. Then weigh yourself alone.
By subtract your lone weight from the bird/animal + your
weight will give you the exact weight of the bird/animal
concerned.....B.J.

[bobble]

The way I have been doing it is get some weighing scales (digital ones are better). Get a pot and a lid, place the pot and lid on the scales and either record the weight of the pot or if your scales have a tare button to reset the scales press it then get the budgie into the pot and put the lid on (not usually difficult), put the pot back on the scales and voila you have your budgies weight

I found this is the easiest way, I weighed percy yesterday and he is 71 grams, he is a tall bird though

[suejr69]

I use a small cardboard box to put each one in on my digital scales. Weigh the box first so you can take that away. Put your budgie in the box and put him on the scales,then take away the weight of the box on its own.then you get your budgies weight.
Bird care company do ivermectin. As bb says 1 drop on the back of the neck for each bird.
Sue

[ppvallhunds]

Dec 2, 2012 11:22:25 GMT bobble said:

The way I have been doing it is get some weighing scales (digital ones are better). Get a pot and a lid, place the pot and lid on the scales and either record the weight of the pot or if your scales have a tare button to reset the scales press it then get the budgie into the pot and put the lid on (not usually difficult), put the pot back on the scales and voila you have your budgies weight

I found this is the easiest way, I weighed percy yesterday and he is 71 grams, he is a tall bird though

Thats how i weight the uncopaptive animals at work. Works every time.

[Nicola]

Thanks everyone for your reply. Is there anywhere online I can by cheap digital scales?

Nicola

[samwiseg]

Dec 2, 2012 20:52:27 GMT Nicola said:

Thanks everyone for your reply. Is there anywhere online I can by cheap digital scales?

Nicola

Argos probably have the cheapest here: www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8427331.htm

[bobble]

Dec 2, 2012 21:45:34 GMT samwiseg said:

Dec 2, 2012 20:52:27 GMT Nicola said:

Thanks everyone for your reply. Is there anywhere online I can by cheap digital scales?

Nicola

Argos probably have the cheapest here: www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8427331.htm

I have the exact same one. it's not the best scales in the world but it does the job and for under £4 you can't expect it to be awesome

for weighing budgies it's cheap and accurate enough.

/review

[stace]

I bought some micro scales at the supermarket. Cost about $12 Aus. I put a toy or millet on the scales and bribe him onto them, then subtract that weight from the total. Same theory as the cardboard box/pot idea.

[Hezz]

Scales aren't expensive, Nicola. Does your mum have some digital scales in the kitchen? If she doesn't like the idea of them being used for budgies , put a piece of paper towel over them. I would go with the small cardboard box idea. Something like a shoebox if you don't have a proper bird box.

Weighing yourself and then the combined weight isn't going to work with something as small as a budgie. Works well for larger animals but you lose accuracy as the weight diminishes.

[samwiseg]

Or use a travel cage? Some sort of box is ideal as you can weigh that then place budgie in and weigh with it in. Sounds simple doesn't it?! ;D

Hope you manage to get your scales

[Deleted]

Dec 2, 2012 11:22:25 GMT bobble said:

The way I have been doing it is get some weighing scales (digital ones are better). Get a pot and a lid, place the pot and lid on the scales and either record the weight of the pot or if your scales have a tare button to reset the scales press it then get the budgie into the pot and put the lid on (not usually difficult), put the pot back on the scales and voila you have your budgies weight

I found this is the easiest way, I weighed percy yesterday and he is 71 grams, he is a tall bird though

i love this way of doing it ...
just a thought a used marg tub with the lid is a good size and light... .