Yet More Ageing & Sexing Questions

[stace]

Jun 20, 2013 20:25:27 GMT nat said:

You could also try getting him onto other foods by adding a few short cut seeding grasses to his cage pegged to the bars and maybe the odd piece of dandylion leaf. Not too big to scare him, but he might see them as something to play with and start to have a nibble  

The seeding grass and dandelion leaves are a really good idea. They;re like nature's greens.

I'm looking after an older bird for a neighbour who's not tame and has never had vegetables and I haven't been able to get him to try any. However, I clipped up some seeding grass and dandelion and he ate it straight away! 

Young dandelion leaves are best. 

[Hezz]

My birds are like Skysmum's - they like chunks of veggies they can chomp up and throw around! Carrot, broccoli, snow peas, corn on the cob and Asian greens are their particular favourites. This is a list of common budgie-accepted veggies. And don't forget seeding grasses if you are in a position to get some pesticide- and pollution-free.

budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/509/fresh-foods-offer-budgie

Oops, sorry nat, I didn't get to the bottom of the page!

[OP]

Ooooh Many thanks yet again, plenty to go at there. I will certainly try them all in due course. The grass grows around my lawn so that is easy to gather. The dandelions are a bit rare this year as the usual source for those has been cultivated. I pulled them up with a thing I got off the internet. You probably have seen the advert here in the UK. I should be able get the iodine block locally. Thank you for putting the cere record straight for me, one thing less to worry about, although I will keep an eye on it.

[stace]

You don't need heaps of dandelion leaves. Just two, three, four leaves is enough. Here's my current charge with his.

[OP]

A beautiful and illustrative image. Your budgie looks good too.

[stace]

Jun 21, 2013 6:57:40 GMT OP said:

A beautiful and illustrative image. Your budgie looks good too.

He's my neighbour's budgie. I'm looking after him for 5 weeks! He's never had veggies either and is probably around two years old.

[OP]

Now if we change the colour to blue, and, remove the colouring of the cere he looks like my Joey. Even the black/ blue feathers around the throat are very similar. I would say they were about the same age.

[BudgiesBuddy]

Jun 20, 2013 18:15:13 GMT OP said:

Jun 20, 2013 17:18:08 GMT BudgiesBuddy said:

An adult male.

This is one of the driest budgie ceres I have seen.

Excuse me for being stupid but what do you mean dry? How  do I rectify the situation? Is it the vitamins he needs?

My budgie below should be in much more healthy condition than a budgie with dry cere.



A dry cere can be an indication of imbalanced diet.
It can also be an indication of sickness. For example, a budgie suffering from Knemidokoptes, can have a similar looking cere. I don't think this is the case here. Some vitamin supplement would make a lot of difference.

[OP]

Thank you for the explanation. I looked up on the condition you mention and Joey doesn't seem to have any signs like the images in the article that I read. For now I will try my best to get some vitamins inside him.
I would have thought the person that looks after these animals at the pet shop would have looked after them a bit better. The pet shop in question is a large concern and not some back street fly by night. Anyhow it is my job now and I will do my best to care for Joey, he deserves it.
Once I gain his trust then things should become easier, I hope.

[Deleted]

Jun 21, 2013 11:44:30 GMT OP said:

Thank you for the explanation. I looked up on the condition you mention and Joey doesn't seem to have any signs like the images in the article that I read. For now I will try my best to get some vitamins inside him.
I would have thought the person that looks after these animals at the pet shop would have looked after them a bit better. The pet shop in question is a large concern and not some back street fly by night. Anyhow it is my job now and I will do my best to care for Joey, he deserves it.
Once I gain his trust then things should become easier, I hope.

Hmm, pet shops don't take care of animals, they are just a product to sell. The bare minimum to keep them alive is about as much care as they are given.

[OP]

Of course you are quite right Starlingqueen. I was letting my emotions run away with me. It's still sad though.

[Nicola]

I agree that he is male, but I'd say about 5 or so.

Nicola

[OP]

Ooooh!, he's getting older by the minute.
Would a pet shop keep him that long? At that age I would expect him to be well and truly settled in his ways.
I will still look after him, but adjust my expectations of training him.

[Deleted]

Jun 23, 2013 11:11:18 GMT OP said:

Ooooh!, he's getting older by the minute.
Would a pet shop keep him that long? At that age I would expect him to be well and truly settled in his ways.
I will still look after him, but adjust my expectations of training him.

It doesn't matter how old he is, with love and attention you can achieve anything. I rescued 2 ex battery hens a few years ago. They were virtually bald, had never seen the sky, or soil and had spent 18 months in a cage the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Those 2 hens were the best hens I've ever had. They became so tame they would sit on my lap and sleep when I was in the garden. My point is, no matter how an animal is treated, if shown love and care they can become wonderful loving pets. Sometimes I think they know what you have done for them.

[OP]

Awww! I'll be getting the hanky out again. Thank you for those words.