Try to buy a cage that is wider than it is tall and with a square top. Budgies fly horizontally, not vertically like quails. Fancy-topped cages are simply a waste of space and money. Do not buy a circular cage, as a budgie cannot stretch its wings and fly properly in one. The bird will also feel insecure and scared, as it has no corners to hide in. Your budgie must be able to spread its wings and fly. Do not crowd the cage with toys, perches or other budgies. Test a few cages and look for one that you can clean easily. Can your hand enter the cage easily? Can you use a brush inside it? Remember that budgies defecate every ten to fifteen minutes! You should buy a bigger cage if you decide to have one or more budgies.
Don’t fill the bath too much. You don’t want the budgie to spill water on the bottom of the cage every time he goes in its bathtub. The bathtub must be roughly the size of the bird so he can immerse himself in the water. A bathtub is great for your pet budgie and they are sure to love it but make sure it doesn’t take up a lot of room in the cage. Budgies will clean themselves if you spray some water onto them; it’s not a must for them to have a bird bath. If you can’t afford a bath or there aren’t any for sale, you can use a clean plastic container you don’t need and fill it with clean water. This way, the budgie can stay clean and you have recycled plastic.
There is a great variety of toys. Look out for ladders, bells, balls, etc. They will keep your budgie stimulated. Check that the wood is safe for the bird, such as eucalyptus. Dowel perches or plastic perches can cause foot problems due to the lack of foot exercises. Avoid perches and toys made out of Prunus trees as they might contain cyanogenic glycosides. Also avoid oak because the wood contains tannins and trees with milky sap. There are no confirmed bird deaths, but it’s always better to be on the safe side. [3] X Research source Try to avoid concrete perches, as they are hard on the bird’s feet, but if you must use them, position them at the lowest point possible. Don’t give the budgie too many toys or perches. The amount of toys in the cage depends on the size, so the bigger the cage, the more toys. It is important to have at least 3-4 toys in the cage minimum. There should be at least one of each type of toy. A shredding toy, a foraging toy, and a noise making toy. Make sure there aren’t too many toys to where it crowds the cage. A good place to put them is along the cage wall and next to perches for easy reaching. Budgies should always have toys in their cage for mental stimulation, as having none can cause many mental issues such as boredom, which leads to feather plucking.
Avoid placing the cage in front of a sunny window or next to an open door. Cold drafts and over-exposure to the sun can kill your bird.
Never feed your budgie avocado, chocolate, onion, garlic, caffeine, alcohol or human junk foods. These are toxic to the bird. [4] X Research source Make sure the budgie has enough water to drink in its dispenser. The bird will know how much to drink. Change the water daily to prevent bacterial build-up. Add a cuttlebone. This is a good source of natural calcium for budgies. Mineral blocks can also be bought too. Some people may use liquid vitamin and mineral supplements, but those will be consumed through fresh fruits and vegetables. Cuttlebones contain calcium carbonate, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. Cuttlebones are very important to budgie health. Make sure you change the cuttle bones every once in a while.
Try misting your bird with a fine spray from a misting bottle to keep the bird cool.
This is also helpful when it’s noisy. The blanket will muffle most sounds and will also keep cold drafts out. If your budgie is frightened by the dark, add a little night-light. Don’t let your bird panic. It might fly around the cage and injure itself. [5] X Research source
Look out for abnormal breathing, discharge from the eyes or the beak, mucus on the feather, abnormal behavior, weird poop color, tail bobbing, and a loss of weight. If any of these symptoms occur, call the veterinary surgeon immediately.
Stay close to the cage. Talk to it sweetly and quietly as you wait for it to adjust but do not try to handle it. It will get used to you in the course of a few days or weeks. Keep the bird in quarantine for four weeks if you have other budgies. Once you are sure that the bird is free from disease, bring the cages closer without mixing the birds. Your new budgie will slowly familiarize with these new friends. Avoid loud noises and screams. Your budgie is likely to be stressed by this new environment. Name your budgie. Say it often, especially when you feed it, so that it gets used to its new name.
Be careful if you have another pet, especially a cat or dog. Cats and dogs are natural predators, and they are likely to find your budgie suitable for their next meal. Keep the cat and/or dog in another room at all times to avoid any unnecessary stress. Dogs are also likely to get excited and may accidentally or purposefully hurt your bird. Their bark can also frighten the budgie. Check that your children treat the bird with respect. Little children can get overexcited when they have a new pet. Always make sure to be in the room when they look at the bird. Don’t let them hit the cage or try to grab the budgie. [7] X Research source
When the budgie seems okay with your hand, place your finger inside the cage. Then push it slightly against your budgie’s chest. This will encourage it to climb on your finger. Do this for some days. Feed your budgie from your finger. Dip your finger in water and put some millet grains on it. The water will make the millet grains to stick on your finger. Place your finger near the budgie’s mouth and it will eat them if it’s grown used to you. If the budgie bites you, don’t jerk away as this may cause the budgie to think that this is a game. After doing this a few times, hold the budgie gently in your hand. Do this briefly at first, then extend the time.
If you rush things, the budgie may start being a little anxious and afraid. This will cause it to fail to bond with you.
Always remember to teach people new to birds how to handle and properly play with this delicate little creature. Educating younger people may be tough but is very important if they wish to play with the budgie. Never kiss your budgie, human saliva is toxic to budgies, and they might carry easily transmittable diseases.
Instead of a mirror, consider a second bird. Budgies love company and will probably welcome a new friend. You may need to separate the two at first until they feel comfortable with each other. A mirror will most certainly with male, often also with female budgies, lead to crop infections as parakeets regurgitate to feed their mates. A mirror (the feeding bird itself) will not provide the needed feedback that has to come from a real mate. If you decide to install a mirror, make sure that it’s fixed to the cage and doesn’t present a risk to your bird. Falling mirrors can injure your bird and may be fatal.
Make sure that the bird is safe. Put the cat or dog away and look out for potential escape routes. Check if there is anything likely to be dangerous to your bird when it’s out and supervise it at all times. Think about your own hygiene. Your budgie is likely to defecate on the floor. If there is feces on a solid surface, you can wet a paper towel and wipe it away. If there is feces on carpet, use a dry paper and gently scoop it up, being careful not to squish it.
