Mary Allen
The budgerigar is one of the parrot birds. He originally only lived in Australia and was only brought to Europe by sailors in the mid-19th century. Originally, all budgerigars had yellow-green plumage.
Purchasing and Keeping Budgerigars
Budgies are flock birds and very social. Therefore one should not be kept alone under any circumstances, although this was often the case in the past. Of course, keeping a whole flock of these birds would be best, but of course, that’s not possible for many people.
But then it should definitely be at least one pair. A rooster and a hen are logically ideal and those who do not want to breed can relatively easily prevent a brood. Even two cocks together are almost never a problem, with two females there are more disputes and you have to try it out to see if it works. If you get your birds from the breeder, you can easily make an exchange that may be necessary for such a situation. He also gets valuable tips for keeping the cute birds. If you keep more than one pair, there should be an even number of animals in the aviary, so that each bird gets a partner.
Of course, the right home for the birds is also important for species-appropriate husbandry. The cage for a couple should not be less than 80 cm high and wide and not less than 45 cm deep, but only if the birds can fly freely for several hours a day in an escape-proof room. It should be designed in such a way that the birds have several opportunities to sit and climb and have sufficient freedom of movement.
The Sex Differences of Budgerigars
The sex of a budgerigar cannot be identified by its size and behavior. Some owners assume that the males chirp louder and are more willing to talk than the females and that they pick or gnaw objects more and are moodier. But that is only true to a very limited extent. However, what you can use to tell the sexes apart is the so-called nasal cere. It is the secondary sex characteristic par excellence. In adult females it is brownish or soft light blue and somewhat thicker, in adult males, it is usually bright blue, rarely pink, flatter, and smoother. However, this really only applies to adult animals, which is why determining the sex of nestlings is very difficult.
Diet of Budgies
In their Australian homeland, the birds feed exclusively on grass seeds, which they find in the wide steppes. Here you can buy special budgerigar food in specialist shops. It consists of different types of millet, the so-called canary seed, and peeled oat grains. But budgerigars also love green fodder, fruit, and millet. You can delight your feathered darlings with pieces of apple and banana or grapes, as well as with endive or lamb’s lettuce, with fresh dandelion leaves, tender spinach, or chickweed. A budgerigar also needs minerals in the form of lime and small stones in the bird sand. Many also like to nibble on small branches. However, care must be taken not to overfeed the birds lest they become ill. If there is food lying around and your parakeets are just picking the best out of the bowl, the amount of food should definitely be reduced.