Quarantine

Quarantine Procedure for newly Birds brought home.

all new birds must complete a quarantine period in a new home before being introduced into your flock. Why quarantine? Moving to a new home is stressful, and the stress may make the bird susceptible to pre-existing or new illnesses. If you do not quarantine, your flock will be exposed to this new bird and its illness. The results can be expensive, time consuming, and even deadly. If  adopted birds or personal bird(s) become sick due to quarantine violations, the adoptive parent is responsible.

TIME PERIOD

Minimum of 6 weeks

1. During this time, observe your bird closely for any signs of illness, including, but not limited to     severe loss of energy or vitality, blood in droppings, diarrhoea, watery droppings, discharge from the nose, eyes, or mouth, respiratory distress, and seizures. Make sure the bird is eating. A sudden change in environment can be traumatic for a bird and cockatiels in particular, may stop eating. Even if they appear to be toying with the food, be sure they continue to poop regularly and to drink water. If you don't see the bird eating from the regular food dish, offer treats such as millet or wheat toast. It is more important for the bird to eat, especially during a transition period, even if their diet isn't as healthy as it should be.

2. Weigh the bird regularly, with a gram scale if possible, Keep a record of the bird's weight. Watch for sudden or significant weight loss.

VET VISITS

1. If the bird is in immediate danger, take it directly to the avian vet. The care of the bird is always the most important.

2. If the bird is stable, contact your local vet or avian vet for further advice.

3. A sick bird should remain quarantined until it tests negative for illness and has completed any medications.

QUARANTINE ENVIRONMENT

1. Quarantined birds must be kept in a separate room, away from the rest of your flock. The room should have a door that can secure this space and prevent any of your flock from accidentally       entering this room.

2. Ideally, this room should have a separate source of fresh air, to limit the stress on the quarantine bird's immune system.

3. New quarantined birds mean a new quarantine room. Unless they come to your home on the same day, keep new bird additions in a separate room from older birds.

4. Even if your new bird looks healthy, the bird may be carrying bacteria or viruses that could easily be spread to the rest of your flock. Remember, birds hide illness!

5.  Wash your hands before handling your bird and also wash hands once you have handled your bird, this will help with any infections or diseases passing to and from bids.

6. Provide your new bird with a sterilized cage, perches, dishes and new toys.

7. After your bird is settled in and before quarantine is completed, throw away any old toys and perches that can't be sterilized.

8. Wash quarantine dishes in a different sink than your flock's or at least a different dish scrubbing brush. Sterilize the scrub brush and dishes thoroughly in the dishwasher.

9. No sharing between quarantine flocks. No sharing used food, water, dishes, toys etc.

How I'm dealing with Quarantine.

so as many of you know I have a new bird 6 week old Bentley, he arrived home on the 21/02/2017, soon as I got home we went straight into the bedroom * he doesn't stay in the bedroom while we sleeping* to where he will stay for the next 6 weeks, until I feel he is ready to meet Bella & Bert, also this allows me plenty of time to look out for any illness as stated above. 

this is the first time I am doing Quarantine as I never did this with Bella & Bert, I got them with in a week of each other last year, I was new to the bird world and didn't know much about it at the time, but over the year I have come across owners chucking bird after bird into a cage with out Quarantine, and I have to be honest and say the birds didn't survive for very long, as one was very sick and passed it on to the other birds it was housed with!!!!

I guess I was very lucky this time  with Bella & Bert not doing Quarantine, hence why I am doing it with little Bentley for his own safety and also my other birds.

I genially don't believe Bentley is poorly I just don't want to put Bella & Bert at any sort of risk, perhaps you could take this a word of advice!!!!

what happened next.

so Bentley is currently in my spare cage that was Bella's & Bert's, its very big for a little baby but also spacious so he can climb and spread his wings out beautifully, Bentley was a spare of the moment pick up, so before I collected him I made sure his cage was all set up waiting for him so I  wasn't running around  trying to set it up when he arrived.

I opened the carrier I have and he stepped up on my finger....yes 6 weeks old and can step up without hassle what so ever, a moment of joy,  I placed him into his new home and left him to settle in, leaving a radio on for him so he had some sort of comfort, every time I walked past I would say hay baby boy * I'm sure those will be his first words if he does speak*
his very first night went well as he was still sat in the same spot before he went to bed.

okay so this is where you can use Quarantine time to your advantage

as Bentley was some what fingered trained by the breeder *not fully trained*  I'm going to carry on taming and training him and over the duration of Quarantine time I will try to write what we have achieved through out the weeks and hopefully show how use full this time can be consumed into taming sessions as well as Quarantine time.

DAY 0

Hear I just let Bentley get settled in didn't want to over whelm him on his first day, he even ate straight away I know other birds can take days even up to a week before eating, even I was surprised at how quickly he had eating on his first day.

DAY 1

so on day 1 I didn't get Bentley out until after lunch time as I wanted to give him a few more hours before bothering him, as he still a  baby he is still very sleepy, but when I got him out he perched on my finger for a full 40mis snoozing, I did think my finger would fall of at some point lol, but when he woke up, I placed him down on to my bed and let him explore and have a wonder, he found stitch to perch up on and have a quick nap also, again when he woke I placed him back down where he showed some interest with bell ball, he moved it very gently and went back to exploring. after he finished he decided it was time for nap on my finger again after 5mins or so I put him back so he could sleep, he was out for at least 2 hours, its great bonding time for us.

DAY 2

Bentley was ready to come out, soon as I opened his door he went straight to my hand to come out **whhhatttttt** this boy is surprising me every time, so today I introduce a bowl of water to see how he would react to it, I wasn't to bothered weather he took a bath or not he still a baby and probably the first time he seen a bowl of water in front of him, he showed some interest but didn't get in, so we will keep working on that, Bentley got spooked by a lorry backing up down the side road and took off, took me by surprise, it was more of a flutter, I guess its the first time he actually flown, and of course went to the highest point of the room dammmmm Bentley.
I did about 1'000 rescue missions up and down to get him every time he took off, the more he did it the more he found his wings, after the lorry left, he was so much calmer and content, I have given Bentley, Bella & Bert's rosewood tree play stand, he was happy perched on their next me, even showed an interest in the dangling carrots, we also worked on the stepping up command which he did beautiful at only 6 weeks old, he also perched on my daughters finger for a short while, she even read him a story before bed.

DAY 3

okay so on day 3 not much happened as I was working on  a late shit, I got Bentley out for for 30mins before I left and I worked on some stepping up for 15 mins and sat with me for the remaining 15mins, its always best to try get any training sessions in when you can, it does make a big difference even if its 10mins, you can still achieve a lot.



DAY 4

 first try of kale, so as I know many people wonder if you can give veggies to such  a young bird, personally I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer!!!  as Bentley is 6 weeks old I thought it would be the perfect age to start him, I would think the longer you leave it, the harder it would be to try and get them to eat them, as many people always ask how do I get my bird to eat veggies, the key is to be persistent and keep trying *don't give up after a few days* I was very lucky that Bentley enjoyed his first try of kale was a big hit, reason I picked kale first is because its Bella & Bert's favourite not only do they love to it eat it they also love to bath in it, Bentley didn't take much interest in bathing in kale so we will keep trying.

I also gave Bentley head scratches this absolutely melted my heart, and he really enjoyed them too, I didn't do it for too long as I didn't wanna put him off me but it was a big step * this is something I cant do with my other 2*  only on day 4 and he is trying kale and enjoying head scratches.

DAY 5

Bentley got some time out of the cage for about an hour as  I had bin at work all day, he happily sat perched on my finger for the whole time, he still isn't 100% on playing just yet, but he has shown interest on the pervious days, his swing he has in the cage is made from sticks so that keeps him happy chewing on them.

there was a big shouting match between rooms, and Bentley found his little voice and started shouting back at Bella & Bert, I think Bentley now knows there is more activity in the front room where the other 2 live, hopefully the days fly by so he can eventually join them.

DAY 6

this was an interesting day, Bentley really showed his personality today, he thought it would be fun to dig out al his seeds from the bowl *was so funny watching him* he squeezed his little body in the container lol and then his water bowl, I saw this as an opportunity to use the bird bath, which he walked threw to inspect, he was dripping wet, Bentley also had his first try of millet, which he had some in his cage from day one.
Bentley spent a couple of hours out of the cage happily perched on my finger for an hour chatting away to me.

DAY 7

so today Bentley had his first try of broccoli, boiled egg & egg shells, he didn't eat much, but that's not what I'm trying achieve, I want him to explore different smells, textures and taste, as he still a baby, he tried both the egg and broccoli which he seemed to like, also my other 2 enjoy this as well, its always great to start them as soon as possible, never give up on trying.

DAY 8

as the days go on quarantine is getting a lot harder and stressful *I'm going to be honest* now Bentley has a taste of being out side of the cage he wants to be out all the time, which is making it harder to dived my time with my other 2, I cant leave them locked up all day as its not fair on them, and I certainly cant leave Bentley in a room on his own.
its hard trying not to give up on quarantine, but today Bentley is really annoyed and frustrated that he cant be out all day long.
so he now digs in his food dish, seeds flying every where, soon as I go to open the door he stops, is this him telling me to let him out? he stops and jumps straight on my arm, runs up it and perches on my shoulder, I guess I answered my own question there.
its really fascinating to watch their behaviour as you can learn so much just from watching them.
Bentley has also mastered his acrobatics, the way they can bend them self's in very odd positions is unbelievable, I'm hoping Bentley will calm down and learn he cant be out all day just now, when he eventually joins my other 2 it will be completely different for him, fingers and toes crossed.

DAY9

so as said above Bentley hates being locked up more than ever, he really gets him self worked up and stressed out where he just wants to out all the time, makes it even harder when I have to go work, soon as I let him out he perches up on my shoulder and becomes such a calm little bird, he really is the sweetest little boy, not a lot happened on day 9 as I was working the last shift so he could only come out for an hour.

DAY 10

is pretty much the same as day 9 I was working the last shift so he only come out while I was  getting ready for work, not once did he fly of my shoulder, he even perched on my toothbrush, I am totally amazed at how much he is bonded to me, I cant compline, I mean who would want to.

so as I have reached day 10 I'm not going to continue to write the next 20 days, I don't want to bore all to sleep, but I will do weekly updates of anything new we do, he only has 20 days to complete now, I'm really looking forward to him meeting Bella & Bert but also worried we may lose our bond, I hope this isn't the case.

so on the 22 march 2017 Bentley moves into the living room, where Bella and Bert live, Bentley is still currently in his own cage just for all the birds protection, as I'm not 100% sure on how they will react to each other, especially Bella being the most dominant one of the flock.

Bentley meets his big sister

over the next few days both cages are placed side by side to they can interact threw the bars safely, Bert was mesmerised by the new addition he would sit there for ages talking to Bentley.

Bella showed no interest what so ever in him, when ever Bella and Bert would go and eat Bentley would follow, it was rather cute to watch them, when it came to play time*out of the cage*  both birds where terrified of Bentley, frantically flying away from him when ever he came any where near them, so it became apparent to me this might not actually work if they are so scared of him out side the cage they only seem comfortable within separate cages.

over the course of time Bentley continued to live in a separate cage, during time out of the cage they where slowly starting to tolerate each other, eating and bathing, playing you name it, I thought is great perhaps Bentley could have a sleep over, I was worried about Bentley throwing him in the deep end, I wasn't sure on what to expect, what would happen, would they fight or get on.

Bentleys sleep over didn't go so great I ended up putting back in his place, Bella was not happy about him being in her Territory, she fort with him until he fell of his perch I felt to guilty, as he is still only a baby, but I didn't give up on trying, the mistake I made was keep removing Bentley, one night I just decided to leave him, yes they argued over who was sleeping where, I would only intervene if things got violent which they didn't, all 3 birds settled in together for the night all was calm and peaceful, so

Bentley officially moved in on the 5th April 2017........

they still squabbled in the evening but slowly but surely, they are learning to put up with each other, Bella occasionally has a temper tantrum * best way to describe it*  she will lash out at Bert or Bentley weather they are close to her or not she will go for them, so it has come down to me removing her the night and its not faire on leaving either of the boys alone with her, she was like this before with Bert I felt so sorry for him, but now I have two boys that get on I feel its best to keep them together and remove Bella, in the morning she would go  back with out any problems, she only on had a melt down a few times, I believe she is becoming more acceptant  of Bentley, tolerating him is a better word to use ATM .

so its now bin 6 weeks since Bentley got moved into the living room, he has thrived so much from the day I first brought him home with me.

even today *7th may 2017*  Bella still tries to show him who is boss around hear, but Bentley has stood up to her and takes nun of her *crap* if she goes for him he will go for her as well, if things get to physical I will intervene but it has never got that far, as Bella will fly away from, I feel Bentley is still finding his position with in the flock as he is still a baby but growing up very fast, Bella is at the stage where she will tolerate him and can be near him more, if he gets to close she will let him know here friendship is still yet to blossom.

Bert on the other hand will budgie chat to him, play, bath next to each other no problem, Bert can get a little too carried away with Bentley, but he will always let Bert know if he has gone to far,  they will bicker but that's normal, I cant Waite to see their friendship blossom even more over time.

as for mine and Bentleys bond, its still there he will come over to me have a quick chat then its back to hang out with the cool kids.

I hope my experience of quarantine will be some help to your self and your birds, it was a tough journey but we succeeded, there is still a bit of journey to come, but that's part of the process of love, trust, acceptance and most of all respect.

use the Quarantine time to your advantage, this can help you bond with your bird. 

why are bird toys and flight time so important ?

why are bird toys and flight time so important?

If you have a busy lifestyle that includes a family as well as a job, your birds are going to spend a significant amount of time on their own alone. What are they supposed to do with all of that time? You simply can’t be there for them every single minute.
Boredom sets in and they may take it out on their feathers or just become listless.

They have nothing to do without toys and it affects their state of mind. These are very intelligent creatures and they require stimulation and enrichment.

Toys also provide more than just something to do. Interacting with a toy not only stimulates their minds, it keeps them active and engaged physically.

Birds were made to be active and physically move around, not just sit on a perch all day. 

Birds in the wild are constantly on the move, flying, hopping from tree limb to rooftop, foraging for food and even playing.
Yes, birds in the wild do indeed play.
They play not only with objects but they interact with other birds as well.
They also have other instincts that lead to play-like activities. Birds have a natural instinct to gnaw on wood as well as bark leaves and other objects. This instinct is what gives them the necessary urge to build nests and create nest hollows in trees as well as foraging for food.
In the wild they have been observed flinging twigs around, stripping bark off of twigs and tree limbs, bathing in puddles, hanging upside down and swinging as well as playing tag; all play activities.
What do toys do for birds in captivity
is provide an outlet for these natural play activities. By interacting with their toys, they are acting on their natural urges to chew, to toss things around and to dig and scratch.
It keeps them moving and stimulates their minds.
Toys provide an outlet for them to remain active even while in their cages or on their play gyms. The chewing action helps keep their beaks in top condition and the physical interactions keeps their muscles strong and in good condition. Birds are naturally active and they simply need this activity to stay in good shape. This use of their muscles and tendons provides exercise and activity that they naturally would get in the wild. Exercise also keeps their bones in shape as well as burning off calories. Just as a child gets exercise by being outside and running around playing, this play time with toys is important for their wellbeing.
Toys of different shapes and colours as well as a variety of textures provide interest, entertainment and give your companion bird a “job” so to speak.
Does your bird ever get aggressive?
Sometimes birds in breeding condition tend to get a little feisty due to excessive hormones racing around in their systems. This natural aggression needs to go somewhere so toys are an ideal and safe outlet for them to take out their aggression so she doesn’t keep it built up. Giving her this outlet may just lower that aggression.
Most birds are naturally independent and enjoy making choices for themselves. Toys not only keep your birds busy, they provide those choices and can install confidence. A parrot can make decisions in her life such as what toy to play with and how to play with it.
Toys don’t even need to be all that complicated. How many times have you seen a child playing for hours with nothing but a box? Amazingly, even the simplest of objects can inspire some very imaginative play.

Along with giving them toys to play with is ensuring you keep an eye on the condition of the toys. Toys are meant to be played with chewed on, thrown around and banged so it is only natural that toys get worn out. So being vigilant about frayed cords and material, cracked plastic or anything else that might injure your bird is all a part of keeping your bird safe.
Hazardous or unsafe items should never be accessible to your bird. Toys should also be kept clean and fresh.  This isn't always easy, but keep them as clean as you can.

In young birds, playtime is part of the learning process in which birds start to identify textures, colours, shapes and it also helps to develop coordination and dexterity. Exposure to a wide variety of objects at a young age helps to create a more confident less fearful bird

Toys provide an outlet for natural aggression and an opportunity to expend energy through exercise. Instead of directing aggression towards their owners they can instead direct their aggressions towards the toy by shadow boxing, flapping and swinging.

Playtime helps to foster better mental health and a sense of independence. Birds provided with a variety of toys are less self-absorbed and exhibit fewer negative behaviour's such as:

• Feather picking and self-mutilation
• Screaming for attention
• Fear of unknown objects
• Aggressiveness towards humans
• Destruction of household furniture, moulding, etc

this is Bella and Bert's little play area, is nothing to fancy but it keeps them very busy, chewing wood and playing with toys

Toys promote exercise and therefore physical health and longevity. Birds who play by climbing and swinging on their toys reap the benefits of increased movement. Playing with and or chewing toys also helps with beak and nail conditioning. These activities also provide for "off-perch" time and flexing which helps with dexterity and foot health.

Confinement of parrots without providing outlets for exercise, entertainment, comfort and mental challenge will result in boredom, depression, poor physical health and ultimately in an unsuitable pet!

Your bird should own a wide variety of toys but remember it is important to rotate the toys in and out of the cage weekly to stimulate curiosity and prevent boredom.

Ask any busy bird mum why toys are important for her children and she will gladly tell you that they can keep their little ones occupied and happy ‘out of their hair’ for a bit.

flight time

flying time helps keep your bird healthy and happy, they enjoy time spent outside their cages in safe environments where they can exercise and explore.

budgies need exercise and socialization *sorry if I'm repeating myself* time to stay healthy, birds who never leave their cages become overweight and start to develop illnesses over time, as we know budgies live in flocks in the wild, so they should *must* spend time out of the cage to allow them to fly around for an hour or so.

I found this image on google images, I don't have any photos of my two in mid flight and they wouldn't be as perfect as this.

Certain safety precautions should be taken before allowing your budgie to fly around the room. Eliminate any possible hazards so that they can fly safely. A few common things to look for are:

·         all windows and mirrors so that they don't fly into them.

·         Make Cover sure all doors and windows are closed and that family members know not to open them.

·         Remove other animals (dogs, cats) from the room.

·         Remove any poisonous plants

·         Turn off ceiling fans and regular fans and make sure there are no hot surfaces such as heaters or stoves.

·         Remove or cover any containers with water or liquid including fish bowls or aquariums.

·         Hide or unplug electrical cords and remove anything that could harm your budgie if he were to chew on it.

Ideally, budgies shouldn't be left to fly around unattended. They are curious and playful and can get themselves into dangerous situations even when we've tried to make everything as safe as possible. It is recommended that your budgie be finger trained before flying outside of the cage. There may be situations where you need to return them back to their cage and being able to have them step onto your finger or a perch helps immensely.

Many budgies see their cages as their home and as a safe haven. Some will fly around the room but always return to the cage in between flights. Others will be more bold and want to explore. At first, some budgies will be confused and may not be able to find their way back to the cage.

If your budgie won't or is unable to return to his cage when it's time to return, don't chase them. Move slowly and gently and if all else fails, dim the lights. Budgies are reluctant to fly when there isn't enough light and it will be easier to gently place them back into the cage.

If possible, set aside a specific time each day when you can let your budgie fly and stretch his wings. With patience and consistency, budgies can learn to fly skilfully around a room and return safely to their cage. this where a play gym can come in handy a place for them to land and play.

The recommend flight time and play time out side of the cage is an hour or more daily, it’s a little bit more difficult if you’re working or out for the day, when I'm home Bella and Bert are out from 10:00 and till 8:00pm so they are 2 very lucky birds, they nap during the day up on the curtain rail, if I'm working they have 2 hours flight time before I head to start the evening shift, if I'm out for the day they will come out in the evening for an hour or two depending on the time just to stretch their wings out then off to bed.

Too often I am seeing on Instagram& Facebook of owners just leaving their birds sat on a perch all day long with no toys to play with, if your birds can’t come out to paly due to other pets you may have or are not tamed or just don't allow them out, just ensue they have plenty of things to keep them busy, otherwise you will end up with a very sad and depressed bird that could potentially die!!!! 

What do budgies eat

SO WHAT DO THEY EAT? THIS IS ONLY BASIC INFORMATION FROM RESERCH I HAVE DONE AND LEARNED FROM OTHER BIRD OWNERS.

Budgies are omnivores. This means they can digest both vegetables and insects. In their natural habitat in Australia, they have a varied diet of grass seeds, leafs, insects and so on. They sometimes fly miles and miles to feed themselves. Of course, for a domesticated bird, this isn't an option. But still it's important to keep them fit and healthy, while still staying as close as possible to their natural diet. A tamed budgie, much like its counterpart in the wild, is very curious and will try anything it's offered. Therefore, it's up to you, the owner, to offer the little bird a healthy and balanced meal.

hear Is Bella enjoying a scrummy fly :)

Note: Budgies eat insects and so qualify as omnivores, but do not offer them a steak or other slice of meat. They cannot digest this. The same goes for milk.

1. The Basics

Seeds or Pellets?
Like all birds, budgies love to eat seeds. As this is absolutely necessary in their diet, a good and quality mixture of living seeds is crucial.
Often the budgie will choose the fattest seeds as the yummiest, and so the healthiest seeds are left behind! If this is the case with you, don't refill the bowl until it's almost completely empty. Don't be fooled though: the empty husks of the seeds are often dropped into the bowl, so take a good look to make sure there's still something edible in there.
An alternative would be to limit the access to the food to set hours in the morning and evening. In the beginning, this will take some adjusting from your budgie, but soon he'll learn to adapt and eat as much of the food as possible, as he's learned it's not freely available. This will result in all seeds being devoured, not just the tastiest.
You could also choose to offer your budgie pellets. These are about the size of seeds, composed of compressed seeds and fruit. This is often the most complete food you will be able to give the bird, and it's also not able to select the tastiest seeds. However, not all budgies like to eat pellets. There is usually a schedule on the package to convert your budgie, but keep in mind that some birds never make the switch. Of course, you still need to provide fresh drinking water, grit and fruit&vegetables to your bird.

Fruits & Vegetables

A healthy addition to any bird diet, fruits and vegetables help ensure long and healthy lives. Give your budgie a piece every day, preferably as fresh as possible.
Every budgie has its own favourites and will need some time to get used to this new form of food. Offering a piece every day at the same place in the cage will help the bird identify it as food, rather than a toy to tear apart. Being the curious little thing that it is, eventually the bird will take a nibble and so be introduced to the wonderful flavour's of fruit or vegetables. Of course, it's always possible they just really don't like the taste of what you offered, so try to put some variation in what you offer. It will help if the bird sees you or its own kind enjoying the healthy snack, This will again stimulate their curiosity and will teach them it's a delicious form of food.
Many budgies prefer the taste of apples, carrots, or oranges. Bananas, pears, lettuce, ... all are loved. Do not offer too much lettuce though, as that might cause diarrhoea.

Hear they are enjoying some mango

Bella & Bert love a verity of fruit and veg, I would say their favourites are:

Broccoli

Kale

Boiled egg

Mango

Cucumber

Carrots

Red pepper

Mixed berries

Apple (seedless)

There is still more fruit and veg I want to try with them.

Warning! Rhubarb and avocado are poisonous to budgies! Avoid the cabbage family.

Eggfood

While many bird owners only offer this at times when the bird is breeding or growing new feathers, it's not a bad idea to provide eggfood at least once a week. It's packed with minerals and nutrients. To offer a complete and balanced diet, eggfood really should be on the menu.
Eggfood is healthy, easy to digest and delicious. It not only strengthens the bones (a calcium bomb), it gives extra strength and vitality and stimulates growth. It's an excellent dish to serve a mother budgie and her youngsters.

hear is Bella enjoying hard boiled egg with egg shell with carrots and broccoli

Eggfood, while very good for your budgie, contains a lot of fat. Twice a week at most when not breeding or sick really is enough. However, when your birds are sick or breeding, always have eggfood readily available. Put the dry eggfood in a feeding bowl, add some water to moisturize it, stir and offer. It's not supposed to float, just a bit of water is plenty. Don't leave it in the cage for too long as it will quickly grow a lot of bacteria and spoil.

EGG BISCUITS
Egg Biscuits are highly nutritious and extremely tasty complementary pet food for all cage and aviary birds.
Egg Biscuits are highly recommended during moulting and breeding periods.

Bella & Bert where terrified of these to being with which is a normal reaction to be wiry of new things, after a while they became use to it and now love egg biscuit.

*no birds are harmed in the making of egg biscuits*  

2. What Else?
Millet

A veritable delight to any budgie's taste buds. Almost without exception, budgies are extremely fond of this treat, and it's the ultimate assistant when trying to tame a new bird. It's also easy to digest! Thus millet is also often used to teach a young budgie to eat seeds, or to encourage a sick budgie to eat a bit.
Millet is high in fats and should only be offered once a week, at a quantity of half a string per bird. While millet is no replacement for a good seed mixture, it is to be preferred over candy sticks for birds.

Bella & Bert enjoying their treat

Candy sticks

Who doesn't know them: the seeds glued together with honey in the form of a long stick. Budgies love them. Naturally: it tastes very sweet! Almost every store has it on offer. It's yummy and very popular. However, there is a lot of sugar in candy sticks, so don't offer it too often. It should be more of an exception rather than a frequent snack.

3. What Definitely Not To Feed A Budgie

Some things, a budgie really cannot eat, ever. Either it's really unhealthy or hard to digest, or it's just plain poison!
Although sometimes it can be very tempting, it's best not to allow your budgie to eat food that's on your plate. People food tends to be very bad for the tiny kidneys of a budgerigar, and is often simply poisonous. Avoid salt (bad for kidneys) and sugar (causes infections, obesity and a whole host of problems).
Absolutely forbidden because it's lethal to a budgie: avocado, tobacco, rhubarb, chocolate, coffee, cola *anything fizzy a No No* and alcohol.
Disinfectants also contains alcohol: avoid using!

*tobacco and alcohol I cant see anyone being stupid enough to give this to their bird, but in this day in age noting  surprises me *

4. How Much Do They Need?

If you only have 1 budgie, buy smaller bags to ensure the seeds are still fresh when you offer them to the bird. The nutrients are at their peak, and there's a smaller chance of bacteria or funghi being in it. A normal budgie needs about 2 overflowing tablespoons of seeds per day.
If you have multiple budgies, always have some extra bags ready. You'll be all out before you know it! Keep an eye on the date label on the package.

5. Conclusion

Budgies can eat a lot, but not everything. Quality and freshness should be valued over price: it can determine how long your budgie will live, and in what condition it will spend its life. Avoid sugar and salt, and never ever feed them an item from the poisonous list. Your budgie will thank you, and reward you with a playful friend that has a long and healthy life.

BUDGIE SEXING

THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF MY FAVOURTIE TOPICS

BUDGIE SEXING!!

Most bird species are not sexually dimorph. This means that you can't tell what gender it is, simply by looking at it. Luckily, we're talking budgies here! Although it can be difficult for beginners and non-bird owners to tell the gender of a budgie, with a few simple tips, you'll be able to determine if your bird is a Tweeter or a Tweetine (Dear Lord, please don't actually use those names...!).

males:

so as your budgie starts to mature, After a couple of months, the budgie's cere will change colour, indicating that it's maturing (but not fertile yet!). So purple/pink turns to dark blue when it's a male.

But what about a female?

Females are the cause of the most confusion. People with male budgies seldom wind up really being unsure as to the gender. But females sometimes have blue in their ceres too YES BLUE!!, and that's mostly where the confusion sets in.

Females usually begin with a very light blue cere, sometimes it's almost white. If your bird is very young, you should be able to see very clear white rings around the nostrils. Not all hens have this though, so don't let that make or break your decision. As she ages, her cere will turn to a darker light blue. Sometimes she'll still have the white nostrils. Sometimes, her cere will turn a shade of pink. If she's feeling like breeding, it'll be brown and crusty. It could be beige. But it will never be dark blue!

IS IT A BOY OR A GIRL ?

In the picture above is my Bella, now your probably thinking hold on the bird has a blue cere!!

now this young lady has caused a rather stir on Instagram, with people clamming my bird is male, well she is 100% female, despite this people still feel the need to tell my bird is male.

 now Bella has a light blue cere with white around her nostrils and white border.

BELLA & BERT LKE TO WEAR MATCHING OUTFITS EVERYDAY ALL DAY :)

  

This hear is my Bert, hear you can see a lovely dark blue covering the whole of his cere with no hint of white,  handsome boy.

HOW TO TELL THE GENDER OF YOUR BUDGIE! I'm sharing @reggie_the_budgie post as there are still so many people getting it wrong ‼️

Please read: SEXING BUDGIES!! Many people out there are getting it completely wrong and subsequently making fools of themselves. You cannot always trust your pet shop/breeder!
The top two rows are male budgies; ranging from pink, to purple and through to royal blue. Males start pink and as they mature they turn purple and then blue. Notice they are all even in colour. BUT some males remain pink if they are a specific feather mutation, for example pieds and lutino's. But just remember PINK = BOY.

Bella is featured in this chart in the female section she is in the second row from the bottom, in the two middle ones.

The bottom two rows are all females; ranging from very light blue to brown. Females have light blue ceres with defined WHITE nostrils, sometimes displaying completely white/crème ceres. FEMALES CAN BE BLUE!!!!! The blue of a female is very very different to the blue of a male, it is paler, less evenly distributed and accompanied by white, so don't confuse the two! As females mature they turn brown and the ceres get lumpier. Notice that on the females there is no pink. Females will only be pink when they are very very young, and even then they tend to show the characteristic white around the nostrils. Some people are seeing very pale colourless ceres and confusing this with no gender - it's female! They won't suddenly become male.
Please stop making it difficult or thinking that pink is female and blue is male, budgies don't follow our gender stereotypes at all!

Disclaimer: obviously there are some budgies out there who don't want to follow the rules, but they are few and far between, and often poorly.

I would like to give credit to @reggie_the_budgie for this amazing information

 on sexing your budgie correctly, go check out their account too! 

The most telling of all...

If your budgie lays eggs, you can be pretty sure it's a female.

So To Summarize...

colour of cere

dark blue = male

any other colour = female

still in Doubt = probably female

WING CLIPPING!!!

Hear I want to speak about wing clipping.

should I clip my budgies wings?

Wing clipping could be labelled one of the most controversial subjects in aviculture. There are many reasons why some bird owners choose to clip their bird's wings, and just as many reasons why some bird owners do not. While wing clipping is generally recommended for most captive birds, the decision to trim a bird is one best left to the individual owner.

    
I am not being snooty when I say this because some of my friends do this and everyone has their own opinion. But I will give you pros and cons for both sides....

Clipped Winged Budgies

Pros:
Cannot Fly Around Uncontrollably (Pro or Con)

Cons:
Gives the bird no exercise
Gives the bird a higher risk of becoming severely injured due to thinking it CAN fly when it can't

Non-Clipped Winged Budgies~

Pros:
Can Give The Bird a Chance to escape danger
Let's the bird have its exercise
There is No Chance of Accidentally Cracking The Blood Vessel Wing

Cons:
Birds can Fly Around (Con or Pro)

My opinion:
Birds are birds! They should have the freedom to fly! I am a very opinionated person so of course I'm not forcing you to take my advice, but I am just making it clear.
Birds are meant to FLY! Why take that wonderful privileged away from a poor fellow?

To Answer Your Question:
Clipping your budgies' wings will NOT help training.
If the bird keeps trying to fly around when you are trying to teach it to "step up" or some other training method , then that is NORMAL!
At that point EVERYONE THINKS THEY SHOULD CLIP THEIR BIRDS WINGS. But the few people who truly do it either crack their poor birdie's blood vessel wing or just don't enjoy having a nonflying bird around.

So my opinion? DO NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT clip the budgie's wings , EVER! Please!!

I would like to address that Bella and Bert have bin clipped this was done with out me knowing, I was devastated that this had happened to them, their wings are now growing back in nicely and will stay this way.  

nothing more heart breaking than seeing your birds like this, especially when someone goes behind your back and clip their wings. 

Another reason that many pet birds have their wings clipped is because it forces the bird to be more dependent on its owner. Many believe that this can serve to enhance the bird/human bond, although there are countless flighted pet birds that enjoy close relationships with their human families.

personally I think wing clipping is totally wrong and is never something I would do to my birds.

Be very careful when clipping, not to trim a blood feather, a feather that is still growing and receiving a blood supply from the body. You can recognize a blood feather by the blood in the shaft. If cut they will bleed and can become an emergency situation.

IF YOU CONSIDER CLIPPING WINGS!!

Your vet will clip your bird's wings. If you wish to learn how to do it yourself, then ask your vet or an experienced person to show you how.

I've seen to many images, especially on Instagram where owners have clipped birds wings their self's, and they look like they have bin butchered its not a great look, so please if you wish to clip then I advise you see a professional.  

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS YOUR SELF!!

budgie baths

Budgie baths.

How often should a budgie take a bath ? This is one to the questions each bird owner one day will try to find an answer for. But in fact, there is no universally valid reply to this question. Every budgie is different in its needs and preferences, and in fact budgies who are kept as pet birds don't need to clean their plumage with water to keep it in a good condition, Perhaps your budgie likes the traditional way of bathing in a plastic bird bath that can be hung into the cage opening. Or maybe your bird doesn't like to take a bath at all. It's your turn to find out what your little friend really wants. And you should know that there are several kinds of ways for taking a bath for a bird like a budgie.

Please bear in mind some birds don't bath for up to a year, so don't worry if they won't bath, you can introduce them slowly but never ever force it upon them, veggie baths are a big hit with Bella & Bert especially a kale bath, it's very amusing to watch, Bert loves to be sprayed too not so much Bella as she just dose a runner every time.

Some of our feathers friends love to roll themselves through wet lettuce leaves or herbs such as basil or parsley. The birds make somersaults and you will find them weirdly wrenched from time to time during the "bath". Wet tufts are great fun for many budgies as well. In their natural habitat, in the morning the birds move through tufts that are still wet from dew. This is how most wild budgies take a bath .

Hear is Bella & Bert enjoying a kale Bath.

 Next, you can see a budgie who loves to share their bath with his human friend. Rocker perched on the plastic bird bath and wanted his owner to splash. He then fluffed up his feathers and started to take his very special "shower". In the photo, his friend Eddie is sceptically watching this scene.

Now let's tell the whole truth: There is a huge disadvantage for you if your bird likes to take a bath in a big bowl or something similar in your living room: Your budgies won't even waste a single thought about what else will be wet after they have finished their wild "pool party". But hay who cares it's fun to see your little friend having a great time, an enthusiastic bath can just seem like the famous ballet "Swan Lake".


 bath beneath a running water tap seems to be heaven to some birds. Tame budgies sit on their keeper's hand and splash under the soft  water jet. In this case, a bird will also not give a hoot about anything getting wet around him. You will surely be hit by a lot of splashes while your bird is floundering about in the water. Please make sure that the water jet is not too strong, and that the temperature is moderate. And keep in mind that birds don't like you move too much, some birds get nervous then.

Last but not least I would like to introduce the "raindrop-method" to you. My Bert is really crazy about taking a shower like that. I take a bottle that is normally used for spraying water on plants (a mist sprayer). It is necessary to make sure that there are big drops coming out of it. If one produces fine mist, the birds breathe in the tiny drops and sneeze very often, which they really don't like at all as you can imagine. By producing bigger drops, you just make it rain for your birds. In a bath room, it does not matter how wild the budgies flap with their wings during showering. My little Bert  loves those showers and he does not stop splashing before he is dripping wet.

Blood feathers

Lets talk about blood feathers aka pin feathers.

What are blood feathers?

Blood feathers, also called "pin feathers," are new feathers that are starting to grow. Since they are actively growing, they need a large blood supply and will bleed if broken, hence the name. Each blood feather grows from a special area in the skin called a follicle. The feather has an artery and vein that extend up into it from the follicle and nourish the feather. Due to the colour of the blood supply, the shaft of a blood feather will appear dark, where as the shaft of an older feather will be white. A blood feather has a larger quill (calamus) than a mature feather. A blood feather starts out with a waxy keratin sheath that protects it while it grows. When the feather is mature, the blood supply will recede and the waxy sheath will be removed by the bird.

Blood feathers appear during the moulting process as old feathers are lost and replaced by new ones. Wing and tail feathers, especially, are lost and replaced in a staggered manner during the moult so the bird will still be able to fly.

Reason for me covering blood features.
At the time this happened I only had one bird Bella, I came home from work one night very late **11.30pm**, I came in and checked on Bella, I noticed there was blood all underneath her tail feathers on her perch and on the paper at the bottom of her home.
I was really puzzled I couldn't figure out what on earth had happened to her I thought she maybe caught her self on a toy or got stuck some how in her cage, I just couldn't think what it was, I mean I only had Bella not even a week and my bird was bleeding, I checked her out and it seemed to have stopped bleeding, so I got some warm water, cotton wool and some ear buds, I slowly started to clean the blood of her feathers, she was very good to allow me to do this for her considering I only had her a week, I didn't have to touch her with my hands, she just sat there with this very sorry look on her face, that night I did researcher to try and find out what was going on, I looked up blood on feathers I mean I had no Idea what to put, and what popped up blood feathers, it really did shock me especially the images, I read the advice given, but I didn't need to use this as Bella had stopped bleeding, I sat up the whole night with her to ensure she was okay, it wasn't till the morning I found this feather laying at the bottom of her cage, thankfully she recovered with no problems.
In the morning I also messaged a couple of people on Instagram for advice one being Reggie's mum she was brilliant help.

Okay so this is a picture of Bella's tail blood feather, it's not the most attractive thing to see, but this is what it looks like, at the bottom is the feather its self you will notice the red bit at the top that's where the blood supply would go, the casing a round the feather is called a sheath that covers the feather, if you roll this between your fingers it will break up, so as the feather grows it has a blood supply up the middle, slowly the feather 'dies' and opens up. 

What should be done if a blood feather starts to bleed?

On  occasion, a blood feather will break and start to bleed, or it may accidentally be cut when the wings are trimmed. In a healthy bird, a broken blood feather is usually not a life-threatening emergency if appropriate steps are taken. Even if the bleeding stops quickly, however, you may wish to have your bird examined by a veterinarian, and have the broken blood feather removed. Even if the blood has clotted, broken blood feathers are often removed so they cannot be re-injured  and consequently bleed. If a broken blood feather is removed, a new one will start to grow.
If a blood feather is repeatedly injured, continues to bleed, or the bird has a medical condition, such as liver disease which can affect the clotting ability of the blood, a significant amount of blood may be lost. This is an emergency situation, and action must be taken quickly.

If there is bleeding from a blood feather:

Restrain the bird.

Apply pressure to the broken shaft with gauze or a cotton ball. Cornstarch can be applied with a cotton ball to help the blood to clot.
If the feather broke off below the skin line, the feather cannot be totally removed, or pressure has not stopped the bleeding, the bird should be immediately examined by a veterinarian.
If the feather continues to bleed, it will need to be removed. If you have not done this before, I would advise you to go straight to you vet veterinarian who can remove this for you.

Okay….. When the bleeding has stopped, return the bird to his cage, keep him quite, and monitor him for bleeding for an hour.
Please keep a very close eye on your bird, a lot of blood loss can seriously lead to serve consequences for your feathered friend **Death** pains me to say that but they don't have a massive blood supply.
Also consult your veterinarian immediately if your bird appears weak or there is excessive blood loss.

I hope this information can be of use to you someday it's only basic information as I'm still reserching on blood feathers, the different areas it can happen on a bird I know there is much more to cover, this is based on my experience with a blood feather and reserch.