Sunday, 23 March 2014

Buying a New Budgie!

Welcome to Blog for Budgies ! This blog contains everything budgie, from taming to treats!

Today's topic: Buying a new budgie!

So you're thinking of buying a budgie? It may just be one of the best decisions of your life, but you MUST be prepared to welcome your new feathered friend into your home!

Shopping List

Cage
When buying a cage, you have to be very careful. A bad quality cage could allow your budgie to escape, or even injure them. In terms of size, it should be at least 50cm x 50cm x 70cm, preferably with an open top, as open tops help your budgie to get used to coming out. Also, make sure that you get a square one instead of a round one, because budgies like to have corners where they can hide if they get scared.


Food
The type of food you give your budgie is one of the most important things to consider. Cheap, supermarket-brand food won't provide your budgie with nearly enough nutrients to keep it healthy. Whether you choose pellets, seeds, or a mix, make sure that it is good quality and has a variety of different vitamins and nutrients to keep your budgie healthy. Ideally, it should have some form of fruit or vegetable in it, not just seeds.

Cage floor lining
There is a wide variety of materials available to use as litter for your budgie's cage. Some people buy special bird-specific litter, whilst others just use old newspapers. Personally, I've always used paper towels on the floor, as they are clean and easy to replace. However, some people have complained of their birds tearing them up or chewing them, but I've never seemed to have any problems with it. Whatever you choose, make sure it is natural and doesn't contain anything that could harm your budgie.


Perches
Perches are essential to have in your budgies cage. Personally, I prefer using natural rope or wood perches, but some people like using plastic perches, as they are easier to clean. Make sure that you buy at least two different types of perches,  so that your budgie's feet don't get worn in the same spot. You don't need more than a few perches in the cage, don't overcrowd it too much.


Cuttlebone
Cuttlebones are the internal shells of cuttlefish, and budgies chew them to keep their beaks nice and short. If you don't get a cuttlebone, their beaks could grow too long and cause health problems.








Vitamin Supplement
Whether you buy vitamin supplements in block form or liquid form, they are essential to keep your budgie healthy. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to find a food that contains everything that budgies need, so vitamin supplements are vital.







Treats
Treats are essentially in the bonding and taming process. The way to a budgie's heart really is food, and discovering their favourite treat prevents a lot of stress! Most (if not all!) budgies absolutely adore spray millet, and most also enjoy fruity treat sticks.



Toys
You MUST, absolutely MUST provide your budgie with toys. Imagine being stuck in a room all day, with nothing to keep you entertained. Wouldn't you be so glad if someone brought in a computer or book? Your budgie will feel the exact same way. Interactive toys are best, as they keep your budgie stimulated. However, they wouldn't say no to just a piece of paper to rip apart!






Those are the only real essentials that your new budgie could not live without. Obviously, there are many more things that would benefit your budgie, but the list would be too long to write out!

Buying your budgie

Ok, so now you have your supplies, you go out and buy the first budgie you see in the store, right? WRONG! Finding the budgie that's right for you could take anywhere from an hour to a month! The most important rule is to be patient. Remember that you will have this budgie for up to ten years after buying it. That's a long time to be stuck with a budgie who doesn't bond with you at all. There are multiple things you should look for in a good budgie:

Health
Make sure that you buy a healthy budgie. Not only would you have to pay vet bills for an ill budgie, they would also not be able to be tamed when they are sick. Just like humans, budgies can get cranky and irritable when they are ill, and need to rest.

Personality
The personality of your budgie is very important. Depending on what kind of environment it will live in, you want a personality to fit that. If you are planning to take it out a lot and interact with it, try to get a more outgoing and playful budgie. However, if it is going to be in a cage most of the day, the same budgie would get bored, lonely and angry. It's all about getting a budgie that fits your lifestyle!

Age
The younger a budgie is when you buy it, the easier it will be to tame. It's hard to get a young budgie in a pet shop, but breeders usually have the exact age, and even hand-raise the budgies. However, this is not to say that it is impossible to tame an older budgie. My very first budgie was probably almost half a year old when I got him from a pet shop, but within a month he was the tamest budgie you ever saw.

Dominance
It is easier to observe the dominance of a budgie when it is in a cage with lots of other budgies. You don't to get a bully budgie, but you also don't want one which will always be scared of you. I've always liked budgies with a bit of spirit, so I tend to pick the ones which don't bully other budgies, but don't stand for being bullied.

Just remember the number 1 rule when picking a budgie: BE PATIENT!

Bringing your budgie home
So now that you have picked out the perfect budgie, time to bring it home! However, you must remember that the journey home can be extremely stressful for a budgie. Imagine being taken from your home, shoved into a box and being carried away. Not nice, right? But don't panic, there are lots of things you can do to make the journey less stressful, and even enjoyable!

Ask for a bit of their cage lining
Weird as it sounds, having a familiar substance in the box with them can be a great comfort. The pet shop probably wouldn't mind, just remember to ask politely!

Talk to them
On the way back, keep the box firmly in your lap to prevent it from jolting about. Preferably have someone else driving! Talk soothingly to your budgie. It will calm it down, and it may also remember your voice as a good thing.

Have everything ready
Make sure that the whole cage and all of the supplies are already set up. This way, you just have to put the box in the cage and let the budgie come out in its own time. Reaching in to put things in can be very scary for a new budgie.

Let them settle
Don't try to take them out or tame them for the first few days. Just let them settle in, and only start taming once they are fully used to their cage. However, in the first few days it is great to just sit next to them and talk soothingly. Not only does it get them used to your voice, it also helps them to calm down and relax.

That's everything you need to do in order to welcome your feathered friend into your home! In the next blog, I will talk about the taming process. Thank you, and goodbye!