Keeping budgies – keeping the bird in a cage or aviary in a species-appropriate manner

If you want to keep budgies and are interested in budgie care, we have dedicated today's article to this topic. First and foremost, it makes sense to find out a little more about the origins and keeping budgies. This way you can learn what type of budgie diet the bird is intended for, as well as what habitat it is suitable for. These important basics also explain a lot about the behavior and special features of these active parrots. Just read on to find out the best ways to keep and care for budgies at home.

Keeping budgies – basic information about the exotic bird species

These birds are parakeets that originated in Australia. While this country has the full range of habitats, from deserts to rainforests to alps, the budgie parrot lives primarily in grassland areas. The animal is nomadic and moves to new habitats in search of food and water. This means that the budgerigar is found in many parts of Australia - from inland desert areas to some coastal regions.

Wild budgies live in herds of...few birdscan vary up to huge, loud masses. When food is sufficient, wild specimens can produce up to seven or eight chicks, although four is average. However, the Australian outback can endure years without rain and reach temperatures of 49°C, minimizing any chances of survival. During these dry periods the birds do not breed, so unfortunately many budgies may die.

Feed the birds properly

Below you will find important information about the diet, shelter, safety and health of this bird species, which is also suitable as a pet. As you already know, budgies live in grassland, which means their diet mostly consists of seeds and other plant material. You also have access to a variety of grasses including astrebla, spinifex grass, wild oats, canary grass and many others. These provide the budgie with seeds of varying development - from newly formed and immature to fully ripe dry varieties such as those you can find in pet stores.

The parrots also have access to a number of trees that provide them with leaves, buds, fruit and bark to chew. Budgies have also been known to occasionally eat charcoal from burnt trees. We can assume that the coal serves as an aid in digestion or other illnesses.

When it comes to drinking and water supply, budgies will seek water wherever they can find it, from natural sources like ponds and puddles to man-made pools of water. During times of extreme heat, large flocks of budgies appear on water sources, sometimes piling on top of each other to get the vital fluid. This results in many drowning, thereby polluting the water supply.

The budgie diet you choose should be based on what these birds would naturally eat. The closer you stick to it, the better you will be able to keep the budgies. This will make them have less difficulty absorbing nutrients and allow them to deal with waste more efficiently than if they were trying to deal with something completely foreign to their digestive system. This diet will also stimulate pets mentally and support their beaks and bodies the way they should normally grow up.

Basic rules for nutrition

If your budgie is confined or inactive for long periods of time, reduce or eliminate oats to prevent him from becoming overweight. You can also feed small sunflower seeds every now and then, but these are also fatty, so they are more of a treat than the norm. Fatty seeds provide important oils and fat-based nutrients that are vital for brain and nerve health. Therefore, they should be included carefully but not exaggerated.

Aleppo millet is commonly available and budgies love it, so it can be a good addition to their diet. They often need to provide the birds with a bit of gymnastics by also offering a source of physical and mental stimulation. The sweet grasses can be cleverly hung from the bird cage to provide hours of entertainment and exercise. Make it an acrobatic art for your favorite bird.

However, make sure that your seeds do not contain any dust, mold or foreign bodies. We would recommend purchasing from a pet store or seed dealer rather than the supermarket. The seeds there will likely be fresher due to the higher turnover, although the seeds should not smell musty or rancid. If possible, place the mixture in a deep dish that will encourage the budgie to dig a bit to get through the peeled hulls to the seeds.

It makes finding the food a fun task both physically and mentally. This is suitable for an aviary, where the scattered husks are less likely to clutter the lounge, but with a little creativity you can achieve something similar in a cage. Also be sure to check every day to see if there are still seeds available. However, don't necessarily feel the need to blow off the pods daily, as this will interfere with foraging behavior.

A strong base that mimics nature

The basis of the diet for budgies should be fairly even proportions of good quality seeds and vegetables/fruits. Many people steer away from seeds, which can make the bird unhealthy. However, if the seeds were not suitable for your budgie, then these would not have been her natural diet. The alternative to a fully processed, pelleted oneFood can also be unhealthybe, and diversity counts most. Wild budgies thrive and breed on seeds and green diets. You just need to take the time to make sure you are providing them with all the nutrients they need. This means that you actually need to get some germinated varieties, and not just a dry seed mix.

Once you're confident your bird is eating a healthy diet, you can start trying out some recipes yourself. The homemade treats can be a healthy plus for your bird. However, please remember that these may not be suitable for every budgie. Be sure to exclude fatty foods if, for example, your budgie becomes overweight. There are a few foods that are best avoided when preparing treats for your bird:

• all foods are considered junk food, including chocolate
• Avocado – it’s good for us but bad for our birds
• Coffee
• everything with added salt
• Foods high in sugar, although some unprocessed varieties in natural form are fine
• Dairy products are okay in small amounts, but only occasionally, as they don't process lactose well
• Remember that highly processed foods are essentially dead and provide very little goodness for your bird. They often have extras such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, colors, etc. that are likely to be harmful to your budgie.

Accommodation

Since the birds are nomadic by nature, they must be able to travel long distances in search of food and water. This means they are very active little parrots with energy to burn and curiosity to match. So you should try to offer your birds as much living space as possible.

This means choosing the most spacious budgie cage size you can afford. The bird cage or aviary should be equipped with secure perches, food and water bowls, and a few carefully selected toys. Furthermore you canLine the bottom of the cage with paperto make cleaning easier.

Keep budgies busy and entertained

Because of their anatomy for long-distance flights, budgies in captivity have a lot of free energy. They are very agile and playful pets that like free flight, but you can easily manage them with a fewwell-chosen toysentertain. These need to be safe for your bird, so always keep this in mind when choosing. Anything that the budgie can catch with a foot, toenail, or beak should be avoided or only used under supervision.

You should also be aware that your budgie will at least taste and at most try to chew pieces that you give him. So avoid anything coated in potentially toxic substances. Many budgies die from chewing and catching threads in toysBlockages in their digestive tractcause. If you don't think it's good for a child to chew on, then don't give it to your budgie.

Gesellschaft

Because budgies naturally live in herds, they have a strong need for social activities. You can either try to spend more time with your bird at home, or get multiple partners for companionship.

Tame budgies are absolutely adorable to play with outside of the cage. They will climb over you, chew on your shoulder, attack the tip of your pen, and generally make it difficult to ignore.

So if you can only have one budgie, make him a tame one so that he can tolerate life without friends in a cage. There are a few points to consider when choosing a friend for your budgie. It is therefore advisable to do some research before purchasing a new friend.

Pay attention to safety

It is worth being aware of possible dangers for your curious, agile and intelligent little pets. They will eventually find the toilet to eventually fall into or a pot of hot mashed potatoes to land in. A previously unnoticed window is also a possible obstacle to flying into or latching on to the lone piece of string in the house.

There are easy ways to avoid some of these events, but at some point something will go wrong. So, supervise your budgie whenever he is out of the cage. Also, check everything your pet has with them wherever they are staying. When it comes to care when keeping budgies, safety should be your number one priority.