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Budgie Basics
I recently somehow became the owner of a pair of parakeets. I'm not sure how it happened, exactly, but there I was, caring for someone else's birds, and then they became mine.
Not planning on becoming the owner of a parakeet, I was armed with little to no information about what to do with the caged critters, so I hopped online with my HughesNet high-speed internet, and learned everything I could. Technology is so cool.
My entire life up until now, I have seen parakeets sitting alone in a cage, jumping from perch to perch and pretty much ignored by the family that goes about their daily business, oblivious to the feathered friend that sits confined, day after day. That makes me sad.
What most people know as "parakeet" is actually a family of parakeets called Budgerigar, or "budgies". Budgies are intelligent and busy little birds, and so require a lot of attention and time out of their cage. They thrive on attention and handling, and both males and females make equally good pets. Being flock oriented birds, it is best if they can have a permanent partner.
Native to Australia, a budgies diet should consist of a variety of foods that closest match the diet of its wild counterparts. Budgies live in eucalyptus trees in the grasslands of Australia, and have access to all the fresh greens, fruits, and berries they could find. In the fall came the seeds.
Do you see where this is going? Most people feed their birds just bird seed. A budgie raised solely on bird seed will have some form of malnutrition, so it is important to offer them other things to make up for what bird seed alone cannot provide.
The Association of Avian Veterinarians recommend that 50% of a budgies diet consist of cooked beans, whole wheat bread, pasta, and seed; 45% of its diet from fresh broccoli, carrots, yams, spinach, dandelion greens, other green/orange fruits and vegetables, and 5% protein (eggs, tuna, and well-cooked meat).
Budgies should never be fed: chocolate, avocados, dairy products, junk food, or fruit seeds. A budgie will not overeat, and should be given fresh food and seed daily.
A budgie will need 10-12 hours of sleep each day. It is important to put a light-shielding cover over the cage at night to provide the birds with a sense of security. In the wild, budgies tuck themselves into holes in trees, so it makes sense they would feel secure with a thick surrounding.
Budgies also make great pets because they are easy to clean up after. They do not urinate like other animals do; rather they make little round turds that contain both solids and liquids. Bird feces have no odor, and if you change the liner once or twice a week, you will hardly notice any mess in the cage. Put their food and water low in the cage to minimize spent seed hulls from spreading all over your house.
Budgie ownership can be fun and rewarding for both of you with just a little bit of care, attention, proper feeding, and love. There is so much more information out there regarding the proper care of budgies, and other birds, and I highly recommend doing your research with your HughesNet satellite internet before obtaining one.