What you need to care for budgies. Light and temperature conditions

The most popular and widespread species among parrots are. Before you bring this beautiful bird into your home, you need to familiarize yourself with the conditions and rules of keeping it. Budgie very active and curious. Therefore, in order to avoid damage or even death of the bird, it is necessary to follow some recommendations.

Budgerigars

Preparing to buy a bird

Before you bring a parrot into your home, you first need to purchase a cage, equipment for it, and food. The equipment consists of a feeder, a drinking bowl, a place for taking water procedures, perches, and you can hang a special mirror for the cages. As a supplement to the main food, you can add eggshells and river sand. If pet stores in your city do not have a wide range of products, then you can order everything you need from the online store zoopapa.com with home delivery.

The cage should not be placed in direct sunlight, but it should be well lit. You need to be wary of drafts, since the bird can catch a cold and get sick, but you shouldn’t overheat it either. It is necessary to clean the cage every day - change the water, rinse the drinking bowl, remove droppings and other dirt. It is advisable to carry out more thorough cleaning every month: wipe the feathered pet’s home with a solution of chamomile or wormwood.

Bird care

The parrot should be fed with special mixtures, which can be easily found in any pet store. You can also add millet, wheat, and oats to the main diet. From time to time you need to treat the bird with spinach, dandelions, clover, fruits and berries (although parrots do not really like them). Proper nutrition is the key to health and long life.

To avoid injury, do not leave your parrot unattended if its cage door is open. You need to be careful with indoor plants that may be poisonous to him. If there is an aquarium in the house, then you need to make sure that the bird does not fall into it, the same goes for water containers and bathrooms. Mirrors can pose a threat; a bird colliding with it can be seriously injured, and this also applies to glass doors.

There is still a threat if there are other animals in the house, for example, and. The bird should not be left unattended with them. But, despite the dangers, which can be easily eliminated by following the recommendations, the parrot must be allowed out for a walk every day to maintain good shape.

If you adhere to certain rules in the care and maintenance of your pet, then it will delight and decorate your life for a long time.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

If you want to have cheerful talkers in the house, budgies are suitable, the care and maintenance of which will not bring much trouble, but must be systematic. Birds need conditions that do not pose a threat to their lives, and that contribute to the favorable flow of their life processes - adaptation, communication.

What does a budgie look like?

The bird has the following characteristics:

• size about 18 cm without tail, wings 10 cm each;
• tail – elongated, stepped, 8-10 cm;
• limbs - reddish or bluish, with 4 long fingers and curved claws;
• eyes - dark blue, with white or yellowish edging;
• the beak is strong, curved, like that of birds of prey. A cere with nostrils is noticeable at its base;
• the tongue is short and thick; if caring for budgies is accompanied by their upbringing, then the birds begin to copy human speech.

The bird attracts with its catchy, beautiful outfit and cheerful, sociable disposition, ease of maintenance, and the ability to make it tame. It’s always interesting with such a pet - he is noisy and talkative, plays with toys (bell, mirror), imitates the singing of birds and human speech. The most gifted remember up to 600 words and small phrases.

Colors of budgies

Wild wavy flowers are lemon-colored. The wings, back and head are covered with stripes of yellow and a little black, the lower part of the back is brilliant green, the tail is blue, and there are dark spots on the throat. Budgerigars, the care and maintenance of which are carried out in captivity, are divided into two color groups:

How many years do budgies live?

Owners are concerned about the question of how long budgerigars live in order to adjust their menu, for example, when caring for and maintaining an elderly individual, a lighter diet may be needed and. In the wild, with many dangers and epidemics, their lifespan is 8-10 years. Budgerigars, which are cared for and maintained at home, with high-quality food, constant access to fresh greens and fruits, and the possibility of daily flights, can last up to 10-15 years of age.

How to determine the age of a budgie?

Before that, you need to find out his age. A young bird is better tamed, speaks faster and gets used to a new environment and owners more easily. The difficulty is that a pet at 5 years old looks the same as at 15. Only by purchasing a young chick before the first moult can you be sure of its age, then it is difficult to determine it.

Young males have a violet cere; in females it is beige or blue with a light border around the nostrils. The plumage of chicks is more faded, there is no white iris on the eye (up to 6 months), the wave goes all over the head (after molting at 4 months, it disappears in the front part), their beak is darker than that of adults. Birds purchased from breeders have rings on their paws with the year of birth - they are used to determine the exact age.

Domestic budgies are not picky, but their care and maintenance require compliance with light and temperature conditions. Chronic lack of sleep or hypothermia can cause colds, molting, self-plucking, and loss of appetite in birds. Keeping budgies:

1. Lighting. Daylight hours should be 10-12 hours in winter and 12-14 in summer. At night, the cage is covered with a cloth.
2. Ultraviolet. UV rays favor the production of vitamin D3 in birds and the absorption of calcium by their bodies. If properly maintained in the summer, the pet should be given sunbathing for 30 minutes a day. In winter, artificial UV lamps are placed above the cage.
3. Temperature. Optimal - +22-25Gdeg;C, sudden changes and drafts are not allowed. When caring for and maintaining a pet in a sick state, it is heated with 40 W lamps.
4. Activity. Birds should fly for 20-30 minutes a day. It is important to close the windows and ensure that the pet does not bump into dangerous objects.

Budgerigar Cage

It is recommended to keep parrots in a rectangular cage made of metal rods. Its minimum size is 40x25x40 cm, when you plan to breed budgies and buy a couple of pets, the dimensions of the home must be increased. Until a nesting house is installed for them, they will not reproduce. A home for budgerigars, which are cared for and maintained at home, is equipped with:

• retractable bottom;
• perches 1.2 cm thick;
• feeders for grain and additional feed;
• drinking bowl;
• Coarse calcined sand is poured onto the bottom.

House for budgies

As a rule, a budgerigar does not reproduce at home in a species enclosure. In order for a couple to have an instinct for procreation, another house needs to be inserted into it. When keeping several pairs in an enclosure, each needs to build such a structure, otherwise the females can beat each other to death. For one couple, a horizontal plywood house with a height of 15 cm and a bottom of 25x15 cm is suitable; it is hung at the top of the house. Arrangement:

• The lid of the box is removable to put things in order;
• a tap hole with a diameter of 5 cm is cut on the side at a distance of 3 cm from the top;
• A perch is attached under the hole for lowering and raising birds into the house.

Nest for budgies

A convenient nest for budgies is built inside a plywood box. To keep the female and chicks, sawdust is placed on the bottom of the house in a layer of 2 cm, a special recess for laying is made in the litter - 8 cm in diameter and 1.5 cm deep. Otherwise, the eggs will roll out all over the box or the girl will throw out all the shavings when arranging the nest. To ensure proper skeletal growth of chicks, calcium powder is poured onto the bottom.

Caring for budgies at home

Caring for birds does not take much time. How to care for a budgie:

• change the water in the drinking bowl daily;
• take care of feeders and drinkers every day - wash them with hot water and baking soda, wipe them dry;
• Place the bathing suit in your home once a week and remove it after the procedure;
• With proper care, a thorough cleaning should be carried out once a month - the cage and equipment should be washed with chamomile decoction and dried.

What to feed your budgie?

Birds have a fast metabolism, so the main food should always be present in the home; with proper care and maintenance, it is important to diversify it with herbs, vegetables, and fruits. What do budgies eat:

• the basis of the portion is grain mixtures, consisting of approximately 70% millet of various types, 10% oats, 20% wheat, canary, hemp, flaxseed;
• fresh vegetables: cucumbers, sweet peppers, beets, carrots;
• greens: parsley, radish tops, lettuce, dandelion, spinach, clover;
• fruits: pineapple, apricots, quince, cherry, grapes, bananas, watermelon, strawberries, plums, raspberries, citrus fruits.

Reproduction of budgies

A young couple over the age of 1 year can be allowed to breed; the process begins in the summer, when there is a lot of green food available. The couple is provided with 16 hours of daylight, a week before mating they are saturated with vitamins - they are given egg mixtures with semolina and carrots, greens, and chalk. How to determine the gender of a budgie (after 3-4 months):

• in males the cere is bright lilac;
• in females it is beige or brown with white edging of the nostrils.

When keeping a pair intended for reproduction, a nest box is placed in the cage; within a month, the female lays 4-12 eggs and incubates them for 20 days. After this, the chicks hatch - blind and without feathers. A week later they begin to see the light, after 10 days the fluff sprouts. During the first weeks, the mother takes care of them - she feeds the chicks with crop milk, then gives them softened adult food. After 30-35 days, the babies leave the nest. They are kept and cared for in a separate cage when they are already eating on their own. After 1-2 clutches, the nest is removed so that the female can rest.

How to tame a budgie?

Wavys are very smart and friendly. They are careful, but even a distrustful pet quickly makes contact. The main thing in training is patience; everything must be done without haste. How to tame a budgerigar to your hands:

1. After the store, your pet does not need to be disturbed for several hours so that he gets used to the environment.
2. The house is placed at human eye level, so the bird can better see who is approaching it.
3. The taming process begins by offering the pet his favorite treat through the bars, affectionately calling his name. In case of failure, attempts are repeated the next day. As a result, the bird will take the treat out of curiosity.
4. Next you need to try to feed the bird from your hands in the cage. It is better to do this in the morning when she is hungry.
5. Afterwards, you need to teach the parrot to sit on your finger by slipping it under the perch. They soon understand what they want from them.
6. Then you can offer the bird treats outside the cage. There is no need to chase the parrot - he should come to the hand himself as soon as he gets used to the situation.

How to teach a budgie to talk?

Wavys are able to repeat human words, each individual has its own degree of talent - some talk a lot, others less. How to teach a budgie to talk:

• It’s better to buy a young male and conduct lessons in a quiet place;
• first you can learn his nickname, repeat the word clearly and legibly. When he remembers it, move on to the next one;
• start with easy words, lessons become more difficult gradually;
• it is important not to forget to praise the bird and give treats;
• the more time spent on training, the more extensive the parrot’s vocabulary;
• You can record several phrases on the player and place them near the bird.

Diseases of budgies

Domestic budgies that are not properly cared for and maintained may become ill. This happens due to poor quality food, non-compliance with hygiene rules, lighting, and temperature conditions. Budgerigars - common diseases and treatment:

1. Cold. Symptoms are sneezing and runny nose. Care in this case: irradiate the bird with a 40 W table lamp, give vitamins, put a chamomile decoction in the house.
2. Damage by ticks and feather eaters. Signs: itching, self-plucking, feathers spoiled by holes. Moving insects are visible in the tray. Down-eaters are expelled with the drug Frontline, applied to the back of the head. Ticks are destroyed with aversectin and novertine ointment, applying the product with a brush to the paws, beak, cere, and cloaca.
3. Delayed oviposition. Sign: the female does not leave the bottom of the cage, breathes heavily, and a swelling forms near the cloaca. Girls rush even in the absence of a male. A stuck egg can be released if you drip Vaseline oil into the anus and place a heating pad covered with a cloth at the bottom. If it doesn’t help, you need to take the female to the doctor, otherwise she will die.

It’s not at all complicated, the main thing is to keep the cage clean, give the bird the proper food and drinking water on time, and also maintain an optimal microclimate in the room for the pet.

Cage for budgies

Eating budgerigars

The basis of the diet of budgies is grain food, which can be purchased at a pet store. If there is no ready-made cereal mixture, then give the bird oats, soaked in water for 24 hours, and then washed under running water or millet. By the way, these grains can be sprouted in a small container and placed in this form in a cage with a parrot. Spikelets of wheat, which will also prevent excessive growth of the bird's beak, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, wild herbs, corn, nuts (of course, additives must be dosed and not mixed) will diversify the diet.

A necessary component of the parrots' diet is finely chopped greens - dill, St. John's wort, knotweed, dandelion, plantain, chickweed, but it is better to avoid parsley and basil. By the way, be sure to give your pet fresh branches of fruit trees - they will help him clean his beak.

Don’t forget about proteins, which are abundant in boiled chicken eggs, cottage cheese and cheese, stale white bread soaked in milk. From time to time, the parrot needs to be fed fresh vegetables and fruits.

But fatty, fried and spicy foods, smoked foods, raw meat and meat products, animal fats that are difficult for the stomach, black bread, strong tea, coffee and alcohol are contraindicated for budgies.

And lastly. Get used to a varied “menu” initially, since the bird quickly gets used to a certain diet and it will be quite difficult to retrain it later.

Was last modified: September 29th, 2013 by admin

The budgerigar (lat. Melopsittacus undulatus) is a species of bird from the order Psittacidae, the family Psittacidae, the only representative of the genus of budgerigars (Melopsittacus).

The Latin name of the species is formed by 3 words: the Greek word “melos”, meaning “singing”, the word “psittacos” - “parrot” and the Latin word “undulatus”, which means “wavy”. Therefore, literally translated, the name of the bird sounds like a singing budgerigar. A number of ornithologists suggest calling the bird the wavy singer.

Budgerigar - description, appearance and characteristics.

All of the above names are absolutely true: budgies are really very noisy and talkative, they perfectly remember and imitate individual words and phrases, which they repeat many times, often without much meaning.

The budgerigar is a beautiful and slender bird, which, due to its long tail, looks much larger than it actually is. Body length a budgerigar excluding the tail reaches 17-19.8 cm with a body weight of about 40-45 g. Poultry participating in exhibitions often have a body length of 21 to 23 cm.

Wings Budgerigars, 9.5 to 10.5 cm long, are used by birds exclusively for flight and are completely unsuitable for support when walking or sitting. The flight is beautiful and arched, similar to the flight of a swallow, and when landing, the bird’s wings bend downward, like a quail’s. Thanks to this structure, the budgie flies quite quickly and is able to cover considerable distances in search of food.

The budgerigar has quite a long tail step-shaped, growing up to 8-10 cm in length, and in young individuals the tail is much shorter.

Limbs birds are developed and tenacious, ending in 4 long fingers: 2 of them are directed back, 2 look forward. This design allows birds to grab various objects and food with their paws, as well as deftly climb trees and walk on the ground. At the end of the fingers grow strong curved claws of dark blue, black or almost white. The budgerigar's paws can be colored gray-blue, reddish, bright scarlet and pale pink.

In budgies living in nature, eyes dark blue in color, and the color of the iris is yellowish or almost white. These birds are able to distinguish colors, and a sufficiently large viewing angle allows them to view 2 perspectives at once.

The budgerigar is distinguished by its strong beak, protected by a durable horny substance, and its curved shape resembles the beak of birds of prey. At the base of the budgerigar's beak, a cere with nostrils is clearly visible. The bird's beak is quite mobile, the upper jaw is not fused with the bones of the skull, but is supported by the ligamentous apparatus, while the lower jaw is much shorter than the upper. Due to its unique morphology, the beak of these birds serves as an excellent mechanism for tearing and crushing shoots, leaves and seeds of plants, and at the same time is a convenient tool for carrying objects, food and climbing tree branches. In the event of an enemy attack, the beak of a budgerigar acts as a reliable object of protection.

Budgerigars have a small, short and thick tongue, and its rounded tip is protected by keratinized epithelium. In almost all individuals, the inner surface of the beak is equipped with special horny teeth, which act as a file that sharpens the beak, help clean grains, and also pick and break fruits. The beak of the chicks is dark in color, but with age it becomes intensely yellow, with a slight greenish tint.

Thanks to their natural grass-green coloration, budgies are invisible to enemies against the backdrop of the natural landscape. Cheeks All individuals are decorated with symmetrical purple marks of an elongated shape, and below, on both sides of the crop, there are black spots - special signs inherent in all representatives of the species. As a rule, the markings partially overlap the throat spots.

Crop and scalp budgerigars living in nature are painted in an intense yellow color; in the occipital region, a thin and light dark brown waviness passes to the back, where it becomes much wider and brighter against the general yellow background. In young parrots, the waviness is not so noticeable and begins right from the wax, and as they grow older, it is replaced by a characteristic yellow mask.

Feathers budgerigars on the forehead of males have a unique feature: under the influence of ultraviolet light they fluoresce, due to which females in nature choose a partner for nesting. Moreover, the human eye can detect this radiation only at night, but budgies see the glow even in daylight.

Determining the sex of a bird is not difficult. To find out the sex of a budgerigar, you need to look at its cere, which is located at the base of its beak.

• Young males have a purple cere; in a young female it is intensely blue with a light border around the nostrils.
• In mature males, the cere is dark blue or purple (in albinos). An adult female can be distinguished by the beige-blue or brown color of the wax. By the way, the brown color of the wax in females appears during nesting.

Male on the left, female on the right

Types of budgies, photos and colors.

Today, the budgerigar is considered the most common and favorite ornamental bird for home keeping. Over many years of breeding work, more than 200 varieties of these birds with a wide variety of plumage colors have been bred, including recessive varieties that lack the characteristic waviness.

Photo from budgerigar.com

The yellow color of the budgerigar is the first mutation color and was obtained in Belgium in 1872, and subsequently all modern color variations based on a yellow or white base appeared. Below are some varieties of budgerigar colors:

• Natural, traditional color budgerigar plumage - light green(Light green color) with a glossy sheen that covers the breast, belly and lower back of the birds. The traditional mask is light yellow, the dots on the throat are black, and there are purple markings on the cheeks. The head, wings and back of the parrots are decorated with pronounced black undulation. The long tail feathers are dark blue, the supporting surface of the wings is colored black with a minimal light yellow edge.

• Dark green budgerigars (Dark green color) are especially elegantly colored; they appeared in France in 1915. The chest, belly and lower back of these parrots are dark green, the mask is light yellow, the spots on the throat are black, slightly overlapped by purple cheek spots, and the body has a characteristic waviness. The shade of the wing plumage is identical to the classic variety, but the tail feathers are darker.

• Olive green budgerigars (Olive green color) are descended from dark green individuals and were bred in France in 1919. The predominant plumage color of birds is olive green, the mask is bright yellow. Black waviness is contrastingly indicated on a yellow base. The wings of budgerigars are black with a green tint, the feathers on the tail are darker compared to dark green specimens.

• Sky blue The budgerigar (Skyblue color) was bred by the Belgians in 1878. The chest, belly and lower back of the parrot are blue, and the bird's mask is pure white. The characteristic undulation is clearly defined on a white base, the tail feathers are distinguished by a blue color, the primary flight feathers are black with a minimal white edge.

• Cobalt Budgerigars (Cobalt) were first shown at the London Exhibition in 1910. Their chest, abdomen, back and tail are distinguished by a blue color, the bird's mask is pure white, the bright wavy is well expressed on a white background. The wing color of a budgerigar varies from black to blue. The tail feathers are darker compared to sky blue parrots.

• Lilac budgerigars (Mauve color) appeared as a result of mixing 2 dark factors, giving a deep lilac color without the presence of a gray tint.

• Gray-green budgerigar (Grey Green color) is the fruit of the labors of Austrian breeders, which was obtained in 1935. The front, lower part of the body and lower back of these birds are distinguished by a very light mustard or gray-greenish tone. The parrots' mask is bright yellow, the spots on the throat are black, and the cheeks are gray, the clear wavy contrasts well with the yellow background. The tail plumage is black, the parrot's primary flight feathers are black with a minimal light yellow edge.

• Gray Budgerigars (Gray color) appeared in Austria and England at the same time, in 1943. Representatives of the variety have a gray chest, lower body, cheeks and lower back, a snow-white mask, and black markings on the throat. The characteristic undulation is clearly marked on a white base, the tail is black and the wing feathers are black or greyish.

• Violet The budgerigar (Violet color) first appeared in Germany in 1928. The chest, abdomen and lower back of the bird are distinguished by a deep purple color. The budgerigar's mask is pure white, the throat markings are black, the tail is dark purple, and the primary flight feathers are black with minimal white edges.

• yellowface There are two types of budgies:
  • The first type, single-factor, assumes that the bird has a lemon-yellow mask, which rarely extends beyond the occipital region and onto the chest. A lemon yellow hue may cover the white tail feathers and other white areas of the bird's plumage. The yellow tint does not extend to the remaining feathers. In two-factor birds the yellow mask is absent.
  • The second type of yellow-faced parrot also includes two varieties: single-factor and two-factor. Both have a yellow mask. At the same time, the yellow color extends not only to the white feathers of the budgerigar, but also to the main plumage of the bird, turning it from light green to turquoise, from cobalt to dark green, from mauve to olive.

• Lutinos(Lutino) is a very unusual species of budgerigar with a bright egg-yolk yellow plumage. These parrots have red eyes with light irises and pearlescent cheek markings. The feathers of the budgerigar's tail and wings are light. Males are distinguished by a pink or purple cere, while females have a brown cere. The birds' feet are red-brown or deep pink.

Albino on the left, lutinous on the right

• Albinos(Albino) were first obtained in Germany in 1932, by two amateur breeders. These budgies are distinguished by their pure white feathers and red eyes with a white iris. The cere and tarsi of albinos are the same as those of lutinos.

• Crested Budgerigars come in a wide variety of color variations, but differ in the type of crest. Some individuals are decorated with a pointed tuft of feathers growing on the forehead or crown. In others, the crest has the shape of a semicircle, formed by feathers that grow to the beak in a kind of shield. The third variety of budgerigars is decorated with a double or round crest growing from 2 points, while the feathers are arranged symmetrically and can form crests of different shapes and lengths.

Where do budgies live in the wild?

Budgerigars live throughout most of Australia, Tasmania and other nearby islands and are the most common and numerous species of Australian parrots.

In natural conditions, budgerigars live in flocks of 2 dozen to several hundred individuals and spend their entire lives wandering around the mainland in search of food. Typically, birds stay in semi-desert and steppe landscapes with open forests, therefore they inhabit the entire eastern and western coasts, as well as the central part of the mainland, with the exception of the northern regions with dense forests.

The composition of a flock of budgerigars is constantly changing: individual individuals fly away, others join, small groups can gather into giant flocks of up to a million individuals, representing an unforgettable spectacle of beauty.

Birds usually wait out the hot time of the day in the shade, hiding on branches in the dense foliage of trees. At night, budgerigars sleep, and at the first rays of the sun they gather in small flocks and go to watering places and feeding areas located several kilometers from their roosting site. Some birds drink at the water's edge, others descend to the very surface and quench their thirst in flight. They are often accompanied at watering places by cockatoos and zebra finches.

What do budgies eat?

According to scientists, the basis of the diet of budgerigars in nature is the seeds of land plants, mostly the seeds of kangaroo grass. Due to human intervention in natural habitats, birds are forced to adjust their diet depending on changes in environmental conditions. Today, Australia's main cereal crop, grown everywhere, is, but the grains of this cereal are too large for small birds. In addition to grains, budgies eat young shoots and leaves of plants, various berries, vegetables and fruits, and occasionally feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Nesting of budgerigars in their natural habitat occurs all year round: the northern part of the population begins to breed immediately after the end of the rainy season, in the south nesting begins in November and December. Nesting pairs occupy hollows, stumps with crevices and any other hollow niches.

The mating games of budgerigars consist of various courtships, an important part of which is “kissing” and regurgitation of food by the male. In this way, he demonstrates to the female his ability to feed future offspring. In the chosen place, practically without any bedding, the female budgerigar lays from 4 to 12 white eggs, their incubation lasts about 3 weeks. Throughout the incubation period, the male budgerigar feeds the female, being nearby in a tireless search for food.

Budgerigar chicks hatch from eggs naked and blind, weighing about 2 g, the mother warms the offspring, and both parents do the feeding. 10 days after birth, the chicks' eyes open, at the age of 1 month they are fully feathered and can leave their native nest, although some young individuals remain near the nest for some time. At the age of 3 months, grown individuals are already able to reproduce.

Breeding budgies at home is a rather labor-intensive process. The male and female, unlike most birds, must grow up together and feel great sympathy for each other, and artificially created pairs, as a rule, do not produce offspring for several years.

How long do budgies live?

In nature, budgerigars live for about 7 years, and at home, with proper care, birds can live up to 10-15 years. The lifespan of some individuals in captivity can reach 22 years.

Budgerigars at home: maintenance, care, feeding.

It is better to stop choosing a feathered pet for home keeping at 3-4 month old individuals: at this age, budgies easily get used to their owners and their new home. But before you bring the bird home, you need to stock up on everything necessary for proper care and maintenance of your budgerigar at home.

A rectangular cage is considered the best option. The size of the cage for a budgie should be such that the bird can flutter from one perch to another without its wings touching the walls. To keep one budgerigar, a cage measuring 25x40x40 cm is sufficient. A cage with frequent vertical and sparse horizontal bars will ensure the unimpeded movement of the bird and prevent slipping. The best material for the cage is unpainted stainless steel. If the rods are painted, the bird will chew on them and may eat paint particles.

Budgerigars first appeared in Western Europe in 1840. This was facilitated by John Gould, an English scientist who from 1838 to 1840 explored the flora and fauna of Australia. Along with the parrots, the ornithologist brought about 800 different birds to the London Zoo, which attracted his attention during the expedition.

Budgerigars are one of the most popular pets. Cheerful, friendly, active birds feel great around humans, are not demanding of living conditions, and learn to speak easily. They reproduce well in captivity and, under favorable conditions, live for about 15–20 years.

Cell

The bird's cage should be spacious, clean and bright. Future owners who do not know how to care for a budgie often forget about this. As a result, parrots are forced to live in cramped decorative structures with domed roofs, which look quite impressive, but are absolutely not functional.

A simple rectangular cage is suitable for keeping the bird comfortable. Optimal dimensions (for one parrot): width – 25 cm, height – 40 cm, length – 40 cm. If you plan to keep several birds together, then the cage should be larger accordingly.

It is not recommended to purchase cages in which the distance between the rods exceeds 15 - 20 mm. Budgerigars are curious birds, so there is a danger that they may try to squeeze their head into a gap that is too wide. This can cause damage to the eyes and skin. If the bars of the cage are located too close to each other or have a large diameter (more than 2 mm), it becomes difficult to see the room and the process of communication with the owner is complicated.

The cage needs to be cleaned twice a week. If you have more than one parrot, but several, then you will have to clean more often, about once every two days. After washing, it is recommended to sprinkle the floor of the cage with clean scented sand (you can buy it at a pet store).

Cage location and lighting

Budgerigars love sunlight very much and do not tolerate drafts. Take this into account when thinking about the placement of the cage.

It is not recommended to place the cage on the refrigerator, near the TV or computer. In the autumn-winter period, when the duration of sunny days gradually decreases, parrots will need an additional source of lighting, so do not forget to purchase a special low-pressure fluorescent lamp.

Drinking bowls, trays, swings and perches

How to care for a budgie at home when you have already chosen a cage? Try to equip it correctly so that the bird has everything it needs.

• A cage for a budgie must have a tray, plastic or plywood. It is worth strengthening the grate at a distance of 2 - 3 cm from the surface of the tray so that the birds do not try to peck food that accidentally spilled from the feeder and mixed with droppings. But choose it carefully: the paws of a parrot that has decided to walk along the floor of the cage should not get stuck between the cells of the lattice.
• Feeders should be positioned in such a way that you can easily clean and refill them if necessary, without causing discomfort to the birds. It is better to purchase a vacuum drinker, made of glass or transparent plastic.
• To prevent your parrot from getting bored in the cage, attach perches, swings and ladders to the bars. Wooden ones are best, beech or oak. Plastic perches are too slippery, and chewing on them is not very useful for birds.

Seasonal nutrition and daily diet

How to care for a budgie? Videos and thematic forums will help you properly equip the cage and create a daily diet. In addition, if you are not sure that you have chosen the right food for your pet, you can always seek advice from an experienced veterinarian.

Budgerigars are granivorous birds. Therefore, the basis of their diet is a grain mixture. However, not all nutrients can be obtained by birds from the seeds of cereal plants. In order to compensate for the lack of vitamins and minerals, budgies are fed mineral feed, low-fat cottage cheese, fruits and herbs.

In summer, birds eagerly eat plantain or dandelion seeds, grated carrots, apples, lettuce and cabbage. In winter (as well as during the nesting period), it is useful to feed parrots with boiled chicken eggs, crushed and mixed with semolina. Under no circumstances should you add parsley or dill to the food (poisoning is possible).

The daily norm of grain mixture for one parrot is 2 teaspoons. The food needs to be changed daily to prevent debris and husks from accumulating in the feeder.

Diseases of budgies

How to care for a budgie at home if it gets sick? Is it possible to cure a bird yourself?

Unfortunately, the diseases of budgies are poorly understood. Not every breeder will be able to correctly diagnose the symptoms of certain diseases. Therefore, if you suddenly notice something strange in your pet’s behavior, be sure to consult with experienced veterinarians to avoid complications.

Intestinal blockage

Characteristic symptoms are poor appetite, diarrhea, decreased activity. The parrot looks lethargic and can sit on a perch for a long time, ruffled. The cause of the disease is an incorrectly formulated diet, an abundance of fatty foods or low-quality grains.

The main method of treatment is a special diet. The food should be replaced with liquid rice gruel, and feeding with fruits and herbs should be stopped. Give the parrot only boiled water with the addition of chamomile infusion (in a 1:1 ratio). You can give the bird 3 - 4 drops of Vaseline oil.

Avitaminosis

Characteristic symptoms are inflammation of the eyelids, purulent discharge from the eyes, weakness, paralysis of the wings and legs. The cause of the disease is a lack of vitamins and minerals, an unbalanced diet. It is necessary to start feeding with herbs, chicken eggs, carrots and sprouted grains.

Uric acid diathesis

Due to a lack of vitamins and minerals, protein metabolism is disrupted, and a dry yellow-gray crust grows around the beak. You need to start feeding with fruits and herbs, and replace regular food with mineral food.

Mallophagosis

Infection of feathers by lice-eating insects. The parrot behaves restlessly and does not sleep at night. Possible inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyeball, partial baldness, poor appetite.

The disease is treated by bathing in a decoction of dry chamomile. You can also use special sprays. After processing the parrot's plumage, the cage must be disinfected.

Regrowth of claws and beak