Birds Planet

The design of your aviary will depend on several factors – the number of birds you want to keep, the outdoor area available, the amount you are able to spend on it, and the views of your family (and neighbours!). You will also need to bear in mind the weather, and ensure that your budgies have the heat and shelter they need to cope with cold winters. You will need to check local by-laws or contracts to make sure there are no issues around aviary noise or planning permissions. In the UK, no planning permission is required for a structure built on your own land under 2.5 metres high. Building an Aviary If building from scratch, a cement or rubble foundation is best, with a concrete floor on top. This can be hosed down easily, and will not be the muddy, disease-ridden quagmire that an earth floor can transform into. The concrete will also prevent mice and rats from burrowing under the aviary. If you leave holes in the concrete you’ll be able to plant some shrubs or small trees in the avia

If you want to keep several budgies, or a mixed flock of birds, an outdoor aviary is ideal. You will be able to give the birds lots of space, and they will enjoy the benefits of fresh air and sunlight. An aviary can be a custom-made structure, free-standing or lean-to, or a converted outbuilding such as a shed. An aviary for budgies, cockatiels and finches Most aviaries are permanent homes for their owner’s birds, but some function as outdoor exercise areas or summerhouses only, with birds confined indoors in the colder months. If this is the arrangement you have in mind, you will need to get the birds in and out of their temporary lodgings, and will probably have to use a net to catch and transfer them back indoors.

There are no waiting lists or endless rungs of elitist bureaucracy for newcomers to budgie shows (although there is usually a bit of paperwork). As a beginner you will be able to enter your birds in the Novice sections, against other novices. With five or less birds to show, you’ll get away with minimal paperwork; more than that, and you’ll be up to your ears in it. On the day of the show you’ll be able to pick up show tags from the event secretary. You will be told how to fill them in. The cage will only display a number, to ensure owner anonymity and eliminate any unconscious bias in the judges. At your first show it’s best to stand quietly and watch. There is an etiquette to be learned – the silence as the judges prowl between the dozens of cages, and the general politeness that masks the competitiveness. There will be various levels, from novice upwards, with judges looking for the top three birds in each class (i.e. sections of the show at each level, focusing on a specific budgie

Budgies bred for shows and exhibitions are often referred to as English Budgies (see Budgie Varieties, above). In general, the birds are at the large end of the budgie scale, often with emphasis on feather features such as crests or tufts. As with any animal show, judges are looking for the most perfect versions of the various types of budgies. Lutino budgie ready for the show Exhibition Budgies Successful show birds are placid and accustomed to noise, travel, lots of activity beyond the confines of the cage, and lots of other budgies. Any bird excitable, nervous or noisy bird will not thrive in the show environment (and will certainly not be scooping any prizes). If you want to exhibit budgies, speak to an experienced breeder, who can ensure that you buy suitable birds.

A healthy, attentive hen budgie will do everything necessary to ensure a healthy chick. A proper incubator should work the magic, too. But things don’t always go to plan, and deformed or dead chicks are not uncommon. Budgie Chick Died There are a number of reasons why this might happen. In order to avoid it, bear in mind these potential hazards: Egg rotation. A hen (or an incubator) regularly turns the eggs, enabling the chick to develop properly. If the egg is not rotated at least five times a day, the unhatched bird’s intestines may stick to the side of the eggshell. An unfortunate chicks afflicted in this way will hatch with its guts outside its body, an ordeal which, needless to say, it will not survive. Temperature. If this is too high or too low, the chick will not hatch. Heat will also kill a young bird, while cold will make the hen sit so tightly that the poor chick might be deformed or killed. Humidity. If the environment is too dry, the eggs may not hatch. If the humidity is

Rearing chicks by hand is a time-consuming, fiddly process, not to be entered into without full appreciation of what’s involved. Always seek expert advice for any aspect of chick-feeding, and take time to watch some instructional videos. This will boost your confidence, and minimise the chance of mishaps. You may have healthy, attentive parent birds prepared to put in all the hard work, but you still need to know what to do if things don’t go to plan. Mishaps could be anything from a sick male (meaning he will be unable to feed the nesting hen bird) to an abandoned nest. Baby budgies are very delicate creatures, and if the mishap occurs early in the rearing process – within the first two weeks – your chances of weaning the bird are slim. Rearing a freshly-hatched bird is something none but the most expert breeder should attempt. Five-week-old budgies in a nestbox Feeding Budgie Chicks There are several budgie chick feeds and additives available commercially. These should offer the corr

Chicks sometimes wait 24 hours until chirping for food. This is because the nutrients from the egg yolk are keeping them satisfied post-egg. If, however, there is no sign of feeding after the first day, you will have to transfer the chick to another chick-rearing hen, or begin the delicate process of hand-rearing (see Feeding Budgie Chicks, below). The cock will feed the hen while she’s sitting, and the feeding of the chicks is down to her, until they leave the nest at five to six weeks old. The cock may then join in the chick-feeding, but often the hen will do the weaning single-handedly. Once the chicks have all hatched, droppings will start to accumulate rapidly. You need to clean out the nest box at least once a week, with clean hands. Remove as much of the soiled wood shavings as you can, but don’t shove the chicks around too much as you endeavour to clean their nest. If older chicks develop dirty feet, clean them as described in Cleaning Budgie Feet, above. The chicks should not

The female will spend up to ten days in the nesting box before producing eggs. During this time she will emerge to poo and to nibble on her mineral block - an ideal time for you to check on progress in the box and to remove egg shells or dead chicks (always with scrupulously clean hands). Otherwise, she will stay put. The hen lays four to eight eggs, with one every two days, and each one needs incubating for 18 days (occasionally a little longer), after which they hatch. Sometimes she will only settle in for full-time incubating when the second egg has been laid. Any egg unhatched after 23 days is not going to produce a chick. An emerging chick can take several hours to break free of his shell, and this is perfectly natural, so don’t be tempted to intervene. Any egg laid after the sixth one is in danger of having its chick trampled by older, larger siblings, which could damage the younger one's fragile body or, at the very least, prevent it from receiving food. In these circumstanc

Once paired, budgies reach peak fitness when the cock’s cere is a vivid blue and the hen’s is chocolate brown. They begin to perch, feed and preen together. Providing bathing water helps get them in the mating mood. The male displays to his mate, with lots of head-bobbing and feather-fluffing, his pupils often dilating to pinpricks. He accompanies this with a bubbling, liquid song, often working himself into a hyperactive state of all-singing, all-dancing eagerness. The female watches and listen to these antics closely, but does not join in. She has her own mating season chirrup, and the male often joins in with her when she shouts it. Budgie Mating The male persistently courts his mate, tapping her beak with his own to stimulate her. The female eventually lifts her tail in the air, raising her wings a little to let the male know that his wooing efforts have been successful. The cock bird then ‘treads’ the hen by performing the ‘cloacal kiss’ – touching the vent or cloaca (an all-purpo

Most budgie owners stop short of becoming bird breeders. But there are still plenty of enthusiasts who like to add to the ever-growing budgerigar population of the world. Given the right materials and space, budgies breed easily, and as long as you present them with a suitable environment you can usually rely on the birds to simply get on with it, without much intervention from you. Budgies in an aviary tend to pair up. However, many breeders – especially those who breed birds for exhibitions – are looking for the magic formula, the two birds whose combined genetic heritage will result in the perfect show bird. In a mixed flock, this means intervening to pair Opaline with Opaline, Crested with Crested, etc. If your aim is sheer colour and variety, though, letting them match up and get on with it by themselves will do the job. If your chosen pair of budgies fails to bond, you can take it as a sign that you need to do a fresh spot of budgie matchmaking. Give them a day or two before inte

Budgies are very capable of cleaning themselves on a daily basis, and if you provide a bath for them, their personal hygiene will be impeccable. However, there are occasions when your bird might need assistance – during an illness, perhaps, or if he has managed to dip himself in something sticky or greasy. Coming clean - your pets should look as well-groomed as these two Cleaning a Budgie’s Vent or Bottom A fruit-heavy diet, or a bout of illness, may result in “pasting of the vent” – a dirty bottom, in layman’s terms! The feathers around this area of the budgie’s anatomy usually kept clean as part of the bird’s toilet routine, and the dry nature of the healthy droppings helps to keep it that way. An ill bird may have feathers stained by diarrhoea; and because all the liquid is being vented in this way, there may be other, hard droppings that cling to his vent and feathers. Poo will also cling in this way if the budgie is dehydrated. If you have to intervene, you will need to grip the b

You will be able to spot feather-related ailments far more easily than bacterial or fungal ones. Any permanent untidiness in the budgie’s coat, or feather-loss that results in bald patches, is a very visible sign of trouble. Budgie Feather Cyst Cysts occur when a feather fails to break through the skin. It will continue to grow beneath the surface, producing a lump on the budgie’s skin. The primary wing feathers are the most commonly affected ones. Cysts won't disappear without surgical intervention. Budgie Feathers Falling Out Feather loss could be due to one of five things: moulting, parasites, self-plucking, French moult virus, or Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease. These are all dealt with elsewhere in this guide. Feather problems Budgie Feather Plucking If a budgie starts plucking his own feathers, there’s an underlying health problem. Unfortunately, it’s not obvious which of the many possible ailments is to blame. It could be parasites, an allergy, low air humidity, lack of

Budgie Scaly Legs Mites This is caused by Knemidokoptes mutans, a cousin of the scaly face mite. The budgie's legs swell and flake, and he will be in a lot of pain. A medical paraffin is the usual treatment, but you should speak with a vet first before administering it. Budgie Lice These feather-eating pests (Mallophaga) are rare on budgies, but aviary birds may catch them from wild birds. The lice are easier to spot than mites, growing up to 3mm long; but they can still conceal themselves easily in the budgie’s feathers. You will probably be first alerted to their presence by the bird's symptoms – violent scratching, frequent shaking of the feathers, and, eventually, a moth-eaten appearance, as the lice nibble away at their host’s coat. A vet will be able to treat the lice with a contact chemical. Unfortunately, if one of your birds has them, the whole flock is probably infected. An infested bird will soon recover after treatment Budgie Worms Budgies can become infected with A

Scaly face is caused by the tiny skin-burrowing mite  Knemidokoptes pilae . It mainly affects the bird’s cere and beak, but can also cause problems in the legs and the vent area. The first sign of the problem will be persistent scratching – the budgie will rub itself on whatever object it can find. A crusty growth will then start to appear on the cere, and the beak will become misshapen as the mites burrow inside. Some facial feathers may be lost. If untreated, the affected body parts will actually drop off, leading to severe handicap. You need to intervene long before the problem reaches this extreme stage. A visit to the vet is necessary, where the bird will be prescribed a suitable swab for treating the infestation.

What Is Spraddle Leg ? Spraddle-leg or splay-leg is a leg problem that begins when birds are quite immature. It occurs when abnormal lateral forces on the legs and feet causes the long bones ( femurs ) and sockets of the upper leg ( acetabula ) to distort and bend outward or sideways. Both legs are usually affected. The cause of this condition is a nesting area or nesting container, which is too slick for the young bird to grasp well. Not having enough shredded bedding or bedding of the wrong kind within the nest also causes this condition. Another common cause is too rapid a growth rate in overfed, hand-reared birds. Although a diet too low in calcium or vitamin D3 or too high in phosphorus could theoretically cause the problem or make it worse, I have not personally seen spraddle-leg cases that were attributable to that. Baby birds that are in the process of developing spraddle-leg are much like novice ice skaters whose legs slide outward from the midline. Can My Baby Bird Be C

Budgerigars are relatively robust creatures, but can still fall victim to a wide range of ailments. You should always rely on a veterinary expert to make the diagnosis. Your task as a budgie owner is to recognise illness in general terms, using the points listed in Budgie Disease Symptoms, above. Budgies Avian Gastric Yeast (AGY) infection Also known as macrorhabdiosis, or megabacteriosis, this highly contagious infection is frustratingly difficult to spot in the early stages. The AGY incubates and proliferates in the bird with no outward sign of trouble. The first thing you might notice is that your budgie loses weight, in spite of eating with his usual gusto. This is because the AGY impedes digestion. You may then spot undigested food in his droppings, or the bird may vomit food and mucus. He will also become listless. Until 2004 the cause of the disease was thought to be a bacteria, but it has now been identified as a yeast, Latin name Macrorhabdus ornithogaster. The misdiagnosis ca

The following signs indicate illness of some kind. An increase in lethargy. Unless asleep, not even the most timid of budgies will spend a long time silent and motionless. The first signs of lethargy might be when he shows a lack of interest in the things that usually stimulate him – you, new food, his mate, etc. Sleeping during the day. This could be due to external disturbances during the night. But if you can rule that out, the sleepiness will be a symptom of illness. One possibility is an infestation of feather mites, keeping him awake all night with their blood-sucking attentions. Fluffed up feathers. This means the bird is too cold, and indicates one of two things – either the cage or aviary is a bit chilly, or the budgie is unwell. A cold budgie may shiver too. All fluffed up - it could be a sign of illness Excessive squawking. If your bird is calling out in alarm constantly, he is in distress. There may be no visible symptom, but if you are sure that there is nothing in the

Budgie Health Check If you keep lots of budgies in an aviary, it will be harder to spot individual problems, so always be on the lookout. Like many animals, budgies are frustratingly good at hiding illness until it’s far advanced. This makes sense in the wild, where an ill-looking creature will soon be spotted and picked off by a predator. Once you’ve identified an ill bird, a trip to the vet should always be your priority, and you should never delay in the hope of saving money on vet’s bills. Think of it in terms of the costs of a family trip to the cinema or restaurant – surely not a high price to pay for saving your pet’s life! The vet you use should be an expert in birds. If they ever try to tell you that small birds such as budgerigars cannot be treated, choose another vet. The assertion is untrue, but in past decades was often offered as cold comfort by vet surgeries more used to treating cats and dogs. Health problems may spread in crowded cages Examining a Budgie There are a nu

Budgies have eclectic tastes, and can eat a wide variety of readily-available seeds, greens, vegetables and fruit. The key is balance, which is why many owners opt for a good mix of dry and sprouting seeds, and use the fresh foods as add-ons. If sourcing your own individual ingredients, or checking the contents of a seed mix, use the following lists as guidance. Always go for organic produce, as chemical residues can be harmful to budgies. Equally important, never mix your own budgie food without expert advice. Budgie Seed Most budgie owners buy a ready-made seed mix to feed their birds, which is fine as long as you can trust the supplier. Seeds need to be fresh, as they have a limited shelf life. Once this optimum time has passed, most of the nutrients will have disappeared. The same problem occurs if the seed has been exposed to direct light or too much heat. Herbicides and pesticides are an issue, too, so it’s important to know where the various ingredients of the seed mix came from

When choosing a seed mix for your birds, go for very best you can get hold of. It should contain a good balance of grass seed, grain, legumes and oily seed (see the lists in the sections below). However, the ideal seed mix isn’t to be found in any one type of commercially available budgie food. You also need to feed sprouting and sprouted seeds. When seeds germinate they are transformed, nutritionally speaking. As they sprout they produce a rich supply of vitamins and nutrients lacking in dry seed. The sprouted seed is easy to produce at home, and you should be able to find a supplier too, if you don’t fancy DIY sprouting. This type of seed soon goes mouldy, so don’t store it for more than three days. If you only sprout or buy in small amounts, you can serve it as and when it’s ready and not have to worry about wastage. Too many budgies for this seed bowl! If all this comes as news to you, and your budgie has been fed exclusively on a dry seed mix, you can still wean him onto other thi

Young budgies can be hand-fed, but it’s a tricky and demanding job, and should be avoided wherever possible. The hen and cock birds know what they’re doing – if you can, leave it to them. As with any other young animal you’ll need endless patience and know-how if you’re to successfully stand in for the parents. (See Feeding Baby Budgies section, below). Getting a budgie to feed from your hand is also part of the ‘finger training’ process for adult birds. Once your pet has learned to recognise your hand as a potential perch and handy feeding post, he will readily hop onto your finger inside the cage and out. You can find out exactly how to reach this stage in the Finger-training your Budgie section, below. A tame budgie will happily treat you as another handy feeding station Beyond this initial ‘taming’ of the bird, there is no particular benefit in hand-feeding an adult budgie. A tame bird will happily fly to you whether or not you’re holding food.

Budgie Feeding Dishes and Bowls Some breeders put all their budgie food on the cage or aviary floor, including the feeding dishes and bowls. Budgerigars are very happy with this arrangement – it’s how they do most of their feeding in the wild (without the dishes and bowls, of course). A feeder secured to the side of the cage is also fine – the budgie will perch and eat, and will not pine at all if you never offer food at ground level. There are many different designs of feeder available. The most important rule is to choose one with a large surface area – budgies are very good at eating all the seeds they can see, but are not clever enough to realise that there is more food beneath the seed husks. A centrally-placed hopper is a good option. Make sure you position it where it can easily be removed from and returned to the cage. It should never be beneath perches, as your budgies will unwittingly use it as a toilet. In an aviary, large food trays make sense Budgie Seed Feeders A c

The aim when feeding your pet budgerigar is to emulate the birds’ natural diet. This is readily done with a supply of good-quality seed, a mineral supplement block, a regular supply of fruit and greens, and the occasional treat. The seed element should always form the bulk of their diet, though. You must also provide water, as shop-bought seed and pellets will not contain any of the fresh, ‘wet’ seeds that the birds can find in the wild. Budgie pellets are an alternative ‘all inclusive’ way of feeding your birds. They're formulated to provide everything a budgie needs, but are less popular now than 20 years ago. Unless you're taking home birds that have been raised on pellets, it's best to stick to seeds and fresh food. (See the Feeding budgie pellets section below for more details.) Fresh food is an important part of a budgie's diet Fresh food – fruit and greens (see the section on Feeding budgies fresh food, below) – can be offered in dishes, or simply wedged through