7/10/2017 0 Comments Budgie DietAdvanced - Budgie Place. The Budgie’s Diet. Seed – Your budgie’s diet staple should be a fortified seed mix. A seed mix for budgies, normally labeled for “parakeets”, should contain mostly millet, canary seed, and oat groats. The mix should be fortified with vitamins and minerals. Some seed mixes come with extra additives such as dried fruits or veggies, pellets, and other types of seed. These extra ingredients are acceptable, but budgies often don’t touch these extra ingredients. Any added seeds or nuts much larger than an oat groat will probably be too big for your budgie to try and eat. Furthermore, any dried fruits or veggies in the seed mix are no substitute for the fresh foods you must feed your budgie every day (see below). Some seed mixes add colors to the seeds. Avoid any mixes that use artificial colors (natural colorants, such as beat juice, are acceptable). Keep the seed fresh by keeping it sealed in an air- tight container. To avoid seed moth problems, you can freeze the seed mix overnight after bringing it home. Fresh Foods – Many people don’t realize that seed is not the only thing a budgie should eat. In fact, budgies on a seed- only diet will suffer from malnutrition and related complications, such as obesity, and will live much shorter lives. While budgies on seed- only diets can be expected to live only 4- 6 years, budgies can actually live to be 1. It is very important to provide your budgie with a healthy, varied diet which includes fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
How to Stop a Budgie from Biting. Budgies are very sociable, people-friendly pets. However, occasionally budgie owners have to deal with behavioral issues like biting. Taming your Budgie. Taming your parakeet can be easy when you follow these simple. Your budgie's care should begin before you bring your new pet home. Follow these simple guidelines and your parrot can quickly become a long-time friend. Every budgie has individual tastes, and you will learn what your budgies like and dislike. In general though, budgies like crispy things, such as crisp lettuces and greens. They often enjoy their fresh foods wet, so be sure to rinse first and put greens into the cage while they are still dripping wet. Some fresh foods that budgies typically enjoy include carrot tops, sprouts, strawberries, kale, apples, broccoli, and most dark, leafy greens. When you feed lettuces to your budgie(s) avoid those that are mostly water, such as iceberg and cabbage, as they are low in nutrition and the high water content can cause loose stools. Stick with the dark green/purple lettuces which are full of nutrients. It is highly recommended that you purchase organic vegetables and fruits in order to limit the about of pesticides and chemicals your budgies consume. Take any left- overs out of the cage after a few hours so that it does not go bad inside the cage. Your budgie may not take to eating new foods right away. It may take a week or two for him or her to even try something, so don’t give up. When offering fresh foods to your budgie, offer variety in choices and presentation, and experiment to see what your budgie likes. Try many different kinds of fresh foods, and offer them in different ways. You can clip chunks (ie melon, corn- on- the- cob, apple, etc) in the cage, or pierce them with a skewer made for pet birds. You can clip wet greens to the side of the cage, hang them from or twist them through a favorite toy, or just hang them from the top of the cage. You can offer sprouts in a treat cup or on top of the seeds. You can chop up/shred different foods (i. You can even offer foods from your hand if your budgie trusts you. Variety will entice your budgie to try new foods and ensure he or she receives complete and balanced nutrition. If you are having a hard time getting your budgie to try fresh foods (in other words, if you have a “seed- junkie”) see my FAQ article, “How Do I Get My Budgie to Eat Veggies?”Supplements – Budgies need to be supplied with a cuttlebone and a mineral block at all times. These items provide calcium and important minerals. Some budgies prefer one over the other, some like to tear them apart, and some like to use them as perches. No matter what, they should always be available, even if your budgie doesn’t even touch them. Your budgie’s body will tell him or her if when it needs the extra minerals. There other kinds of supplements available in pet and bird stores, including vitamins, pro- biotics, and algaes. None of these are typically necessary if your budgie is in good health and has a good diet which includes fresh foods daily. You may consider using such supplements, however it is recommended you consult with your avian veterinarian first. Dangers & Hazards. There are several sources of dangers and hazards to your pet budgie that you should be aware of: Foods Poisonous to Birds – There are several foods which should never be fed to your budgie because they are toxic to birds. This includes avocado, fruit seeds and pits, uncooked beans, chocolate, mushrooms, tomato leaves and stems, and rhubarb. Many fruit seeds and pits are toxic to birds, so you should always remove fruit seeds or cut away parts of fruit that touched the pit before giving any fruit to your budgie (strawberry seeds are okay). You should also avoid giving your budgie any dairy (milk based) products, as birds cannot digest the lactose in dairy. Only limited amounts of spinach, chard, or beet greens should be fed to your bird (no more than leaf per week). These greens contain oxalic acid, which bind to calcium in the digestive system and can cause deficiencies. Don’t feed your budgie onion or garlic. If you’re sharing with your budgie, small amounts of garlic or onion in your food is okay. You shouldn’t feed your budgie any more than very limited amounts of any kind of salty food, sweets, or any foods known as “junk food”. Never let your budgie consume coffee, soda, caffeinated beverages, or alcohol. Toxic Items – Never let your budgie play with or touch an item unless you know it is safe and non- toxic. Any metallic objects containing heavy metals, such as lead, zinc, copper, or brass, are poisonous to birds and can poison them simply through contact with the beak or skin. Safe metals include stainless steel, iron, and ungalvanized tin. For more information, see “Heavy Metal Poisoning in Birds” by Gillian Willis. You also need to be very careful with items which have paint or glue. You need to be sure that any paint or glue in or on an item is non- toxic. If you don’t know what an item is made of, it is better to be safe than sorry by not letting your budgie play with it. Toxic Plants – Some plants and parts of plants are poisonous to birds, so you need to research any plant that you have in the house or that you use to make perches to be sure it is safe. If you can’t identify it or can’t determine whether if it is safe, then it is better to be safe than sorry by not letting your budgie come into contact with it. For resources on safe or toxic plants and other items, see our FAQ article. Furthermore, when procuring branches to use as perches, you must disinfect them properly. Wipe the branches with a diluted bleach solution (3/4 cup bleach per 1 gallon of water) and then bake in the oven at 2. Additionally, birds have very sensitive respiratory systems, and you must avoid using aerosol or sprayed products (including cleaners, fragrances, deodorizers, and beauty products) around your budgies, as well as cleaners with strong chemical smells or fragrances. You should also not use any kind of fragrance products, such as candles, plug- ins, sprays, and potpourri, if you have a budgie in the house. When it comes time for you to use a cleaner or chemical in your home, put your budgie’s cage into a room where the fumes will not get into, or, if it’s a nice day place the cage outside out of direct sunlight. Your budgie will need to stay out for at least a few hours and until all the fumes or smells are gone. Another source of toxic fumes in the home is non- stick coating (PTFE), which comes under many names, including Teflon. When non- stick coating is over- heated, it releases toxic fumes which kill birds very quickly. Even under normal heating conditions, non- stick coating can release some toxic fumes. It is recommended that you never use cookware or appliances with non- stick coating when you have birds in the home. Physical Hazards Around the Home – Don’t let your budgie fly free in an area or room of the house until you’ve established that it is bird safe. Be sure that there are no fans running, and that the blinds or curtains are at least partly- drawn on the windows. Also, if there are large mirrors in the room, you should place stickers or ribbons on them. Budgies can accidentally fly into windows and mirrors and injure themselves badly. Once your budgie learns the layout of your home, you may be able to remove the mirror decorations and have the blinds or curtains open. You’ll also need to Make sure that there is nothing your budgie could land on that might fall, such as trophies or decorations up on shelves. Reduce the amount of exposed electrical and computer cords to the bare minimum, and always keep your budgie away from these. Remove any plants unless you know they are safe for birds. For resources on safe or toxic plants and other items, see our FAQ article. Examine the area or room from a bird’s point of view and try to identify and remove anything that might be a hazard. Even if you’re sure a room is bird safe, you should never leave your budgie out of its cage unattended. You never know what kind of trouble he or she might get into, such as nibbling a stray cord, chewing your favorite book, falling behind furniture, or getting hurt accidentally. Escape Hazards – Open doors and windows are obvious escape hazards. Never let your budgie out of its cage while there are open doors or windows, even if its wings are clipped. If a door or window does have a screen, check and make sure it is securely in place and that there are no holes. When your budgie is out and about, make sure everyone in the family/household is aware so that they don’t accidentally leave a door or window open. If you live with other people, be sure to warn everyone that your budgie is out of its cage so that they may be extra cautious about opening doors or windows. How to Take Care of a Budgie (with Pictures)Hamsters and guinea pigs are okay for the bird as long as they don't make loud noises. Make sure the cages are covered or have a lid if you decide to take the bird out. Also make sure that the other cage is clean of waste, mites, and other harmful things for birds. As long as they are introduced and can accept each other, it should be fine. Fish aren't exactly a problem, as long as the tank is covered. Don't let the bird enter the tank or it could contaminate the water. As long as there is harmony between the animals, it'll be okay.
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