Meet Our Feathered Friend:
American Budgie
01
Overview
Common Name: Budgie, Budgerigar, Australian Parakeet
Latin Name: Melopsittacus Undulatus
Native Region: Australia
Average Lifespan: 8-13 Years
Average Length: 18cm (7 inches)
Average Weight: 35 to 50 grams
Song Type: Chatter, Whistle, Chirp
Interaction: Social
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> The budgie found its way to America in the late 1920s, but didn’t experience real popularity until the 1950s. Today, it’s the most popular bird in the world!
> Budgies are often thought of as a “beginner bird,” however, this social, intelligent, outgoing little bird deserves just as much care and attention as larger parrots.
> Did you know that a Budgie can rival any parrot in terms of talking ability?!
> Budgies are often underestimated as a hands-on pet. A hand-tame budgie can become a very loyal and loving pet.
04
Common Health Conditions
Budgies are more prone to tumors, goiters (due to iodine deficiency) and scaly face mites.
05
Diet
IMPORTANT NOTE: Budgies must have access to an iodine block at all times, which should be placed near their main food dish. When shopping for iodine blocks make sure the product explicitly states it is an iodine block and not just a mineral block. You can purchase iodine blocks directly from Lilly's Feathered Friends. All our budgies will be sent home with an initial iodine block.
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Budgies should be fed a pellet-based diet supplemented with lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Seeds and tree-nuts can be used as treats, but should be fed in moderation. Cooked sweet potato cooled to room temperature is a great way to provide extra Vitamin A.
06
Housing
02
Pet Profile
Our budgies are hand raised and socialized daily by adults and youth here at Lilly's Feathered Friends. These birds make ideal companions who can be socialized with outside of their cage on a daily basis. Do not let their small size fool you, these handfed budgies make fantastic family pets and will love to socialize and play. These are busy little birds who need space to move, interact, and play!
NOTE: We recommend keeping one handfed bird per cage. If you house multiple handfed birds together in the same cage, they may start to bond more with other birds than with you and your family. A single birds flock is their human companions! Before committing to a new bird, make sure that you and your family have the necessary time to socialize and interact with your Feathered Friend outside of their cage on a daily basis.
A Budgies cage needs to meet the minimum cage requirements of 18" x 18" x 24" with maximum wire spacing of 5/8". Proper toys and perches must be present in the cage. Each cage should have multiple perches with a variety of textures, materials, and diameters to ensure the feet of your budgie are well exercised and prevent bumblefoot and severe arthritis as your bird ages. Budgies are active birds who love to play. Your cage should have a variety of toys which can include enrichment, shredding, foraging, natural, wooden, metal, and plastic toys. DO NOT put a mirror or fake bird toy in your budgies cage as these have been shown to do more harm than good. We generally recommend housing handfed birds one per cage. If you house multiple handfed birds in the same cage, it is possible for the birds to remain friendly but this requires a lot more time spent with each bird by their owners.
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NOTE: Although the minimum cage size requirements are listed above, like with most birds, the more space the better. Keeping in mind the wire spacing requirements, we suggest acquiring the largest cage your budget and space can afford.
03
Noise Level & Talking Ability
To many peoples surprise, Budgies are excellent talkers and both males and females are capable of speaking if trained. In 1995, Guinness World Records credited a budgie named Puck as the bird with the largest vocabulary. Puck was able to speak over 1,700 words. Budgies are extremely capable talkers, but as with all parrots, the owner must put the proper amount of time and energy into training. Budgies are typically quiet birds who tend to produce chirping noises at times. These birds are suitable for apartment living.