First ever budgie

[Wolverine]

I got my first ever budgie today and I already love him! I did lots of reading before hand and I have an exhibition boy. He looks a little odd to me though and doesn’t seem to be able to fly so I am wondering if his wings or at least one of them has been clipped? His tail feathers don’t look right to me either (just from pictures I have seen of other budgies) and I was wondering if someone with more experience could look at some pictures and tell me if I am right in thinking his feathers don’t look right? Thanks in advance

 

[zERo]

Welcome to the forums!

Congratulations on becoming a parront!

It appears his right wing has been clipped and his tail looks like it’s growing in.

How old is your bird? Babies or younger parrot often damage their tail feathers as they don’t realize how long their tails are.

 

[Wolverine]

Welcome to the forums!

Congratulations on becoming a parront!

It appears his right wing has been clipped and his tail looks like it’s growing in.

How old is your bird? Babies or younger parrot often damage their tail feathers as they don’t realize how long their tails are.

He is 5 months old and he is from a breeder if that makes any difference. Poor guy couldn’t get out of his box.

 

[zERo]

He is 5 months old and he is from a breeder if that makes any difference. Poor guy couldn’t get out of his box.

Did the breeder say anything about his tail falling out?

Poor guy indeed!
So can he fly at all? Having one clipped wing will greatly unbalance his flight and will cause him to crash.

The other wing will probably need to be clipped until all the flight feathers can grown out evenly. I recommend taking him to an avian vet to do this, and, you could have the vet do a physical exam too while you’re there.

Also! What’s your birds name?

 

[Wolverine]

Did the breeder say anything about his tail falling out?

Poor guy indeed!
So can he fly at all? Having one clipped wing will greatly unbalance his flight and will cause him to crash.

The other wing will probably need to be clipped until all the flight feathers can grown out evenly. I recommend taking him to an avian vet to do this, and, you could have the vet do a physical exam too while you’re there.

Also! What’s your birds name?

I have had him around 5 hours now and in that time he has not been able to get any flight but is an epic little cage climber. He has just found his seed and sat right next to me eating for about 15 minutes which I am taking as a good sign. His official name is Wolverine Logon budgie as named by my 6 year old but we are calling him Wolfy for short. I have a list of the closest avian vets I was going to go through all their reviews tomorrow before picking one to register with but looks like I’m doing that tonight and hopefully getting him an appointment tomorrow as he is crashing when trying to go from swing to perch. I didn’t even get to see him before taking him home, I was greeted at the door with him already in his box. I was very disappointed to be honest as I was told this guy was a good breeder with healthy happy birds. This is his little face with his gorgeous Elvis doo.

 

[zERo]

I have had him around 5 hours now and in that time he has not been able to get any flight but is an epic little cage climber. He has just found his seed and sat right next to me eating for about 15 minutes which I am taking as a good sign. His official name is Wolverine Logon budgie as named by my 6 year old but we are calling him Wolfy for short. I have a list of the closest avian vets I was going to go through all their reviews tomorrow before picking one to register with but looks like I’m doing that tonight and hopefully getting him an appointment tomorrow as he is crashing when trying to go from swing to perch. I didn’t even get to see him before taking him home, I was greeted at the door with him already in his box. I was very disappointed to be honest as I was told this guy was a good breeder with healthy happy birds. This is his little face with his gorgeous Elvis doo.

Sounds like your on the right track!

He’s already getting used to you! That’s great that you’re taking him to the vet to be seen also.

What a cute picture! And name! 😍

So the breeder didn’t let you enter his breeding facility?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I have had him around 5 hours now and in that time he has not been able to get any flight but is an epic little cage climber. He has just found his seed and sat right next to me eating for about 15 minutes which I am taking as a good sign. His official name is Wolverine Logon budgie as named by my 6 year old but we are calling him Wolfy for short. I have a list of the closest avian vets I was going to go through all their reviews tomorrow before picking one to register with but looks like I’m doing that tonight and hopefully getting him an appointment tomorrow as he is crashing when trying to go from swing to perch. I didn’t even get to see him before taking him home, I was greeted at the door with him already in his box. I was very disappointed to be honest as I was told this guy was a good breeder with healthy happy birds. This is his little face with his gorgeous Elvis doo.

He's quite the beautiful fancy boy with his big fluffy head! He's gorgeous! I have to say that I think he is quite a bit older than five months. His lower forehead has no bars (like budgies have until about five months old) and his cere is bright blue like a mature male. Not that getting a mature male is a problem- he will make an outstanding companion budgie regardless of his age! Its too bad his one wing is clipped. I agree that you should have his other wing clipped so he doesn't injure himself trying to fly. Then let his wings grow back.

 

[Wolverine]

Sounds like your on the right track!

He’s already getting used to you! That’s great that you’re taking him to the vet to be seen also.

What a cute picture! And name! 😍

So the breeder didn’t let you enter his breeding facility?

No, I have always been one for reputable breeders for any animal or rescue too. I have a sphynx cat who is old and arthritic now but I am still in contact with his breeder. I have always been into the home and seen them with mum for sure and sometimes dad. I thought it was strange but as I have never had a bird before I thought maybe it’s different maybe they don’t need to be seen with parents etc. All the reading I have done about what to do when I bring him home and I didn’t even consider where he might be coming from. I was sent lots of pictures of him and I have looked through them all again and his wing was definitely not clipped in the pictures.

 

[Wolverine]

He's quite the beautiful fancy boy with his big fluffy head! He's gorgeous! I have to say that I think he is quite a bit older than five months. His lower forehead has no bars (like budgies have until about five months old) and his cere is bright blue like a mature male. Not that getting a mature male is a problem- he will make an outstanding companion budgie regardless of his age! Its too bad his one wing is clipped. I agree that you should have his other wing clipped so he doesn't injure himself trying to fly. Then let his wings grow back.

I was saying to my partner he is older as he has a ringed eye, can’t actually get close enough to get a picture under the fro but he has a ring around his iris, still a big iris but definitely ringed. I’m most definitely going to get his other wing clipped tomorrow but now I am worried I am going to make him hate me catching him to box him to take him 😞 I’m in the UK and everything I have read etc is very against wing clipping, equivalent to removing one’s legs and I want a flight bird that I can watch at home flying to me for loves and treats so I can promise he will never be having it done again.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I was saying to my partner he is older as he has a ringed eye, can’t actually get close enough to get a picture under the fro but he has a ring around his iris, still a big iris but definitely ringed. I’m most definitely going to get his other wing clipped tomorrow but now I am worried I am going to make him hate me catching him to box him to take him 😞 I’m in the UK and everything I have read etc is very against wing clipping, equivalent to removing one’s legs and I want a flight bird that I can watch at home flying to me for loves and treats so I can promise he will never be having it done again.

Don't worry! I have had many budgies and I have never had one hold a grudge. If you are that concerned about a grudge, have simeone else (your partner?) Put him into a travel cage/box. He will do much better with both wings clipped than one. I think he's beautiful so I wouldn't worry too much about his age. I'm guessing that the breeder had this mature male that he didn't want to breed anymore and sold him to you. He shouldn't have lied about him being a baby, but he is definitely a beautiful male show-type English Budgie and they make great pets.

 

[Wolverine]

Don't worry! I have had many budgies and I have never had one hold a grudge. If you are that concerned about a grudge, have simeone else (your partner?) Put him into a travel cage/box. He will do much better with both wings clipped than one. I think he's beautiful so I wouldn't worry too much about his age. I'm guessing that the breeder had this mature male that he didn't want to breed anymore and sold him to you. He shouldn't have lied about him being a baby, but he is definitely a beautiful male show-type English Budgie and they make great pets.

I am already completely in love with him I just hope he is young enough to enjoy some years with him. Such a calm little boy too no moving away when I sit near the cage just sits and watches me. Can’t wait for him to be all settled in and singing me a daily theme tune.

Am actually going to let my partner be the bearer of the budgie wrath thanks for the idea aha.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

A suggestion to move all his perches, toys, bowl etc lower in his cage. It'll help him not hurt himself when he falls.
Can you tell us how long between the photos you saw of him unclipped to now? Honestly it looks to me like either this person did a rubbish job clipping (even though that is practically every clip job...) or his flights are actually growing back right now. If that's the case I would hesitate greatly to clip that wing.
This does not look like a one wing clip to me...

 

[DonnaBudgie]

A suggestion to move all his perches, toys, bowl etc lower in his cage. It'll help him not hurt himself when he falls.
Can you tell us how long between the photos you saw of him unclipped to now? Honestly it looks to me like either this person did a rubbish job clipping (even though that is practically every clip job...) or his flights are actually growing back right now. If that's the case I would hesitate greatly to clip that wing.
This does not look like a one wing clip to me...

You said the photos you saw before you got him showed two long wings, right? Do you know if the photos were recent? It's possible he molted out all his primary flight feathers on one wing at once, but budgies don't normally do that or there would be a lot of vulnerable, grounded budgies out there! It will be easy enough to tell if it's a one wing clip if the vet holds the short wing out, so you should ask the vet to do is his before clipping the long wing. If it's not clipped I agree they should leave the long wing intact.
Low perches and swings are a great idea until he gets his flight back at least partially.
You also mentioned his tail feathers were short but I can't tell from the photos you posted . Post a photo with his entire tail showing. Surely his tail wasn't clipped. Nobody clips tail feathers to prevent flight. You should have the vet examine his tail to see if the missing feathers molted out or he somehow broke them off. Its very unusual for budgies to pluck their own feathers or chew them off.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

I am not saying this bird hasn't been clipped. I think he had both wings clipped and is now growing them back. I can see pins around his face in the second pic, which means it is possible.
I don't think his tail was clipped either that is likely a result of the wing clip. I had a flight challenged budgie who struggled to keep his tail feathers intact, and he was fully flighted.

@Wolverine can you share some pictures of him side on? (Both sides if possible)

 

[Wolverine]

I am not saying this bird hasn't been clipped. I think he had both wings clipped and is now growing them back. I can see pins around his face in the second pic, which means it is possible.
I don't think his tail was clipped either that is likely a result of the wing clip. I had a flight challenged budgie who struggled to keep his tail feathers intact, and he was fully flighted.

@Wolverine can you share some pictures of him side on? (Both sides if possible)

I have done both sides for you, I have notice too that he is growing feathers on his face.

 

[Wolverine]

A suggestion to move all his perches, toys, bowl etc lower in his cage. It'll help him not hurt himself when he falls.
Can you tell us how long between the photos you saw of him unclipped to now? Honestly it looks to me like either this person did a rubbish job clipping (even though that is practically every clip job...) or his flights are actually growing back right now. If that's the case I would hesitate greatly to clip that wing.
This does not look like a one wing clip to me...

It was literally 24 hours between the pictures I was sent and the pictures I took. They are on my laptop I will see if I can post them.

 

[Wolverine]

Have moved his fresh food, seed and water down to the perch he is favouring and put his toys lower. I have registered with a vet but they can’t see him until tomorrow morning. It’s an avian vet so they should be able to tell what’s what looking at him hopefully. I have seen him eating but not yet seen him drinking. Poos look good and he seems quite content. Hopefully he is growing them back and won’t need them cutting ever again.

 

[Wolverine]

Update: I asked my partner to contract breeder and ask outright if he has been clipped and he had his wings clipped for hand taming a couple of months ago.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

That's definitely not a one wing clip, so it's doubtful he'll need a clip to even him out (I think I see another flight growing on the opposite side).
Good luck at the vets! He's a beautiful boy and you sound like you're going to be an amazing parront!
Btw budgies will not often drink in front of people. They have to be 100% comfortable around you before they'll make themselves "vulnerable" like that.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

That's definitely not a one wing clip, so it's doubtful he'll need a clip to even him out (I think I see another flight growing on the opposite side).
Good luck at the vets! He's a beautiful boy and you sound like you're going to be an amazing parront!
Btw budgies will not often drink in front of people. They have to be 100% comfortable around you before they'll make themselves "vulnerable" like that.

If his poops are moist he's probably drinking. Budgies don't need to drink a lot of water. They come from a pretty dry environment and their kidneys are good at conserving water.