First time budgie owner!

[ggmon3]

Hello everyone very nice to meet you all! I just recently got my first ever bird (budgie, 3 months old, got him last week) and its mood has been all around the place. He still hasnt made a sound (only chirps when it hears birds from the window). It has let me hand feed it 3 times (twice yesterday), sleeps when im in the room with him pretty much carelessly, eats normally, grooms himself while i talk to him and im standing next to the cage (even with my hand inside) but it really confuses me sometimes because hes not like this all the time. Sometimes hes pretty chill with my finger on the perch he sits on, while other times hes really cautious and even moves away when i approach the cage. Im pretty bummed out about the fact that hes still all quiet but i hope he gets comfortable and starts chirping to me. I change his water and clean his food of millet casings every day and somedays he doesnt budge when i take his water bowl out (currently a jar lid as he still doesnt know how to use the actual container) but others hes scared and runs away from my hand. I am being very careful not to make any sudden movements as ive heard it scares them. Is this behavior normal and can anyone give any tips to ensure im being as good an owner as I can? Thank you very much!

 

[Jcas]

Congratulations on your new bird! Yes, this is absolutely normal behavior for a bird in a new environment. While budgies seem to adapt faster than a lot of birds, moving to a new place with no other birds and a completely different routine is very stressful and scary for a tiny bird. Be super patient. Make slow movements and just hang out around your bird and talk to him so that he gets comfortable with your presence. Never, ever force him to interact with you as this will only create fear.

Getting him to take food from your hand is great for showing him that hands bring good things. Budgies are not cuddly birds in general but with time and patience you can teach him to step up or fly to you. You could try playing different kinds of music to get him to chirp; I’ve heard from multiple people who had budgies that liked listening to music. My first budgie would chirp to Frank Sinatra .

You mention feeding millet and I just wanted to check that it is not his whole diet. Budgies need, at minimum, a complete seed blend and fresh veggies and fruit every day.
Please ask any other questions you may have, we love to assist new bird owners (parronts )

 

[ggmon3]

Congratulations on your new bird! Yes, this is absolutely normal behavior for a bird in a new environment. While budgies seem to adapt faster than a lot of birds, moving to a new place with no other birds and a completely different routine is very stressful and scary for a tiny bird. Be super patient. Make slow movements and just hang out around your bird and talk to him so that he gets comfortable with your presence. Never, ever force him to interact with you as this will only create fear.

Getting him to take food from your hand is great for showing him that hands bring good things. Budgies are not cuddly birds in general but with time and patience you can teach him to step up or fly to you. You could try playing different kinds of music to get him to chirp; I’ve heard from multiple people who had budgies that liked listening to music. My first budgie would chirp to Frank Sinatra .

You mention feeding millet and I just wanted to check that it is not his whole diet. Budgies need, at minimum, a complete seed blend and fresh veggies and fruit every day.
Please ask any other questions you may have, we love to assist new bird owners (parronts )

Thank you very much for your reply! I feed him a complete seed mix with calcium dried fruits vitamins and trace minerals . Ive also given him a piece of banana and apple but he shows no interest. Maybe he will give fresh fruit and vegetables a try soon!

 

[Jcas]

Thank you very much for your reply! I feed him a complete seed mix with calcium dried fruits vitamins and trace minerals . Ive also given him a piece of banana and apple but he shows no interest. Maybe he will give fresh fruit and vegetables a try soon!

Lettuce, peas, and sweet corn have always been a big hit with my budgies. None of them have ever had much interest in fruit! Sometimes it takes a couple weeks of offering them fresh veggies before they finally decide to eat them

 

[Grateful One]

Hello everyone very nice to meet you all! I just recently got my first ever bird (budgie, 3 months old, got him last week) and its mood has been all around the place. He still hasnt made a sound (only chirps when it hears birds from the window). It has let me hand feed it 3 times (twice yesterday), sleeps when im in the room with him pretty much carelessly, eats normally, grooms himself while i talk to him and im standing next to the cage (even with my hand inside) but it really confuses me sometimes because hes not like this all the time. Sometimes hes pretty chill with my finger on the perch he sits on, while other times hes really cautious and even moves away when i approach the cage. Im pretty bummed out about the fact that hes still all quiet but i hope he gets comfortable and starts chirping to me. I change his water and clean his food of millet casings every day and somedays he doesnt budge when i take his water bowl out (currently a jar lid as he still doesnt know how to use the actual container) but others hes scared and runs away from my hand. I am being very careful not to make any sudden movements as ive heard it scares them. Is this behavior normal and can anyone give any tips to ensure im being as good an owner as I can? Thank you very much!

I read you have a Budgie Parakeet thats new for you.....I, too have one since May,2023 and wasn't to sure about anything....I thought it was a male and as of Jan.,2024 found out Female after she laid eggs..so far as of Jan. 6th she stopped but I know what to do once happens again.....Its Normal for FEMALES.........i TOO LEARN AS IT GOES ALONG.......

panicked of course but consulted online and found out how to care for her she must be bout 6 months old and just wondered onto my Patio one day and flew in my door and walked around and stood, so we kept her and bought all such as VitaSmart complete Nutrition, they need Crunch Sticks variety pack and you mentioned Millets and I also have Vitasmart Oat Groats all small pkgs. petstore said to put in her food.....I spoil her and take scissors to crunch all in her container so its grinded like...Millets & Crunch sticks I spray alittle fresh water on it so it attracts her in her cage and she chows down and likes it....What I read up on they like hard boiled eggs so I give her half and sprinkle her dry food on top, she loves it just chop inside alittle first before sprinkling dry food on top and spray little water on top, she likes oranges small piece with fresh crispy lettuce , they eat clean celery stalks and she is babied all day and talked to...She's learned once dark out ready for nite nite and understands, flys around at times and flys in & out of cage all day and plays....Its good to have alittle noise around and talk to him all day and at times put him on your shoulder or when watching TV place a towel on your lap and he might just sit with you.....I have a heater in her cage that looks like a flat phone that generateS small amount of heat they love to keep comfortable...tHE CRUNCH STICK IF THEY EAT IT CAN LAST FOR 3 DAYS IT CONTAINS MINERALS, FRUIT AND IS NUTRITIONAL FOR THEM.....My Bird doesnot eat banana's.......I tried small piece of brocolli also I dunk the piece in fresh water get it wet and place small seeds on top....mine loves it.......I notice in her cage once relaxed she sits on one leg and I leave her alone her front cage open all day and when she sleeps around 12:30am every nite I close it....Everyday I clean the bottom of her cage with paper towels and she watches me...Eventually they understand you and will chirp up a storm...She loves my son who lives with me jumps on him and his shoulder and loves gangster movies and once I leave the house we put you tube Parakeet Video's on for her in her cage near the Tv to watch them we choose ones that are on 4 or more hours so she won't be lonely when I'm shopping.........What's funny when we return her head is down once were back like she's mad and can have attitude until things return to normal and she gets paid attention to...She is spoiled and loved and knows it....Didn't take her long and it will for you.....They like big cages and needs like a braided swing to sit on and needs to trust you by just talking to him saying like what a good boy you are and his pretty eyes....They pick up on what you say and know when there being paid attention to......They love there food and enjoy different thngs....There's also the little square white things they chomp on forgot what there called thats for their Beak, they need it in there cage.....its small white square it has minerals in it and they need to knick their beaks on it...Thats what the bird person at the store told us.....But I do cut her food alittle in her bowl cuz some of it is to big for her and it looks more grinded for that way.....They are messy and do peck at there self all day I spray her once inawhile so she doesn't get dry skin they like bird baths now & then.......I hope I didn't bore you to much I am happy we have her she's pretty light blue and has sapphire eyes, her name is Ariel....she came out of no where and just knew where to come for care.....You will learn soon for they adapt very quickly, once shown you care......Like anything else, alittle Love goes a long way.....Congratulations with your Parakeet for I am sure soon you will be close........Hope I helped......

 

[Grateful One]

Birds don't like scents or fumes cage must be away from kitchen area once cooking and don't spray like Lysol or air sprays around them.......If you read my post I meant there attracted to scent of brocolli, celery and small piece of orange in their cage to encourage to eat....When I do cut small pieces there cleaned first and I lay the orange or small hard egg cut in half on top of crispy piece of lettuce...That attracts her to eat it....She likes it...small piece of brocolli can be placed in his cage on top of lettuce also..........I give her this about twice a week....I noticed when my bird pecks on the orange she wipes her beak against the bar in the cage she sits on....They should have fresh water 3 times a day, I was told and if i see she doesn't drink water I have a small spoon that i use to feed it to her...Thats just me for I want her to cleanse herself from eating and not be sticky......Hope this helps.

 

[ggmon3]

Birds don't like scents or fumes cage must be away from kitchen area once cooking and don't spray like Lysol or air sprays around them.......If you read my post I meant there attracted to scent of brocolli, celery and small piece of orange in their cage to encourage to eat....When I do cut small pieces there cleaned first and I lay the orange or small hard egg cut in half on top of crispy piece of lettuce...That attracts her to eat it....She likes it...small piece of brocolli can be placed in his cage on top of lettuce also..........I give her this about twice a week....I noticed when my bird pecks on the orange she wipes her beak against the bar in the cage she sits on....They should have fresh water 3 times a day, I was told and if i see she doesn't drink water I have a small spoon that i use to feed it to her...Thats just me for I want her to cleanse herself from eating and not be sticky......Hope this helps.

Thank you for your replies! Putting dry food on an egg sounds like a good idea to get her to try it. Btw the thing youre talking about for grinding their beaks is a mineral block but i have a cuttlebone for the same purpose I just havent seen him use it yet. I love my bird and cant wait for it to ease up! Yesterday right after I wrote my thread while i was playing video games it started talking to me which made me very happy. Non stop cute little chirps for maybe 15 minutes, then went silent again. Cant wait for this behavior to become normal. Also i keep it in a cage in my room away from the kitchen (i live in a duplex and my room is on thr second floor) and everytime i cook i ventilate the whole flat.

 

[ggmon3]

Lettuce, peas, and sweet corn have always been a big hit with my budgies. None of them have ever had much interest in fruit! Sometimes it takes a couple weeks of offering them fresh veggies before they finally decide to eat them

I will definitely stock up. Thank you very much!

 

[Free as a bird]

Hello everyone very nice to meet you all! I just recently got my first ever bird (budgie, 3 months old, got him last week) and its mood has been all around the place. He still hasnt made a sound (only chirps when it hears birds from the window). It has let me hand feed it 3 times (twice yesterday), sleeps when im in the room with him pretty much carelessly, eats normally, grooms himself while i talk to him and im standing next to the cage (even with my hand inside) but it really confuses me sometimes because hes not like this all the time. Sometimes hes pretty chill with my finger on the perch he sits on, while other times hes really cautious and even moves away when i approach the cage. Im pretty bummed out about the fact that hes still all quiet but i hope he gets comfortable and starts chirping to me. I change his water and clean his food of millet casings every day and somedays he doesnt budge when i take his water bowl out (currently a jar lid as he still doesnt know how to use the actual container) but others hes scared and runs away from my hand. I am being very careful not to make any sudden movements as ive heard it scares them. Is this behavior normal and can anyone give any tips to ensure im being as good an owner as I can? Thank you very much!

Your doing well. It depends if the bird was hand raised but parrots can take a while to get used to their surroundings. Just remember that the budgie is the boss, go at his pace and don't try force it to do something it doesn't want to. Use treats to reward good behaviour. Also at 3 months it's voice box isn't developed yet. Give it time and it will be happily whistling, screeching and chattering after some time