New User with a Question about a 13 year old Budgie

[kmirkovski]

Hi Everyone, I came to these forums with a question that I had in mind for quite some time now.

I got a budgie about 13 years ago back when I was still a kid in Elementary School. At the time I had the ability to spend full force of my time with him and keep my attention locked up on him. I used to play with him, teach him tricks, a couple of words here and there and it was an excellent time.

But then a lot of years later came the moment for me to wrap up with High School and go to university/job all that jazz, and I had no other option but to find him another dedicated owner because it was killing me seeing him all alone at home because I simply didn't have this open availability that I used to when I was a little kid. So I did my best and I found him a new owner who was a very close neighbor of mine.

Just before the pandemic started, I figured out that he (my budgie) wasn't very happy with the new owners and wasn't bonding that much so at the end they returned it back to me, luckily however this time I was able to provide a lot more attention to him thanks to the shift to Working from home and such.

His Behaviour however did diminish quite a bit, and by diminish I mean he's not very energetic he doesn't seem to want to leave his cage and even if he does he will just sit in 1 spot, sure he will play with me for a couple of minutes but the rest is just him snoozing all the time. One more thing that I noticed is that he tends to lay down on his belly, definitely something that I haven't seen him do before, and in all honesty he looks very healthy to me health wise.

Based on what I read on Google this is just a sign of Birds being Old People at this point, and all of this comes naturally as they age. I did however want to post this question on here because I am sure that many of you are veterans in this field and know very well about bird behavior, so I know that I am at the right place.

I really am not just sure if he's just aging or this is a shift of behaviour changes that he is currently experiencing due to the change of environment and owners?

Thank you for reading.

 

[zERo]

Welcome to the forums!

And wow! 13 years for a budgie? That’s a very old bird!

How old was he when you got him back? Has his behavior been diminished the whole time he’s been back with you?

 

[kmirkovski]

Welcome to the forums!

And wow! 13 years for a budgie? That’s a very old bird!

How old was he when you got him back? Has his behavior been diminished the whole time he’s been back with you?

Thank you very much

He was 9 when I got him back (End of 2019 Right around the corner for 2020) and the behavior pretty much was the same as is today.

And to me it looked like a shock to a different environment that might have changed his behavior, but I am very much leaning on the option that he's just aging and its a normal process and being active ain't his best side anymore. I just wanna do everything in my power to help him out if that's the case.

I find it really funny because he reminds me of a pensioner. Old man is trying to get a break meanwhile me being annoying doesn't help it

 

[clark_conure]

I have nothing to add to this other than a trophy....I seriously cannot help here but here you go.

 

[zERo]

Thank you very much

He was 9 when I got him back (End of 2019 Right around the corner for 2020) and the behavior pretty much was the same as is today.

And to me it looked like a shock to a different environment that might have changed his behavior, but I am very much leaning on the option that he's just aging and its a normal process and being active ain't his best side anymore. I just wanna do everything in my power to help him out if that's the case.

I find it really funny because he reminds me of a pensioner. Old man is trying to get a break meanwhile me being annoying doesn't help it

It could certainly be just from age.

My older tiel has slowed down a lot in the last year too.

Well, it sounds like you love him! I’m happy you were able to take him back, I’m sure he’s very happy with you.
What’s his name? And, on this forum, we love pictures 😍

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you very much

He was 9 when I got him back (End of 2019 Right around the corner for 2020) and the behavior pretty much was the same as is today.

And to me it looked like a shock to a different environment that might have changed his behavior, but I am very much leaning on the option that he's just aging and its a normal process and being active ain't his best side anymore. I just wanna do everything in my power to help him out if that's the case.

I find it really funny because he reminds me of a pensioner. Old man is trying to get a break meanwhile me being annoying doesn't help it

I had a budgie that lived to 13. By then he had kidney failure and ultimately died from it. The vet also told me he had cataracts so his vision was poor. I think your budgie is just slowing way down because he's so old. Just keep the little old bird-man comfortable in his golden years.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

Hello and Welcome!
Older budgie lying on belly, I immediately think check his legs/feet.
That was one of the first signs my older budgie had when he had gout (Well I assume gout now, we didn't reach that diagnosis before he passed away).
It may not be gout and just arthritis, both of which would benefit from some vet care.

 

[zERo]

Hello and Welcome!
Older budgie lying on belly, I immediately think check his legs/feet.
That was one of the first signs my older budgie had when he had gout (Well I assume gout now, we didn't reach that diagnosis before he passed away).
It may not be gout and just arthritis, both of which would benefit from some vet care.

Oh my goodness! I missed the part where the OP said they see the budgie lay down!
I would probably take him to the vet too if the OP thinks he’s stable enough to go.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Oh my goodness! I missed the part where the OP said they see the budgie lay down!
I would probably take him to the vet too if the OP thinks he’s stable enough to go.

Most definitely to the vet. My "geriatric" budgie spent a lot of time at his avian vet. He even asked to do a necropsy on him after he died so he could learn about the insides of such an old budgie.

 

[kmirkovski]

It could certainly be just from age.

My older tiel has slowed down a lot in the last year too.

Well, it sounds like you love him! I’m happy you were able to take him back, I’m sure he’s very happy with you.
What’s his name? And, on this forum, we love pictures 😍

Shoot! How could I forget to include a pic!

The name is Pupi, I named him like that because it was the first word he learned how to say clearly. No meaning to it, it was pure goofery on my part

I also included a picture of him going in that prone position I was talking about.

Definitely I ll take an opinion about it from a Vet for it.

Thank you so much for your awesome replies