*sigh*

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:11 pm

I can't recall.... what size is your cage Thalia?

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:23 pm

24x14x22

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:39 pm

Is that 24"L x 14"D x 22"H ?

While a bit on the small side, I wouldn't feel they were being mistreated, if you were only housing one budgie or one pair of finches.

There are people who feel it is cruel to keep a single budgie. I believe since budgies can form a bond with their human, they don't seem to suffer from isolation like finches do. I have met many people online who have become a subsitute flock for their budgie and the bird seems content. Of course these people are able to spend a good part of the day interacting with their bird and allowing them time out of the cage etc. so that should be taken into consideration.

I feel Casper would be just as content if he were the only budgie as Freebird is not very chummy. Also, he'd have all the other birds to talk to when I'm away and I'm sure that would bring him a great deal of comfort.

If you are seriously considering getting a budgie I'd try to locate a breeder. A good one should be able to provide you with the sex of your choice and it might even be hand tame.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:13 pm

yeah that's the dimensions, I know the depth isn't great, but I figure I'll fill it with toys and the bird will be out with me while I'm home and John can play with the bird when I'm not. The only tough days are Saturday and Sunday, I work 12 hours each day (9-9), but the plus is that I only work Mon and Tues evenings (3-11). So John will be on bird duty on the weekend and the rest of the week I'll get to play with him (the bird that is lol). John has already agreed to play with the bird while I'm at work, I've gotta clean off my desk so I can put a perch on the upper shelf so birdy can look out the window and sit with John while he uses the computer. I'm also thinking of getting John to help me make a play station for him, first I need to decide on a bird and then we can figure out the best toys to get him.
The aviary where I'm going actually hand raises and tames their baby budgies, at least they say they do on their web site, they charge $60/bird so they'd better be hand tamed!

The only thing that worries me about budgies is that I've heard they're super destructive, at the wooden window frames and drapes etc etc. Do you find that with yours? We rent so I wouldn't want the little bugger destroying the place. Of course he's not going to be left unattended so hopefully we'd be able to redirect that behaviour to toys.
I know someone with the exact cage as mine and she keeps a pair of budgies in it and she swears they love it, however it's also full of toys and they get a lot of time out.
I've also read the cruelty thing about keeping budgies and linnies alone, I think that's silly if you're giving your bird lots of attention then it'll bond to you and not another bird. I mean people don't say the same thing about the bigger parrots, so you have people saying budgies are just as good as big parrots, then saying the need to be kept in a flock.... doesn't really make sense to me.

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:25 pm

I don't like having just 'one' bird...I also think it borders on cruelty. Why?

Because most birds we keep as pets are normally found in very large flocks...and expecting them to be happy with 1-2 people instead isn't realistic.

While some birds adapt better than others...I don't feel that's a good enough reason to extrapolate and figure that all birds can do well as onlies...

I don't think pet birds need to be with others of the same species nec., but that there are other birds around...when ours are all together they eat at the same time, groom at the same time, nap at the same time, bath at the same time...obviously there is great comfort in being part of a larger group...I don't want to take that comfort and security away from them...

I'm not even an overly-social person, but I feel isolated when I spent too much time on my own...and have that desire to find other people...even if it's just heading off to the mall...

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue May 01, 2007 7:12 am

hi thalia
i would do whatever you think is right for your birds,and buy what birds you will be happy with as it will be you who will be taking care of it..i know by reading your posts you only have good intentions..and sometimes peoples comments can stop other people from keeping birds altogether some of the forums i have been on are really good to new people but there are exceptions that like to acert thier authority over other people and end up frighening them out of keeping birds at all ..as i have said if you think what you are doing is right and you thonk your bird(s) will not suffer then carry on with it and good luck with whatever you choose to buy

ken

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Tue May 01, 2007 8:16 am

I'm with Kenny. There are so many people/forums who like to prescribe their "minimum" cage size, their standards for keeping birds, etc. In reality, every bird is different, and every birdkeeper is different. If your birds are healthy and happy, then good for you. From reading your posts, you seem like the type of bird owner that will be tuned in to whether your birds are happy or not. Good luck with your budgie (or budgies)!

plantsandbirds · Post by **plantsandbirds** » Tue May 01, 2007 9:52 am

Good luck, Thalia, with your choice of a budgie... I love them! I have a male and female pair. I started out with just the male but he was so depressed that I went back to the small pet shop and bought him a female. Mine are not hand tamed and probably never will step up, although they are curious and friendly. I second the motion of the private breeder as you will know who they are and where they come from.

I started out with a sixteen inch round cage for the one budgie. When I determined that because of my terrier the little bird would probably never be able to come out of the cage I then upgraded to a Prevue flight cage. The little birds like it better because they can get away from The Hand when I'm cleaning or changing feed bowls. I also hung my cages up due to the terrier.

I agree that you find all types of folks on the boards. I've read all I can, taken advice to heart and then done what I could for my birds that fit the best with my home and lifestyle. I've purchased the largest cages that would fit in my home and budget but I like the feeling that I get seeing them in a larger cage - makes me less guilty about "the cage".

I spent a few hours in a bird rescue picking up my little finch adoptees and learned A LOT just by observing the hookbills. LOUD. LOUD. Did I say LOUD?

I think the sweet looking Lovebirds had one of the loudest, most grating call I've heard in a small bird! Wow. They had a representative of most of the common pet birds. All very adorable and intelligent looking - and all given up for one reason or another.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue May 01, 2007 11:37 am

thanks for the support guys! I do agree that every person's opinion differs on the cage question, which is why it's SO frustrating when asking about it. I'm still stuck b/w budgie and linnie, I might make a pre-emptive drive out to Wings and Things to talk with them about the different species, if the gas prices come down that is

One of the reasons I'm giving away the finches is b/c a big flight cage really isn't practical for us right now and I don't like keeping them in the little cage. LOL P&B lovebirds are known for that really loud contact call, they're also supposed to be bitey, even John had heard that so they got crossed off the list early

I'm going to call the aviary today and ask them about the black on the beaks. The little male is starting to get his orange cheeks but the very tip of his beak is still black. 2 of the others have about the same amount of black just the tip or a little smudge and one has a big smudge of black

I'm hoping they'll let me bring them in when most of the birds lose that black (hopefully this week or next week) and I don't have to wait for that slow one lol. There is a breeder with chicks available right now, but I don't have anywhere to put one until I give away the finches.
I'll speak with Wings and Things and see if they do handraise their budgies/linnies. I'd prefer to get from a private breeder or Super Pet, it's the only chain store I've ever seen where they are REALLY good to their birds. I love the woman who's in charge of the bird department and all her birds adore her. Wings and Things have a LOT of birds and although they do really well with them I worry about disease, my friend got his parrotlet from there and he (the p'let) ended up with a chlamydia infection, probably picked up at the store

Super Pet doesn't keep a ton of birds on hand, and they do hand raise a lot of their chicks. They take one or two budgies and raise them as "university budgies" which means they've been hand tamed. So I'll see, maybe I'll just get a whole bunch of birdy toys from the aviary and the budgie from that breeder if she's got any left in a few weeks or Super Pet.

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Tue May 01, 2007 11:48 am

How much credit is the pet store going to give you for the finches? It can't be very much, certainly? Is there any other way you could re-home them, since they are very obviously taking care of themselves now?

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue May 01, 2007 11:52 am

well there's 6 finches and they sell their zebras for over $20 a piece, so I'm expecting at least $10/finch, although I'll ask. I just don't want to put an ad in the paper b/c God knows who'll respond. When I asked if I could trade them for a budgie or store credit the woman on the phone said it shouldn't be a problem. Their linnies go for a little over $200 depending on colour, so if I decide on a linnie I'll use the finches' credit as the down payment.
you're sitting at home waiting for your cage aren't you??

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Tue May 01, 2007 12:32 pm

Wow, $10, huh? I've got a couple of babies that will be fledging soon, and I intend to give them away to whomever wants them (and will care for them, of course).

Cage should (hopefully) come tomorrow. I'll be at work, and there is no way my wife can lift the box into the house, so I suspect it will be sitting out on the front porch when I get home from work tomorrow.

plantsandbirds · Post by **plantsandbirds** » Tue May 01, 2007 12:44 pm

StevePax wrote:Cage should (hopefully) come tomorrow. I'll be at work, and there is no way my wife can lift the box into the house, so I suspect it will be sitting out on the front porch when I get home from work tomorrow.

It should be a big booger

. Mine was VERY heavy and the Fed Ex man had a time with it and it was only half of what yours will be. They are easy to put together though!

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Tue May 01, 2007 1:17 pm

When I kept Zebras, I would often trade the youngsters in for store credit. The pet shop I was dealing with only allowed $5 per bird as they sold normal Zebras for $15. The one time I had three CFW hens, they gave me $7 per bird in credit.

It wasn't much, but it helped buy feed for my other birds.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue May 01, 2007 1:24 pm

yeah I'm not expecting TONS of money for them, I'll be happy if they give me some store credit to put towards another bird or to buy toys with. We'll see, I forgot they're closed Mon/Tues, so I'll call tomorrow on my day off. I might contact that budgie breeder in the mean time... really pretty blue male budgie she's got up for sale