English or American budgie

For the discussion of everything concerning all varieties of hookbill birds
Tish
Persistent Pursuer
Persistent Pursuer
Posts: 275
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2016 12:25 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

English or American budgie

Post by Tish » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:40 pm

Been thinking a lot lately about budgies and just wondering what type of budgie is people's favorite English or American budgies? Please let me know which one you prefer and why. Thanks. Also does a budgie need gravel as a part of its diet?
1 Cat ( Logan), 2 Rosy Bourkes (Pip & Kiki), 2 Guinea Pigs (Biscuit & Gizmo), 1 Syrian Hamster (Sammy), 1 Russian Dwarf Hamster (Peanut), 4 Gerbils ( Shiloh & Emma) & (Lilly & Rose)

Icearstorm
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1612
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:21 pm

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Icearstorm » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:46 pm

Tish

Budgies don't need gravel since they hull their seeds. However, "bird gravel" sold in pet stores is often ground shells, which are fine to provide as a calcium supplement.

I don't know much about budgies specifically, though I have heard that English budgies usually don't live as long as the smaller American budgies.

paul-inAZ
3 Eggs Laid
3 Eggs Laid
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Tempe arizona

Re: English or American budgie

Post by paul-inAZ » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:03 pm

Prefer English hands down.
Differences are size, markings, much calmer temperament, quieter much of the time, not nippers and on and on.
Rather than me writing a lot, go here for a summary:
https://www.cutelittlebirdiesaviary.com ... udgie.html

Longevity is frequently mentioned but is more a reflection of diet and housing conditions than something inherent in the breed. Properly kept there isn't much difference.

Flight Feathers
Brooding
Brooding
Posts: 1356
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:02 pm

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Flight Feathers » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:18 pm

What is an American budgie? I have Australian and English budgies and I love both the same but English are probably calmer yet I do find English to be a lot louder. My budgies don't eat gravel and they are fine. When they eat the seed they Dehusk it first so unlike doves they don't need gravel to help them digest it.
~Flight Feathers Bird Home~

14 Zebra Finches, 4 Budgies, 3 Cockatiels, 2 Canaries, 7 Chinese quail, 3 Bengalese Finches, 1 Turquoise Parrot, 1 Goldfinch

Now a member of the NZFBA!


http://www.thepictaram.club/instagram/f ... thersbirds

Sheather
Proven
Proven
Posts: 2299
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
Location: Northwest Indiana

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Sheather » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:46 pm

English budgies are easier to train and socialize, they have much less fear of people. For a single pet, they are the easier choice (not to say the smaller budgies can't be tame.) However, the smaller wild-size budgies (called Aussie or American) are more interesting to watch, usually more active and may have more personality - while being wilder, more nervous, and resistant to taming unless gotten very young.

English can be tamed as adults. American/Australian really must be worked with before 6 months of age. One of my tamest birds was an English who was entirely unhandled until the age of 6. He tamed in a few weeks, even living with other parakeets. Whereas even some young American parakeets are reluctant to be handled.
~Dylan

~~~

Flight Feathers
Brooding
Brooding
Posts: 1356
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:02 pm

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Flight Feathers » Fri Mar 09, 2018 4:02 am

Sheather wrote: English budgies are easier to train and socialize, they have much less fear of people. For a single pet, they are the easier choice (not to say the smaller budgies can't be tame.) However, the smaller wild-size budgies (called Aussie or American) are more interesting to watch, usually more active and may have more personality - while being wilder, more nervous, and resistant to taming unless gotten very young.

English can be tamed as adults. American/Australian really must be worked with before 6 months of age. One of my tamest birds was an English who was entirely unhandled until the age of 6. He tamed in a few weeks, even living with other parakeets. Whereas even some young American parakeets are reluctant to be handled.
I find the Australian can be very curious, so I didn't have too much trouble taming one of my Australians.
~Flight Feathers Bird Home~

14 Zebra Finches, 4 Budgies, 3 Cockatiels, 2 Canaries, 7 Chinese quail, 3 Bengalese Finches, 1 Turquoise Parrot, 1 Goldfinch

Now a member of the NZFBA!


http://www.thepictaram.club/instagram/f ... thersbirds

paul-inAZ
3 Eggs Laid
3 Eggs Laid
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:26 pm
Location: Tempe arizona

Re: English or American budgie

Post by paul-inAZ » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:50 am

What is an American budgie?
One of a confused mess of terminology. Over here the wild Australian budgie is occasionally called American but most often is misnamed 'parakeet' [they aren't parakeets] in pet stores. Distinct from the English.

Sheather
Proven
Proven
Posts: 2299
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
Location: Northwest Indiana

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Sheather » Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:22 pm

They are parakeets, the term is non-taxonomic and means any
little parrot with a long tail.
~Dylan

~~~

User avatar
Sojourner
2 Eggs Laid
2 Eggs Laid
Posts: 716
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:22 am

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Sojourner » Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:10 am

I prefer the "American" budgies. They're closer to the original stock. I find the "English" budgies to be ugly and strange looking. They also tend to have more health problems. I think they've been overbred.

Unfortunately "American" budgies - a more apt name would be Standard budgies - are also susceptible to overbreeding and health problems more now than in the past due to bird mills breeding for pet stores. My pair are actually rescues from a bird mill, and one of them appears to be an English/Standard hybrid. Their health and general demeanor seems vastly improved since I finally got them to start eating their veggies and weaned them off a mostly-millet diet.

I still think Standard budgies have an advantage over the English budgies in the health department simply because there are way more of them available than the "English" style.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18

Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.

Flight Feathers
Brooding
Brooding
Posts: 1356
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:02 pm

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Flight Feathers » Sun Apr 08, 2018 12:59 am

Sojourner wrote: I prefer the "American" budgies. They're closer to the original stock. I find the "English" budgies to be ugly and strange looking. They also tend to have more health problems. I think they've been overbred.

Unfortunately "American" budgies - a more apt name would be Standard budgies - are also susceptible to overbreeding and health problems more now than in the past due to bird mills breeding for pet stores. My pair are actually rescues from a bird mill, and one of them appears to be an English/Standard hybrid. Their health and general demeanor seems vastly improved since I finally got them to start eating their veggies and weaned them off a mostly-millet diet.

I still think Standard budgies have an advantage over the English budgies in the health department simply because there are way more of them available than the "English" style.
On no all those poor birdies in bird mills. I don’t think we have them where I live tho as our pet shop breeds their own birds or buys from breeders so that’s probably a good thing.
~Flight Feathers Bird Home~

14 Zebra Finches, 4 Budgies, 3 Cockatiels, 2 Canaries, 7 Chinese quail, 3 Bengalese Finches, 1 Turquoise Parrot, 1 Goldfinch

Now a member of the NZFBA!


http://www.thepictaram.club/instagram/f ... thersbirds

canary3000
Nestling
Nestling
Posts: 86
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2018 4:47 pm

Re: English or American budgie

Post by canary3000 » Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:46 pm

I've never had an English budgie. I find them incredibly difficult to source. All I find are parakeets. I gave up on raising English and am raising fifes. My heart still yearns for English budgies. I used to have a parakeet.mEasy to train. He was barely ever in his cage. He ate with us, sat on our shoulder during tv time, reading the paper, shaving.....what a naught character he was too. Sadly he got out of his cage, right as we got home from shopping-(We kept his cage outside during the day). Saw a small blue thing in the air. Sure enough Max escaped. That was tough for all of us. Even my dad, who doesn't show emotions. That's 35 years ago. You can't go wrong with either bird. They make great memories!!!! Thinking about him now and all our memories as a family. Can't help but cry a little.

Flight Feathers
Brooding
Brooding
Posts: 1356
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:02 pm

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Flight Feathers » Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:45 pm

canary3000 wrote: I've never had an English budgie. I find them incredibly difficult to source. All I find are parakeets. I gave up on raising English and am raising fifes. My heart still yearns for English budgies. I used to have a parakeet.mEasy to train. He was barely ever in his cage. He ate with us, sat on our shoulder during tv time, reading the paper, shaving.....what a naught character he was too. Sadly he got out of his cage, right as we got home from shopping-(We kept his cage outside during the day). Saw a small blue thing in the air. Sure enough Max escaped. That was tough for all of us. Even my dad, who doesn't show emotions. That's 35 years ago. You can't go wrong with either bird. They make great memories!!!! Thinking about him now and all our memories as a family. Can't help but cry a little.
That’s so so sad... :( I had one of my Zebs escape yesterday and I just came to the aviary and he was gone... but a tame, friendly budgie escaping is much much worse than a little finch escaping.
~Flight Feathers Bird Home~

14 Zebra Finches, 4 Budgies, 3 Cockatiels, 2 Canaries, 7 Chinese quail, 3 Bengalese Finches, 1 Turquoise Parrot, 1 Goldfinch

Now a member of the NZFBA!


http://www.thepictaram.club/instagram/f ... thersbirds

FinchLady
Wonder Wooer
Wonder Wooer
Posts: 323
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: Southeast USA

Re: English or American budgie

Post by FinchLady » Mon Apr 09, 2018 10:02 pm

Sheather: Interested in your comment' wild-size Budgies (American/Standard) although less tame than English Budgies, more interesting to watch; display more personality'. After trying to find a reputable breeder of English Budgies in my area for over a year, I'm reconsidering the common standard Budgie. Rather than a hand tamed bird, I would enjoy simply watching the antics of a cheerful Budgie. Would two males still interact with me while keeping each other company?

User avatar
Sojourner
2 Eggs Laid
2 Eggs Laid
Posts: 716
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:22 am

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Sojourner » Mon May 07, 2018 12:59 am

FinchLady

Mine only "interact" with me in that they watch me like tiny, colorful little hawks to make sure I stay on my side of the bars, LOL!

But they play with each other just fine. One of these days I intend to get a few more. Now that I've got them eating right, they no longer scream at me all day long. They actually have quite a pleasant little warble. I have high hopes that my guys will "teach" any new guys to eat properly, by example, so that I won't have to go through a year of weaning them off the dry-parakeet-seed-only birdy junk food diets they're all on in the stores.

I intend to reward them soon (I've been saying this for over a year but in my defense, I've had a one-finch egg factory who turned out to have a brain tumor and died, and then I lost my recently adopted beagle to yet more cancer so - SOON, I swear) by giving them a nice big double-wide to live in so they have 5' of flying space and lots of upanddown climbing space. They deserve it for eating their veggies!

Soon. I swear.
Last edited by Sojourner on Mon May 07, 2018 1:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18

Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.

User avatar
Sojourner
2 Eggs Laid
2 Eggs Laid
Posts: 716
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:22 am

Re: English or American budgie

Post by Sojourner » Mon May 07, 2018 1:08 am

Flight Feathers

Well in NZ, aren't they actually native there? Or do you import them from Australia? In either case they would be a more or less "native" bird for you there, wouldn't they? Lots more to choose from.

Here they are totally imports (originally, my mother got wild-caught birds when I was a kid but that's been illegal for decades now) and most people get them from the chain pet stores, who get their birds almost entirely from bird mills since the importation of wild-caught birds is pretty much a thing of the past.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18

Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.

Post Reply