Parrot care. Budgerigars: what should be the care of a pet? What do budgerigars eat

The budgerigar (lat. Melopsittacus undulatus) is a bird species from the order of parrots, the parrot family, the only representative of the genus of budgerigars (Melopsittacus).

The Latin name of the species is formed by 3 words: the Greek word "melos", meaning "singing", the word "psittacos" - "parrot" and the Latin word "undulatus", which means "wavy". Therefore, in literal translation, the name of the bird sounds like a singing budgerigar. A number of ornithologists suggest calling the bird a wavy singer.

Budgerigar - description, appearance and characteristics.

All of the above names are absolutely true: budgerigars really very noisy and talkative, perfectly remember and imitate individual words and phrases that are repeated many times, often without much meaning.

The budgerigar is a beautiful and slender bird, which, due to its long tail, looks much larger than it actually is. body length of a budgerigar, excluding the tail, reaches 17-19.8 cm with a body weight of about 40-45 g. Domestic birds participating in exhibitions often have a body length of 21 to 23 cm.

Wings budgerigars 9.5 to 10.5 cm long are used by birds exclusively for flight and are completely unsuitable for support when walking or sitting. The flight is beautiful and arched, similar to the flight of a swallow, and when landing, the wings of a bird are bent to the bottom, like a quail. Thanks to this structure, the budgerigar flies quite rapidly and is able to cover considerable distances in search of food.

The budgerigar has a fairly long tail stepped shape, growing up to 8-10 cm in length, and in young individuals the tail is much shorter.

limbs feathered developed and tenacious, ending in 4 long fingers: 2 of them are directed back, 2 look forward. This design allows the birds to grab various objects, food with their paws, as well as deftly climb trees and walk on the ground. At the end of the fingers grow strong curved claws of dark blue, black or practically white color. The paws of the budgerigar can be painted in gray-blue, reddish, bright scarlet and pale pink.

In wavy parrots living in nature, eyes dark blue, and the color of the iris is yellowish or almost white. These birds are able to distinguish colors, and a sufficiently large viewing angle allows you to view 2 perspectives at once.

The budgerigar is distinguished by its strong beak, protected by a strong horny substance, and its curved shape resembles the beak of birds of prey. At the base of the beak of a budgerigar, a cere with nostrils is clearly visible. The bird's beak is quite mobile, the upper jaw is not fused with the bones of the skull, but is held by a ligamentous apparatus, while the lower jaw is much shorter than the upper one. Due to its peculiar morphology, the beak of these birds serves as an excellent mechanism for breaking off and crushing shoots, foliage and seeds of plants, and at the same time it is a convenient tool for carrying objects, eating and climbing tree branches. In the event of an enemy attack, the beak of a budgerigar acts as a reliable object of protection.

Budgerigars have a small, short and thick tongue, and its rounded tip is protected by keratinized epithelium. Almost all individuals inner surface the beak is equipped with special horn teeth, which act as a file that sharpens the beak, helps to clean grains, and also to pluck and break fruits. The beak of the chicks is different dark color, but with age becomes intense yellow, with a slight greenish tint.

Thanks to its natural grassy green coloration budgerigars invisible to enemies against the background of the natural landscape. Cheeks all individuals are decorated with symmetrical elongated purple marks, and below, on both sides of the goiter, there are black spots - special signs inherent in all representatives of the species. As a rule, the markings partially overlap the throat spots.

Goiter and surface of the head natural budgerigars are painted in intense yellow, in the occipital region, a thin and light dark brown waviness passes to the back, where it becomes much wider and brighter against a general yellow background. In young parrots, the waviness is not so noticeable and starts right from the wax, and as it grows older, it is replaced by a characteristic yellow mask.

Feathers Budgerigars on the forehead of males have a unique feature: when exposed to ultraviolet light, they fluoresce, due to which females in nature choose their partner for nesting. Moreover, the human eye can catch this radiation only at night, and budgerigars see the glow even in daylight.

Determining the sex of a bird is not difficult. To find out the sex of a budgerigar, you need to look at its wax, which is located at the base of the beak.

• Young males have a purple cere, in a young female it is intense blue with a light border around the nostrils.
• In mature males, the cere is dark blue or purple (in albinos). An adult female can be distinguished by the beige-blue or brown color of the cere. By the way, Brown color cere in females appears during nesting.

Left male, right female

Types of budgerigars, photos and colors.

Today, the budgerigar is considered the most common and favorite decorative bird for home keeping. Over the years of breeding work, more than 200 varieties of these birds have been bred with a wide variety of plumage colors, including recessive varieties that lack the characteristic waviness.

Photo from budgerigar.com

The yellow color of the budgerigar is the first mutational color and was obtained in Belgium in 1872, and subsequently all modern color variations based on a yellow or white base appeared. Below are some varieties of budgerigar colors:

• Natural, traditional color budgerigar plumage - light green(Light green) with a glossy sheen that covers the breast, belly and lower back of the birds. The traditional mask is light yellow, with black dots on the throat, and purple marks on the cheeks. The head, wings and back of parrots are decorated with pronounced black waviness. The long tail feathers are dark blue, the bearing surface of the wings is painted black with a minimal light yellow edge.

• dark green wavy parrots (Dark green color) are especially brightly colored, they appeared in France in 1915. The breast, belly and underside of the back of these parrots are dark green, the mask is light yellow, the dots on the throat are black, slightly overlapped by purple zygomatic spots, and there is a characteristic waviness on the body. The shade of the plumage of the wings is identical to the classic variety, but the tail feathers are darker.

• olive green budgerigars (olive green) are descended from dark green individuals and were bred in France in 1919. The predominant color of the plumage of birds is olive green, the mask is bright yellow. The black waviness is marked in contrast against the yellow base. The wings of budgerigars are black with a green sheen, the tail feathers are darker compared to dark green specimens.

• sky blue The budgerigar (Skyblue color) was bred by the Belgians in 1878. The breast, belly and underside of the parrot's back are blue, and the mask of the birds is pure white. The characteristic waviness is clearly defined on a white base, the tail is blue, the primary flight feathers are black with a minimal white edge.

• cobalt budgerigars (color Cobalt) were first shown at the London Exhibition in 1910. Their breast, abdomen, back and tail are distinguished by blue color, the mask of birds is pure white, bright waviness is well expressed on a white background. The wing color of the budgerigar varies from black to blue. Tail feathers are darker compared to sky blue parrots.

• Lilac budgerigars (color Mauve) are the result of mixing 2 dark factors, giving a deep purple colour without the presence of a gray tint.

• Grey-green budgerigar (color Gray Green) - the fruit of the labors of Austrian breeders, which was obtained in 1935. The front, lower part of the body and the bottom of the back of these birds are distinguished by a very light mustard or gray-greenish tone. The mask of parrots is bright yellow, the spots on the throat are black, and the cheeks are gray, a clear waviness contrasts well with the yellow background. The tail plumage is painted black, the primary flight feathers of the parrot are black with a minimal light yellow edge.

• gray budgerigars (color Grey) appeared in Austria and England at the same time, in 1943. In representatives of the variety, the breast, lower body, cheeks and lower back are gray in color, the mask is snow-white, the marks on the throat are black. The characteristic waviness is clearly marked on the white base, the tail is black, and the wing plumage is black or greyish.

• Violet The budgerigar (color Violet) first appeared in Germany in 1928. The breast, abdomen and bottom of the back of the bird are distinguished by a deep purple. The mask of the budgerigar is snow-white, the throat markings are black, the tail is dark purple, the primary flight feathers are black with a minimal white edge.

• Yellowfaces budgies are of two types:
  • The first type, one-factor, assumes that the bird has a mask lemon yellow, which rarely goes beyond the occipital region and onto the chest. A lemon yellow tinge may cover the white tail feathers and other white areas of the bird's plumage. The yellow tint does not extend to the rest of the feathers. Two-factor birds do not have a yellow mask.
  • The second phylum of yellow-faced parrots also includes two varieties, one-factor and two-factor. Both of them have a yellow mask. At the same time, the yellow color extends not only to the white feathers of the budgerigar, but also to the main plumage of the bird, turning it from light green to turquoise, from cobalt to dark green, from mauve to olive.

• Lutinos(Lutino) - a very unusual variety of budgerigars with a bright yellow egg-yolk shade of plumage. These parrots have red eyes with a light iris and cheekbone markings of a mother-of-pearl shade. The feathers of the tail and wings of the budgerigar are light. Males are distinguished by a pink or purple hue of the cere, in females the cere is brown. Paws of birds are red-brown or rich pink.

Albino on the left, Lutinos on the right

• Albinos(Albino) were first obtained in Germany in 1932, and by two amateur breeders at once. Such budgerigars are distinguished by pure white feathers and red eyes with a white iris. The cere and paws of albinos are the same as those of lutinos.

• Crested budgerigars are presented in a wide variety of color variations, but differ in the type of crest. Some individuals are decorated with a pointed tuft of feathers growing on the forehead or crown. In others, the crest has the shape of a semicircle formed by feathers that grow to the very beak in a kind of shield. The third variety of budgerigars is decorated with a double or round crest growing from 2 points, while the feathers are arranged symmetrically and can form crests different shapes and length.

Where do budgerigars live in nature?

Budgerigars live in most of Australia, in Tasmania and other nearby islands and are the most familiar and numerous species of Australian parrots.

Under natural conditions, budgerigars live in flocks of 2 dozen to several hundred individuals and roam the mainland in search of food all their lives. Usually birds keep semi-desert and steppe landscapes with light forests, therefore they inhabit the entire eastern and western coasts, as well as the central part of the mainland, with the exception of the northern regions with dense forests.

The composition of a flock of budgerigars is constantly changing: individuals fly away, others join, small groups can gather in giant flocks of up to a million individuals, which is an unforgettable sight in beauty.

The birds usually wait out the hot time of the day in the shade, hiding on the branches in the dense foliage of trees. At night, budgerigars sleep, and with the first rays of the sun they gather in small flocks and go to a watering place and feeding areas located a few kilometers from the place of lodging for the night. Some birds drink at the water's edge, others descend to the very surface and quench their thirst on the fly. Often the company at the watering place is made up of cockatoos and zebra finches.

What do budgerigars eat?

According to scientists, the basis of the diet of budgerigars in nature is the seeds of terrestrial plants, to a greater extent these are the seeds of kangaroo grass. Due to human intervention in natural biotopes, birds are forced to restructure their diet depending on changing conditions. environment. Today, the main crop of Australia, grown everywhere, is, but the grains of this cereal are too large for small birds. In addition to grains, budgerigars eat young shoots and leaves of plants, various berries, vegetables and fruits, and occasionally feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Budgerigar nesting in their natural habitat occurs all year round: the northern part of the population begins to breed immediately after the end of the rainy season, in the south, nesting begins in November and December. Breeding pairs occupy hollows, creviced stumps and any other hollow niches.

The mating games of budgerigars consist in various courtships, an important part of which is “kissing” and burping food by the male. Thus, he demonstrates to the female his ability to feed future offspring. In the chosen place, practically without any litter, the female budgerigar lays from 4 to 12 white eggs, their incubation lasts about 3 weeks. The entire period of incubation, the male budgerigar feeds the female, being nearby in a relentless search for food.

Budgerigar chicks hatch from eggs naked and blind, weighing about 2 g, the mother warms the offspring, and both parents are engaged in feeding. 10 days after birth, the eyes of the chicks open, at the age of 1 month they completely fledge and can leave their native nest, although some young individuals stay near the nest for some time. At the age of 3 months, grown individuals are already able to reproduce.

Breeding budgerigars at home is a rather laborious process. Male and female, unlike most birds, should grow up together and feel great sympathy for each other, and artificially created pairs, as a rule, do not give offspring for several years.

How long do budgerigars live?

In nature, budgerigars live for about 7 years, and at home, with decent care, birds can live up to 10-15 years. The life expectancy of some individuals in captivity can reach 22 years.

Budgerigars at home: maintenance, care, feeding.

It is better to stop choosing a feathered pet for home keeping at 3-4 months old: at this age, budgerigars easily get used to their owners and a new home. But before you bring the bird home, you need to stock up on everything you need for decent care and maintenance of the budgerigar at home.

A rectangular cell is considered the best option. The size of the cage for a budgerigar should be such that the bird can fly from one perch to another without touching the walls with its wings. A cage measuring 25x40x40 cm is enough to keep one budgerigar. A cage with frequent vertical and rare horizontal rods will ensure unhindered movement of the bird and prevent slipping. Most best material cage - unpainted stainless steel. If the rods are painted, the bird will gnaw on them and may eat paint particles.

What should be in a budgie's cage?

Arranging a cage for a parrot is not so difficult. It is desirable that cell bottom budgerigar was solid, without rods: it is more convenient for the bird to run.

From below, the cage must be equipped pallet which makes cleaning easier.

The cage must have at least 2 perches located one above the other. The thickness of the perches for the parrot should be such that when clasping it with its paws, the bird cannot completely close its claws, that is, there should be a distance between the claws. Otherwise, the bird may rub its paws. The optimal perch thickness for a budgerigar is 1.5 cm. The perches themselves should only be made of wood. If necessary, you can make your own perches from any fruit trees.

To grind the beak in the cage of a budgerigar, you need to place sprigs of mountain ash, cherries or special chalk.

Well if drinker and bath will be porcelain or glass: these materials better preserve the purity of water. Also in the cell should be 2 feeders: for grain and soft food. It is advisable to wash both the feeders and the drinker daily, each time pouring new food and pouring new water. Be careful not to place perches over feeders and drinkers, otherwise the droppings may end up in the feed or water.

Of course, everyone wants their pet to live happily ever after. Such a life is impossible without some effort on the part of the owners. You will learn about what you need to do to ensure that your budgerigar is properly cared for and maintained at home and thereby help your bird live as long as possible, you will learn in this article.

What do you need to know before making a purchase?

A new pet in the house is not only a joy, but also a great responsibility. In this regard, you will have some problems and limitations. Therefore, before answering the question of how to maintain and properly care for a budgerigar at home, I will tell you about the restrictions that the owners of these birds have. There are several facts to consider here:

1. budgerigars get up early and excellent sing. Therefore, every morning you will hear a cheerful song of your bird.
2. You will have to clean up the room where the pet lives every day, as it will litter a lot feathers, various scraps of papers, husks from food, droppings and the like.
3. If your house has a lot of flowers or other plants, then you will need to remove them from the room where the bird will live. The fact is that when you release the parrot, it will probably be nibbling the leaves of plants, will taste the earth. All this can lead to poisoning and helminth infections.
4. Keeping and caring for budgerigars at home will force you to stop using various perfumes, aerosols, fresheners, smoking, painting nails, cooking, etc. in the room where the bird (birds) lives. Budgerigars (both females and males) have a very sensitive respiratory system . Therefore, such aromas can cause serious harm to their health.
5. Morally and financially, be prepared for the fact that parrots may have various disease. You may also find yourself allergic to a feathered friend. All this leads to a waste of time and money, since timely medical care is indispensable.
6. In no case don't leave the bird alone for a long time. If you decide to go somewhere to rest, then the duration of the rest should be no more than two days. Otherwise, you need to find a person in advance who could take care of the pet for some time, and introduce them to each other.

Readiness for such circumstances shows that the acquisition of a budgerigar is for you. Next, let's talk about what are the rules for the care and maintenance of such birds.

What things do you need to have to care for a budgerigar at home?

For a favorable mental and physical development of a bird, it is necessary to create comfortable living conditions for it in the house. Nothing should threaten the health of a feathered friend.

You need to prepare a place for a cage for a new pet to live in advance, before you bring it home. To avoid possible injuries when walking a parrot around the room, remove all items that can be in any way dangerous to his health: chemicals, various crayons, markers, broken and small things, wires.

Required for implementation proper care and keeping budgerigars at home you need to buy cells. They must be comfortable and properly equipped. Namely - include a drinking bowl, a feeder, a bath, poles and toys. When buying, pay special attention to the shape of the bird's dwelling. I advise you to buy large instances, rectangular shape. Since in nature these birds often fly from branch to branch, in order to feel comfortable they need a lot of space.

Bird housing should be located in a place suitable for a favorable mental and physical condition of the bird. Therefore, first of all, think not about the aesthetic beauty of the room, but about the comfort of the parrot.

What conditions are suitable to properly care for budgerigars?

The cage must be at home in quiet place. That is, where no one will interfere with the wavy, where he will not hear loud voices and sounds. Of course, the bathroom, kitchen or hallway are the worst options for its placement. In general, moving is very stressful situation for the birds, they see new places, strangers. Therefore, they need time and rest to adapt.

Climate the room should also be suitable for the comfortable living of the bird. In no case should you put a cage next to windows, with heating devices. Drafts should also be avoided. Necessary temperature regime is approximately - 22 - 25 degrees. Average percentage of recommended humidity in the room - 60% .

If it is warm enough outside, you can put the cage on the balcony. For the health of the parrot, being in the sun and outdoors. However, when keeping budgerigars, one must also take into account that they do not like too high temperature, heat, and heat. Direct rays from the sun should not fall on the bird, so cover half of the cage with a light cloth. Then your feathered pet will be able to hide in its shade from direct sunlight.

Nutrition

If you properly care for a budgerigar (boy or girl) after purchase (purchase at a pet store or from hands), then he can live up to about 15 years. Balanced feeding (or the necessary diet) is an important component of the competent maintenance and care of parrots. These birds have a high body temperature (about 41 degrees) and, accordingly, have a fast metabolism. In this regard, the pet must eat in the right way in order to replenish its body with all the necessary nutrients in a timely manner.

You can feed a winged friend:

• granular food,
• vegetables,
• seeds,
• cereals,
• fruits.

Sometimes in small amounts you can give:

• pasta,
• bread,
• boiled chicken,
• sweet pastries.

Wherein do not often give sweets! Their use leads to excessive activity.

Do not under any circumstances give salted, pickled and fried foods, avocados, strawberries, papaya, alcoholic dairy, tea and coffee drinks, cocoa, chocolate, meat and fish products.

The parrot should always have pure water in a drinker. Also, in addition to fresh water, he needs vitamins and minerals which contain large amounts phosphorus and calcium. Therefore, it is recommended to give the bird limestone. Also, the presence of grains of sand and small pebbles in the diet of a parrot helps the work of its digestive tract. Therefore, make sure that your feathered friend can receive these elements that are important for his health.

How many times a day should I feed my budgerigar?

Usually, once a day is enough. During the day, the bird eats a special mixture of grains, the amount of which is approximately two or two and a half teaspoons.
If you notice that this feed rate is not enough, that the bird does not eat up during the day, then there are 2 options:

1. add another 1/2 teaspoon;
2. feed 2 times a day, dividing the daily rate in half.

Do not feed your feathered pet only dry food! In nature, they do not feed on dry grain. They should have a varied diet!

Communication

The conditions for keeping, breeding and caring for budgerigars at home provide for communication. Budgerigars need to communicate either with a person, or with relatives. It is better if the bird has the opportunity to spend time with both the owner and other birds. Monotony, boredom, lack or lack of communication lead to health problems. The pet may begin to suffer depression and pluck its feathers.

So every day, talk and play with the bird. Also let go so that she can fly freely in the room.

Before releasing parrot in free flight, check the closedness of doors, refrigerators, windows, washing machines etc. In addition, it is first necessary to hide or close all objects containing water. For example, bathroom and toilet room. Open aquariums and filled glasses also do not belong in a room where a parrot will fly. The fact is that, perhaps, he wants to swim, choke and drown.

Keep an eye on the parrot so that nothing happens to him. And, of course, if you have other animals at home (cats, dogs, etc.) that are not averse to playing or hunting for a bird, remove them from the room with the parrot.

Of course, you will not always be with your feathered pet, so make sure that he has toys. Great happiness for a parrot can be brought by the settlement of another bird to him, which would become him couple. Properly caring for budgerigars means not only looking after them, but also looking after their offspring. That is, to create all the conditions for the birds to take care of their chicks. If you have a male and a female, then they will need a nest box with a nest for chicks.

Cage Care

Clean the cage every week at least two times. To do this, use warm water. It should not contain any substances that you usually use in your home to clean or clean anything. That is, do not use powders, floor liquids, etc. to care for the parrot's home. Make sure you have a cleaning brush. For these purposes, for example, an unnecessary, used toothbrush is perfect.

After you wash all the things that are in the cage, do not forget to wipe them with a dry cloth. The dirtiest part of the bird's dwelling is the pallet. So clean and wipe it thoroughly. When the cleaning is complete, you can place new paper on the bottom of the clean cage or sprinkle special sand bought at the pet store.

Bird care

Periodically, parrots need sharpen one's claws and beaks. For this purpose, they need objects made of wood. It could be any wooden toy, small toy tree, stick, floor feeder, wooden drinker, etc. The owners must take care in advance that their birds can easily satisfy the need for grinding claws and beak.

Parrots also have seasonal molt. Useful information about these difficult periods in the life of feathered friends and about.

Monitor your pet's behavior. If he doesn't behave like he used to, and you don't know the reason for this behavior, seek help from a veterinarian. This should be done as soon as possible - in the presence of the first suspicion of the disease.

Monitor the condition of bird droppings. Liquid droppings for a long time may indicate that the parrot is sick.

I hope that this article helped you find everything you were interested in about the life, care and maintenance of budgerigars at home. And now you know what all owners of these winged pets need to know.

Below I also post an additional interesting video on the topic. I highly recommend watching it.

Please tell us in the comments how you take care of your budgerigar?

Read in this article

Of all the birds in apartments, budgerigars are most often kept. These funny birds have won the hearts of many people with their liveliness and talkativeness. After all, it's great when a bright active lump lives at home, from the chirping of which the mood rises. Where did the budgerigar come from? What are the features of its content at home? How to make sure that this amazing bird is always healthy and pleases the eye and ear for as long as possible?

The life of budgerigars in nature

The name of this bird in Latin sounds like Melopsittacus undulatus. Melos - "sing", psittacus - "parrot", undulatus - "wavy". The parrot received its definition for the characteristic pattern on the wings - it resembles waves. In English, "budgerigar" will be Budgerigar. The abbreviated word Budgies can be seen on food packages.

Survival

Wavy have not always been pets. These are free birds, whose homeland is Australia. They live in colonies and move in packs, so on the plains you can often see huge dazzling green "clouds" quickly flying from place to place. Collectivity allows parrots to survive because they easily notify each other of danger. Yes, and it is more difficult for a predator to catch a specific individual when a colored carousel constantly flickers before his eyes.

Budgerigars have a bright grassy color for a reason. This allows you to see each other from afar, and males use their saturation to conquer females. The wings, on the contrary, are faded gray. This allows them to camouflage themselves from predators while feeding. After all, budgerigars are looking for the main part of the food on the ground.

"Curious! All wild budgerigars are green in color. Other colors (blue, white, yellow, lilac) are the result of many years of selection of domesticated birds.

But the protective coloration of the back does not always save budgerigars, and many of them still die from the paws of birds of prey, animals or snakes. Dry weather is also detrimental to wavy ones, so birds often die in unfavorable seasons. To minimize losses, the flock is forced to constantly roam from place to place, following the clouds. Where it's more likely to rain.

reproduction

Despite many risks, budgerigars maintain a population. In this they are helped by a short breeding cycle and rather large litters for such small birds. Once in a favorable environment with enough food and water, the wavy immediately begin to engage in procreation.

Already 10 days after mating, the female lays from 1 to 6 eggs, from which chicks hatch after 20 days. The mother feeds them for up to 2 months, after which the chicks leave the nest and begin to feed on their own. At 3 months old, they are already able to mate and give birth to their offspring.

Nutrition

Wild budgerigars are not tempted to eat. They are happy to eat the seeds of land plants and grass. Occasionally they feast on young shoots and berries. Small insects are included in the diet of wavy only in times of famine. Sometimes flocks of budgerigars attack the wheat fields cultivated by man.

Content at home

The domestication of budgerigars began in the middle of the 19th century, when they began to be massively caught in Australia and exported to Europe. It was considered fashionable to own such an outlandish bird, so the demand was very high. The Australian authorities were afraid that the population might disappear, and ordered ornithologists to start breeding parrots in captivity. And since these birds willingly give birth in favorable conditions, wavy soon ceased to be a rarity.

A modern person, having a budgerigar, must necessarily get acquainted with the information about their content. This will improve the quality of life of the bird in captivity so that it is always cheerful and active. At home, a parrot can live up to 15 years, or even more with appropriate care.

Convenient bird cage

The larger the cage, the more comfortable the budgerigar. Its minimum dimensions for one bird should be 40 * 30 * 30 (length, width, height). If you are holding a pair, then 60*45*60. The cage must have:

• wooden perches (2 or more, located at different heights so that the birds can flutter from one to another);
• 2 feeders (one for grains and cereals, the other for wet food);
• drinking bowl with clean water;
• toys (mirrors, ladders, bells).

It is not necessary to completely fill the cage with toys and rocking chairs. The budgerigar should have enough space to move freely. And it is better if the cage is not round, but rectangular or square, because parrots need corners where they feel safe.

"Curious! The wavy ones have one feature: when they are awake, they do not sit in one place, but constantly run around the perch. This is due to the instinct of self-preservation: in captivity, budgerigars are forced to move so as not to be captured by predators.

It is important to choose the right place for the cage. It is optimal that the place be well lit, because the activity of the wavy depends on the length of the daylight hours. But you should not put a cage near the window, because the birds catch cold easily. Well, if it is a separate bedside table approximately in the middle of the room. Also, the cage can be hung from the ceiling.

What to feed

The cage is set, the birds are inhabited. What to feed them? The diet of domestic budgerigars does not differ from the diet of wild parrots: seeds, fruits, twigs. In order for the bird to receive a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, you should buy ready-made feeds (the daily rate is prescribed on the package), which include oats, millet, flaxseed, meadow grasses, sunflower seeds. Additionally, a piece can be fixed in the cage mineral stone, which the wavy will peck, replenishing the calcium reserves in the body.

In addition to food, you can feed budgerigars with various delicacies:

• fruits (apples, pears, kiwi, peaches) and vegetables (carrots, cucumber, beets);
• greens (lettuce, dandelion leaves, wood lice, dill);
• twigs (willow, birch, maple, alder);
• boiled eggs (protein), fat-free cottage cheese;
• porridge on the water (buckwheat, millet, rice, barley);
• unsalted crackers, crackers.

Everything else should not be given to parrots. Human food can harm the bird's digestion, and it will get sick.

"Attention! All grasses and twigs collected on the street should first be doused with boiling water or washed with soda, and only then given to the bird. And make sure that the parrot does not eat houseplants: they can be poisonous.

There should always be water in the budgerigar's cage. It should be changed every 1-2 days. For drinking wavy, tap water, settled or filtered, is best suited. In boiled there are no minerals necessary for a bird. Water should be clean, cool and fresh, without gas. As a treat, you can sometimes give a budgerigar natural freshly squeezed juices, slightly diluted with water.

Lifestyle

Budgerigar Day begins at dawn. The cage should be covered at night, because as soon as light enters it in the morning, the bird will chirp and run. One side of the cage must be left open so that the wavy does not suffocate.

During the day, the parrot is usually alert: he runs around the cage, jumps from perch to perch, plays with a bell, communicates with himself in the mirror. If this is a couple, then they are passionate about each other: they clean their feathers, kiss, flirt.

In the wild, budgerigars fly a lot, so they need to be released more often at home. The bird should stretch its wings regularly and maintain its physical shape. This will allow her to stay healthy longer. When releasing a bird, you need to ensure its safety: close the windows, turn off the gas on the stove, warn your family to watch where they sit.

"By the way! At home, budgerigars often die because of accidents, and not from old age or disease.”

If you have time, you can play with the wavy. These birds are quickly addicted to the most different games, and any object can become a toy for them: a pencil, an elastic band for hair, a spoon, etc.

Hand taming

You can absolutely any budgerigar. And if someone has a wild or aggressive bird, then the owners themselves are to blame. It is necessary to engage in domestication from a very young age - from 3-4 months. By this time they are already quite independent birds that can live without a mother.

1. Having brought the bird home, it is necessary to give it a couple of days for development. Let it be quiet in the apartment all this time, and you, passing by the cage, stop and talk to the wavy in a calm tone.
2. On the third day, you can open the cage, step aside and watch the parrot. If the bird becomes interested and starts to go out, it means that she is used to it. If it's still sitting in a corner, give it a couple more days.
3. As soon as the wavy has left the cage, quietly approach him and hold out a treat (seed, apple). Did the parrot take food from your hands? Amazing! Not? Then wait some more. Let him get used to it, fly around the apartment.
4. Gradually, you can put your hand on the bird so that it sits on it. If you do everything calmly and measuredly, without sudden movements, then after 1-2 weeks the parrot will begin to fly to you on the sofa or at the computer desk.

It should only be after he gets used to you. Choose one word containing the sound "r" as well as hissing (for example, "good") and say its wavy daily, sitting next to the cage. The bird should respond to communication: touch with its beak and look at you. If she sleeps or cleans her feathers, try another time.

Breeding

One budgerigar is still bored, even if people constantly play with it. And if you are rarely at home, then your pet definitely needs a friend. Some owners don't get a second budgerigar because they don't want to take care of the chicks. But you can have two same-sex birds! If you intentionally start a couple of wavy ones in order to, pay attention to the bird's wax. This is a small growth above the beak. Simply put, "nose". If the cere is brown, you have a female in front of you, and if blue or blue - a male.

Budgerigars are monogamous. But breeders recommend immediately buying two birds that have grown up in the same flock so that they definitely do not give up on each other. Although domestic wavy rarely behave obstinately towards a new friend or girlfriend, therefore the risks of being left without bird offspring are small.

nesting house

In captivity, budgerigars breed quite actively. But in addition to heat, light, food and water, one more condition is needed - a house. The female will not let the male near her until she equips the nest in a place hidden from prying eyes. Nesting houses for wavy are sold in pet stores and resemble birdhouses: a wooden or plastic box with a hole.

A female budgerigar can lay up to 6 eggs. All this time she will sit in the house and get out only occasionally - for feeding. Although some particularly caring males fly into the house and feed the hen. You can’t get eggs, otherwise the female may refuse to hatch. You need to check the offspring through the removed top cover of the house. If the eggs lie for more than 3 weeks, they are empty.

The little bird can't always keep warm a large number eggs, so it is necessary to maintain the optimum temperature. If the room is cool, you need to heat the house outside with a lamp. And no drafts.

A nursing female and grown chicks should be fed with cereals on the water: millet, wheat, barley. When the babies are 1.5 months old, they will begin to crawl out of the house. As soon as the last chick leaves the nest, the house must be removed. Otherwise, parents can immediately move on to the next brood. The female needs to gain strength for at least six months.

It is impossible not to love wavy parrots. If these charming birds once appear in the apartment, then people start them all the time. Cheerful chirping, perky disposition and friendliness perfectly brighten up loneliness and cheer up. You just need to properly feed the wavy and ensure their safety.

Keeping small domesticated parrots in an apartment has many advantages, but without knowing how to care for a budgerigar, you should not rush to buy such a pet. Improper maintenance, care and feeding of budgerigars can lead to serious illness and death of birds. At the same time, for residents of big cities, there are many advantages in keeping a small bird, because you don’t need to walk with a parrot, and if you have a well-equipped cage and the ability to purchase high-quality food and supplements, caring for a bird will not be difficult. So what is required to keep this bird? Let's see what the experts recommend.

Rules for the care of budgerigars

With proper care, the lifespan of birds is about 20 years, but many common mistakes lead to a significant reduction in their life to 6-8 years. And in order to provide a pet full life the following rules must be observed:

How to care for a budgerigar in the autumn-winter period?

During the period heating season, in addition to the above recommendations, the humidity and temperature in the room should be especially carefully controlled. Morning and evening should be wet cleaning. In order to compensate the parrot for the lack of sunlight, at least 100W light bulbs should be used. To increase immunity during this period, it is recommended to add 2-3 drops of fresh lemon juice to the water. Also, strictly adhering to the instructions, you should use vitamin and mineral supplements.

How to care for a budgerigar in the hot season?

In the summer, special attention should be paid to hygiene, clean the cage more often, monitor the cleanliness of the feeder and drinker. Daily wet cleaning in the room will not be superfluous. You should also keep your bird away from direct sunlight. Keeping, caring for and breeding budgerigars can become an interesting hobby for both adults and children, because watching and communicating with these wonderful pets gives a lot of positive emotions and new experiences.

Full members of our families are animals and birds tamed by man. That is why each of our pets needs proper and individual care.

Even if your pet is a bird, such as a budgerigar. Proper care of a parrot has its own characteristics. Therefore, I want to introduce you to the article: "Care for the budgerigar."

Features of caring for a budgerigar

The bird I'm talking about is a pet parakeet, the budgerigar is a type of parakeet. The budgerigar is a very cute bird, and it easily adapts to life in captivity with proper care. When starting a budgerigar in an apartment, you must first of all understand that you will be responsible for the comfort of his stay and his fate. But if you do not have enough time to properly care for a parrot, it is better to abandon this idea. In principle, this bird is from the category of pets that will not cause problems for you. You must be ready to constantly deal with your feathered pet.

Parrots are just those birds that almost all people like. They are very active, bright and small. Parrots have a very diverse coloring, so you can choose exactly the coloring of the wavy friend that he likes. You need to know that it is impossible to determine the sex of a parrot before the age of one month.

Choosing a home for a parrot

And if you still decide to get yourself a parrot, then you need to purchase a cage in which the parrot will then live. It is also necessary to allow the parrot to fly freely around the apartment, as it will not survive long in a confined space. A sedentary lifestyle will adversely affect your pet's health. The bird cage should be located in a well-lit area, but you need to make sure that the sun does not cause discomfort to your pet. All parrots are very fond of sunlight, but from time to time they should be in the shade. You should not place the cage in the kitchen. In addition, you can not put it in the bathroom. In addition, we do not recommend installing it in a room with a computer.

Clean the cage daily. Also, wash it weekly. The bottom of the cage can be sent thick paper sprinkled with sand on top. Also, to create coziness and comfort, the cage should contain at least two perches, a drinking bowl, as well as a feeder, and do not forget about a small bath. It is well known that this species of birds is very fond of rings, mirrors and bells. However, it is not recommended to hang these toys right away. The reason is that your pet is scared, because he is in your house for the first time and is not used to it yet, and extraneous sounds and reflections will frighten and annoy him.

If you have purchased only one bird, then it will not cause you any inconvenience with its voice. But, if you decide to settle a few of these birds, they can make you uncomfortable with their constant chirping. Also, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that parrots get along great in any quantity, they coexist wonderfully with other birds and endure great frosts.

And budgies have a long lifespan. Some individuals live more than -20 years. This is important, because it is not easy to part with pets, because we are used to them as family members. By the way, budgerigars get used to their owners and perfectly recognize them by their voice and other signs.

Food wavy

The key to a long and beautiful life of a pet is its proper nutrition. Basically, the parrot's diet should be a grain mixture, its composition: oats or oatmeal - 20% millet - 60%. Like canaries, give weed seeds - 10%, sunflower seeds - 10%. Also, to fortify the diet of a parrot, it is necessary to cook porridge for him in water and without adding oils. Also, it is necessary to pamper the birds with treats such as fresh fruits and vegetables. And it is important to monitor the freshness and purity of the water in the drinker. Fresh and clean water is vital for your pet.

Many owners find it pleasant to let their pets talk. Everyone wants to show off their pet's speech to the guests, it's still nice when your pet speaks almost meaningful speeches. Sometimes it seems to the owners of these birds that the birds not only copy sounds, but also express their thoughts. In order for the bird to please you with its vocabulary, you need to deal with it regularly. There is a misconception that a parrot should have one teacher. But it is not so. The main rule of training is that people regularly and as often as possible speak with the bird, repeating the same words to him, with the same intonation. The main thing is daily work, which will then bring joy to your home! At the first stage, tell the parrot simple words. The learning process should be similar to the learning process of a child. And then his words will delight you and those around you!

I hope that the acquisition of a parrot will bring joy to your home!