Thinking of getting budgies

[Hookturn]

I have been thinking for quite some time about getting a budgie. Given that I have such a great resource here and wanting to make sure I do things "right" I figured I'd ask for input before I make a decision. Time with the birds is not an issue for us. There is always someone home but for about 4-5 hours a day. I have read a lot about them online but much of the info I have found I know to be inaccurate. For instance, one of the stickies (budgie faq) on this forum under the "parrot species" topic states that getting more than one budgie is a mistake because the bird will not bond to you. I know from reading many of your posts that this is misguided advice. So I figured I'd get as much info up front from those with experience.

First, I live in a very small town and there are no budgie breeders within several hundred miles. My choice is pretty much confined to the local pet store. They are unclipped thankfully. Sadly they offer a free clipping, poor little guys. Of course I would not allow them to clip the birds and I would be getting at least two.

I am wondering whether it's best to get one of each sex or two of the same. I think I know the answer but wanted some input. My concern with getting opposite sex is that I don't want them to breed. How can I prevent this if I go that route?

Also, do they have a specialized diet? My conure gets my version of gloop in the morning and a good pellet at night. I don't know if budgies require something special or can they have the same diet as my conure?

Is there anything in particular I should look for when picking them out?

Anything else you think I should know or consider would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!

[Wolf]

I do a lot of research, taking advantage of other peoples scientific studies and so forth, but unfortunately my education in regards to budgies is sadly lacking. The vast majority of what I know about them falls into the category of I know that I know something about this , well at least I think that I know something about this, I hope.

[Hookturn]

Lol I have read quite a bit about them and feel the same way. but what I know is that I don't know what I probably should and know that I know stuff I probably shouldn't. Lol

[Pajarita]

Personally, Hook, I would adopt 6 (3 boys, 3 girls) from Craigslist, get them a large flight cage, set it up nice and just enjoy looking at them. Why? Adoption from CL because there are sooooo many of them on it all the time and, usually, these are fairly young birds (people buy them for the kids and get rid of them in less than two years when the kids are no longer interested in the novelty and nobody wants to clean and feed them). Three girls and three boys because it's a perfectly good little flock and they are HIGHLY flock oriented (you'll see, you open the door and one comes out and they all follow, one flies to another perch and they all follow, and, when it's time for dinner, one flies into the cage and they all fly into it -it's the cutest thing!). Flight cage because they need the room and just enjoy looking at them because they are highly entertaining and do SOOOOOO much better without a human imposing him/herself on them.

Diet is the same: gloop and produce for breakfast (mine don't eat fruit but they do eat the veggies in the gloop and some cooked ones like corn on the cob, pumpkin, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes but they hardly ever go for the raw ones except for carrots) with emphasis on the leafy green which they love, love, love (they don't only eat it, they take baths on it, too).

As to prevention for breeding, just don't give them a nest during the breeding season. If you keep them at a solar schedule and don't feed high protein, you really don't need to do anything else but, if they do lay (in the seed cup or wherever), just take the egg and throw it out (it's safe to do this with them because they are determinate layers).

[Hookturn]

I wish I could find some on Craigslist. Unfortunately I live in a very small town in the middle of nowhere. People here still sell most things using the newspaper as opposed to craigslist. I will keep looking though. I would much rather go that route than support the bird mills. Thanks for the info.

[Pajarita]

Check the newspaper then but, if you are willing to take a long drive, see this: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/pet/4787595712.html

[Hookturn]

That's way too far for me. I could probably find some in st louis. It's only 2.5 hours. That drive would be about 8.

[liz]

Wolf, didn't you drive to NY?

I went into SC and stayed over night before driving back.

[Wolf]

Wolf, didn't you drive to NY?

I went into SC and stayed over night before driving back.

Only for a parrotlet.

[liz]

Wolf, didn't you drive to NY?

I went into SC and stayed over night before driving back.

Only for a parrotlet.

Myrtle was named for Myrtle Beach.