Budgie List

[Nathaniel]

Very well you all have discouraged me from breeding so I will stick with the one bird. :/

[Rue]

Good decision! You have many years ahead of you if you do decide you'd like to breed down the road...

You can also look for hand-tamed budgies. They cost a bit more but, IMO, are well worth the extra money...

If you can, avoid the 'bulk-bin' budgies altogether (the ones that come from the pet-stores). They are mass bred, are often inbred, and seem to come with a host of potential problems.

Ours are both bulk-bin. We lucked out with one. She's a sweetie. But the other is psychotic - at this point we just try to NOT upset her...

[Nathaniel]

I still enjoy messing with genetics and the excitement of babies but I will stick with this decision until I can be sure to provide for them.

I have found a breeder who hand feeds his birds and has figured out how to get a certain combo of mutations for color and such. I think I want A cobalt male or a Dark Eyed Clear (White). I will ask him if I can get a Blackfacebecause they look cool to. I appriciate your concern and I know that most of you have much more experience and knowledge than me.

[Nathaniel]

P.S. I do not breed just for the heck of it. I have a deep curiosity towards how puting A and B will result, I like the rewarding benifits of raising a new life towards the best they could be. I once bred dwarf hamsters for the same reason. Its not for money or the heck of it, its for the joy and rewarding feelings of raising and breeding my pets.

[Rue]

Well...breeding for the 'heck of it' would be breeding just to see if you can. Unless you have a program and are trying to breed something specific (with a valid reason to do so)...then you're just breeding for the experience.

You don't need to re-invent the wheel. You don't need to cross A X B to see what will be produced if others have done it and published their results...

That's my opinion.

I also strongly feel you shouldn't breed animals unless you can place them, or are willing to take them back if their home doesn't work out...

[YungAndintrigued]

I don't see where the conversation starts, Mabye im going insane?

[Nathaniel]

Just because I enjoy the excitement of seeing results doesn't mean I am doing this for selfish reasons. I always find my pets good homes, I have for the past four years, improved the color and temperment of my firemouths. I improved the genetic diversity by selling my high colored firemouths to other breeders so they could breed with their fish, and improve color there by improving the fish itself. I am not new to the idea of breeding, this is just one of my success stories. I will admit that I enjoy it, but it is not just for the experience.

So I have already stated that I will not begin breeding these birds. I realize how you feel but this thread is to help me keep a single budgie. It is not to chastize me for wanting to increase my knowledge by suggesting an idea. Now I refuse to argue anymore. I wish to know any of you can answer my questions otherwise leave me alone. I signed up for information not punishment.

[Nathaniel]

Lets try this again...
This is the starting cost and list of supplies-
Cost
Supplies: $745
Vet: $100
Future Food and Toys: $55
Bird: $10
Total: $910

Suppies list:
>Cage- Super Pet EZ Care Bow Front Mini Playtop Bird Cage for Small Birds

>Travel Cage- Fold 'n Go Travel Cage

>Playstand- $15 pvc pipe tree Diy

>Food- AvianMaintenance Natural Parakeet 2-1/4 lbs, Roudybush Low Fat Daily Maintenance Diet 44 oz, Premium Parakeet Blend 5 lbs

>Perchs- Small and Medium Comfy Cable Perch, Rope Cotton Rope, Safety Pumice Perch XSmall 5/8" x 6" long, Java Perches Small, MAC's Creatures & Critters Natural Wood Perches

>Swings and Ladders-Snuggle Rings Small 6", Bendable Bead Ladder 20", Penn Plax Wooden Bird Swings, Clear Ring Activitoy Bird Toy

>Toys- Natural Pinata Small 8",Go-Nuts Toys Small, Rope Knots 6" long x 5/8" dia, Mac's Creations Natural Grapewood Bird Toy, Jungle Talk Triple Block Ring Bird Toys, Polly's Better Beak Bird Toy, Hawaiian Delights Bird Toys, ActiviToys™ Hall of Mirrors™ Bird Toy, Jungle Talk Manzanita Disk Toys, Activitoy Triple Mirror Bird Toy, Beak Tweaker Small 4" x 6"

>Grooming and Health- Happy Hut, Grooming Tools Claw Scissors, First Aid Kit, Digital Scale, Quiko Daily V Liquid Multivitamin, Kwik Stop Styptic Powder

>Foraging- Cholla Cactus Perch, Ceramic Crock 10.2 oz Hooded, Go-Nuts Toys Small, Glass Feeder/Waterer 6", holds 2.5 oz

>Training- Golden Sunburst Millet 1 lb, Stainless Steel Cup Small Hanging, Rings Game Small, Aviator Harness & Leash Set, Top Paw® Clicker

>Cleaning-Cage Cleaning Kit 6-in-1 Tool, Poop-Off 32 oz Spray

[Nathaniel]

If anyone has questions comments ar suggestions about my choice of items, let me know.

[Chicklet]

I really impressed that you're willing to spend so much on a budgie, I mean everyone here would but I used to work in a pet store and to most people a budgie was "just a 20$ replaceable pet" I guess it just makes me happy to see proof that people do care about the small animals and the "cheaper" animals.

One thing I would suggest is not to use a harness or flight suit for a budgie, they are much to small and fragile for one. If you want to take him/her outside then use a travel cage or build/buy an outdoor aviary.