Budgerigar

[kantor1003]

Yesterday, for some reason, I thought that I just had to get a budgie sometime in the near future (isn't the first time I've wanted one though). As always, when I get something on my mind, I spent yesterday and today frantically reading everything I could stumble upon on the net about these creatures. Current living conditions doesn't allow me to get one though (cats), but if things goes according to plan, I'll be moving out from my parents in september, so I'm thinking about acquiring one then. Personally, I don't have too much experience with them, but when I was a kid my dad had one. It didn't really appeal to me back then because they, unlike cats and dogs, usually aren't into patting. This isn't a too big of a concern now I think, because they seem to have other pros that outweigh the cons. Among other things they can become very attached to their owner (especially if you only have one of them, something I plan to), they don't require too much work or cost much money to keep, they are very playful, intelligent and social, and I rather fancy the thought of having a bird with attitude flying around in my room.

Does anyone have any experience with them? If you do, I'd like you to share everything you can about them. How is/was your bond with the bird? How did you go about taming it if it weren't already tame? Could you dive into detail exactly what about them and their company that you find pleasurable?

I haven't too much clue how I would go about training, taming and acquiring it. Here are some thoughts I have at the moment. I want to have one bird only as I want it to bond with me as much as possible. Preferably a male as females can be more of a hassle. If I can, I want to get a young budgie from a breeder rather then a pet store as they would be hand fed and more tame from the get go. I plan to have the wings clipped in the beginning as it will make the training process easier. I want it to be able to come and sit on my finger when I call it before letting it out off the cage and from that point on it will be free to roam about all day and the wings will never again be clipped. If you have any objections or some tips regarding the taming/bonding/training process, please share

 

[grey matters]

Budgies are loud and messy. They shit everywhere. when I was a teenager my sister got a pair. Their cage was right next to the window that looked out on our backyard. At the crack of dawn, long before anyone wanted to wake up on Saturday mornings, they would be chirping with the outdoor birds. In the evenings they felt as if they ought to be the loudest thing in the room. After dinner the dishwasher would be going, Someone would usually be on the telephone which resided on the wall in our kitchen because that's where you had phones back in the days before cordless phones and cell phones, and anyone wishing to have a conversation in that room had to yell above the screechings of those damn birds. the louder you got in order to be heard above the birds the louder the birds got until everyone in the room was shouting. It's funny though. the birds resided in the kitchen, a place where you cook things, yet we still put up with the presence of them.

 

[kantor1003]

Nah, their droppings are tiny and can easily be cleaned. Sure, it's too much work if you don't like the bird in the first place though.
Their twittering is nothing compared to that of a larger parrot, especially those that haven't been properly trained to keep their mouth shut once in a while, which I had the misfortune of having in the house once. With regards to budgerigars, I presume two make more noise than one, but I still can't say I find it too bothersome. If I did, I wouldn't consider acquiring one.

And yeah, I heard about them raising their voice if required in ordered to be heard. They are quite social creatures, hehe.

 

[grey matters]

Compared to parrots budgies are quiet. Parrots, at least the one we had (briefly) SQUALK loudly. The one we had had an attitude and bit people. He also shit all over the place.

An interesting story about parrots: We kept this parrots cage on a little cart that squeaked horribly at the slightest movement. Strangely we never thought to oil the wheels but that's another story. Anyway one morning my mother heard the cart squeaking so she went down stairs to see who was moving the cart. I turned out that the parrot had learned how to make the squeaking noise. Had the bird not been so cantankerous we would have let it out of it's cage more often.

It seems that the only people I know who have kept birds long term were a little crazy. My mom had a friend of hers who had a giant 6000 sq ft house in a very expensive neighborhood. He had lost his mind years ago but he was still employed by the government because he had tenure and they couldn't fire him. Anyway he let his birds fly free (and shit freely) all over his giant house. I hoped he had house maids....I never did ask this question.

The other person turned her formal living room into an aviary. I suppose this is not too unusual but she also had a habit of eating chalk and getting pregnant a lot.

 

[Minuend]

Their droppings are usually very dry, small droplets that can easily be removed. When tame I think they try not to poop on you.

Charming little creatures. I don't remember them making that much noise.

 

[The Gopher]

Their droppings are usually very dry, small droplets that can easily be removed. When tame I think they try not to poop on you.

Charming little creatures. I don't remember them making that much noise.

Heh, hehheh heh.... yes indeed....

 

[Cavallier]

My neighbor has one that's got really beautiful plumage. He's bright blue and green. He seems sweet enough. I never see his owner without him perched on his shoulder. Apparently you aren't supposed to let them on your shoulder because they then think they are the one in control. Whatever. He never seems to poop on his owner.

Anyway, I never pass their door when he isn't squawking his little heart out. I think the owner must have gone deaf years ago. Then again the owner might also have a parrot. I'm not sure. Not much help am I?

I think birds take more dedication than a dog or cat does. You really have to work with them and make sure they are happy because they'll let you know when they aren't.

 

[kantor1003]

I think birds take more dedication than a dog or cat does. You really have to work with them and make sure they are happy because they'll let you know when they aren't.

It depends a whole lot on the bird. With regards to budgerigars they require FAR less work than a dog for instance and can't really be compared at all. Something like a macaw, on the other hand, I presume would require a whole lot of work. Most likely even more so than with a dog, but I don't have any experience with them.

 

[Cavallier]

^Yeah, you are probably right. I know a woman who has an African Grey and she's worried because she knows her grey will outlive her by about 20 years. She really loves him like a child and fears he might grieve himself to death after she passes away. They can be very intelligent and are very close to their people.

 

[kantor1003]

Getting such a close companion is really a double edged sword.

Yeah, it's strange how long some of those parrots can live. Aren't there some that lives like 90 years?
Didn't Churchill's parrot scream derogatory words about hitler like 50 years after he died? Kinda funny.

 

[Polaris]

Getting such a close companion is really a double edged sword.

Yeah, it's strange how long some of those parrots can live. Aren't there some that lives like 90 years?
Didn't Churchill's parrot scream derogatory words about hitler like 50 years after he died? Kinda funny.

The Palm Cockatoo lives to about 90. Please disregard the irritating voiceover in this video. Fascinating birds. If you're a bird-nerd, like me.

YouTube - ‪Parrots in the Land of Oz: Hello, Palm Cockatoo!‬‏

Also check out the NZ Kakapo. It lives to about 100.

YouTube - ‪Kakapo - New Zealand‬‏

 

[kantor1003]

The Palm Cockatoo has a really fascinating, almost majestic look Really interesting sounds they make as well. Are they monogamous?

The kakapo was beautiful awww.

(oh, and I like your avatar. Perhaps I have a thing for, preferably old, black and white photographs of beautiful woman.)

 

[Polaris]

Oh, thank you Kantor My avatar has two of my favourite creatures in it: Audrey Hepburn + cat.

The magnificent Palm Cockatoos form life-long monogamous partnerships. They are one of the few bird species that use tools; a stick used for drumming on hollow trunks to attract females. Apparently there's a lot of fuss over what kind of stick to use, and the resonance of the trunk, etc.

The NZ Kakapo will shag just about anything that moves:

YouTube - ‪Shagged by a rare parrot - Last Chance To See - BBC Two‬‏

 

[kantor1003]

Haha, the birds face is epic. As Stephen Frye points out "he looks so happy"!:P
If I where the guy that was being taken advantage of I would have felt a little bit.. hmm.. weird The budgerigar we had when I was a kid, used to shag/masturbate quite a lot as well. Preferably on my fathers head, or on the poor rabbit that probably didn't know what on earth was happening. He was the patient kind though, and allowed the small winged creature to carry out with his plans.