Lisa Shea Forums Parakeets General Parakeet Chat I'm getting a budgie!!! need advice :)

I have some questions for parakeet owners with some experience, because I'm getting a budgie in two weeks. The cage is supposed to come at the end of next week, and I need to prepare the environment for my feathered friend.

I just need some advice on the important things I need to get. I already did some extensive research on training a budgie, on "do's and don'ts" as far as training a parakeet.

However, I need help choosing food and all those things. So here are the things I would like to know:

1. What brand of food is the best? Something that is not too expensive. I heard some people buy finch food in large bags for their parakeets, and it lasts a long time. However, I don't know if that's a good idea or not. I was wondering if there is something that is not too spendy, and preferably a larger bag, not some itty-bitty bag for 10 dollars...

2. Also, are there any other gadgets that you would advise for me to get?


Thank you

Irishku - congratulations on your impending addition to your family.

I will tell you what I get for my guys. What ever I can find that is vitamin and mineral enriched. And if it on sale that is a bonus.

Having said that, I have to add that I feed my guys fresh vegies, herbs and a calcium suplement (egg shell, sprinkled on their food).

They also have two different types of mineral blocks and a couple of cuttle bones.

Quite often the mix I get them will have pellets in it. There are as many ideas on what to feed your keet as there are keet owners.

You do want to stay away from seeds that is only millet. Just look at the ingredients on the back of the bag. Millet is very fattening and should be used as a treat.

As tempting as it may be; I would not get bulk food. You run a very high chance of bringing home critters you had not planned on. There can be all kinds of little insects in the bulk food and once it gets in there it is almost impossible for the pet store to get rid of them. So just don't do it. BTW the critters will not hurt you keets they are just gross and they could migrate to your food.

If I had to suggest one thing that I think is great, I would suggest a rope perch.

Of course there is all the regular stuff ie cuttle bone, mineral block, cement perch. At first don't crowd the cage with a lot of toys. Maybe one or two. Let your new keet get used to the cage without all the terrifying monsters in it. (they are such scardy cats at first)

Good luck - I am sure you will be so pleased with your new keet.

I agree dont buy to much seed all at once...for one parakeet you will be surprised how long some seed can last if you at least start out with a few different types...the store where you get your bird from should have all you need...get a good fortified KEET mix NOT finch food...stick with keet food ..get some oats n groats...and moulting food...maybe a veggie mix of some food...so you will need three food cups easily ..for the different types of food ..like us when we eat we dont just have one thing we have side dishes ...giggle..as was mentioned you dont need toys right away really as when you get the bird it will need to take in all in his new home and YOUR home too and YOU..so they dont do much of anything for about three days...then you can add one or two toys but never over crowd your cage with ****STUFF..nite frights bangin into too much can cause injury...a cement perch should be on your list before toys even in my opinion...NOT SAND perches and NOT sand paper cage paper for the bottom..use paper towel or anything but something with sand..again emphasis on the cement perch..
Glad you finally figured out the cage you were gonna get..

A cuttlefish is essential - in fact, you get one with most cages. If you can, get perches of varying size so that your kett's weight is not all on the same part of the foot, which can cause irritation.
I have tried various brands of food and have settled on Trill - it comes in a box meaning I can recycle the empties and it also rattles, giving my keet a signal for feeding time (he sits on his feeding perch and waits - so cute).
As mentioned above, starting out with one or two toys is best as they are terrified of literally everything when you first get them. After all, these birds aren't exactly the best at defeding themselves - in fact, Budgerigar comes from Austrilian aborigine for "good to eat".
I have no idea why I mentioned that.
Congratulations on your new best friend!

i see you have been doing some reading on budgies armando..well done.

Thanks to all for your replies--lots of useful facts and advice. The more I read about it, the more it excites me!

By the way, what is it about a cement perch that is so important? Does it massage budgie's feet or something?
BLR also suggested getting a rope perch. Is that because rope is soft for the budgie's feet, kinda like a couch?

By the way... I absolutely love candles, I'm a candle-freak, but I read that the oils and fumes are deadly to parakeets. I was just wondering, is there such a thing as candles that are not harmful to birds? I am willing to sacrifice candles for my lil keet, of course, but I was just wondering... Because candles are one of my passions, I love relaxing to a candle-lit room.
But I guess if there is no alternative I could always get those electric candles, hehe...

The cement perches keep the keets nails worn down so you don't have to trim them. The keets also rub their beaks on cement perches so you will not have to take them in to have their beaks trimmed.

My guys love their rope perch. There are a couple of advantages to the rope perches. One, the birds love them. Second, since they are flexible you can put them how ever you want to in the cage.

Irishku - I too love candles. I don't use scented candles or any type of aerosol sprays in the room they are in. A lot of people will tell you that you should not use aerosol air fresheners but I personally think that it is the propellant that is bad so I don't use any aerosol sprays in their room.

I do have scented candles in other parts of the house, just not where the keets are.

[size:11pt][b]I’m sure the anticipation is killing you! Congratulations to you & the future members of your family! ;) I would recommend asking the pet shop or breeder where you are getting your bird about the food they are currently feeding their birds. [u]It would be a good idea to start with the food your keet is used to eating[/u]. Then, if you wish, start introducing a new food. Budgies, at times, can be very finicky eaters, and may completely ignore new foods. :eek: Also, remember that the healthier the food. . . the better chance you are giving your birds for a longer, healthier life. [/b][/size] :)

Kudos to you for getting info before the little guy is actually in your home and Congrats!
For food variety is a good idea. You do not want to buy bulk food, since it can go rancid quickly and then your bird won't eat it anyway and it would be a waste of money, plus you may get moths. Hopefully you already know an all seed diet is not good for them, so keep on the lookout for some seed and pellets that are NOT artificially colored, flavored, or preserved-Harrison's and Roudybush are good brands. Get plenty of fresh, organic veggies, and some fruits. You can also offer them whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa, wheatgrass, etc.
Be sure to give them toys that will stimulate them, like shreddable soft wood kabobs, or things to forage in.
Chemicals from candles, perfumes, markers, glue, pretty much any smelly thing can be toxic to them. If you refuse to do away with them, only use them far away in other rooms and make sure your home is well ventilated.
Concrete perches are good for filing down their nails & beak, so you don't have to trim them.
I highly recommend a book called Getting Started Clicker Training For Birds by Melinda Johnson. Tells you everything you need to know about birdy behavior and how to get them to do what you want.
Other items to consider getting would be a cage cover (can be a clean sheet), styptic powder, bird-safe cleanser (such as distilled white vinegar, Method Go Naked, or 7th Generation) to clean cage & toys, nail clippers, bells, swing, ladder, stainless steel food & water dishes or a glass drinking bottle, perches of different materials and sizes (but not sandpaper ones), a humidifier, an Avian sun lamp, play gym(s), bottled water, and emergency kit, and pet insurance (or start an emergency fund).

Pete loved eggcite seed. There's a funny/sad story behind it though. We fed him eggcite ever since we found him in the backyard. He had probably been eating it for 8 months when we had the bright idea getting some new type of food for him. Well about a day after getting him the new food I find pete trying to squeeze his little body through the cage to escape. I had never seen anything like it! He was going insane. At first we couldn't figure it out like "What is wrong pete???" So we gave him a millet and he just devoured it with a quickness. We soon realized it was the new food, he hated it. So we went back to eggcite and he never tried to "squeeze out of the cage" again.