Parakeets
{Budgies}
Parakeet, common name for a widespread group of small parrot, native to the Indo-Malayan region and popular as cage birds. Parakeets have long, pointed tails, unlike the chubby lovebirds with which they are sometimes confused. The budgerigar, also called the shell, zebra, or grass, parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus), is the best known of the true parakeets. The wild budgerigar of Australia is usually green or blue with black-and-yellow markings; as a cage bird, however, it has been bred in white and yellow. The hanging parakeet sleeps upside down like a bat. The extinct Carolina Parakeet was the only parrot native to the United States. It was 12 in. (30 cm) long with a yellow-green body and orange-red head.It was sought as a cage bird and for its plumage and also killed as a destroyer of fruit and grain crops. Parakeets are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class A, order Psittaciformes , family-Psittacidae.
Keep in mind the word 'Parakeet' refers to a large group of birds and many do not resemble the Budgie that most consider to be what a parakeet is. This is just one example.
A Blue Ring Neck Parakeet
Quite is bit larger and different
looking that the Budgie.
.
In captivity , the Budgie is an active, interesting little bird. Their chirp and song is pleasant and their character is more complex than you would think. They are always on a mission! They are social, though they can be a little nippy, but this can be counter acted by distracting them with toys and food.
Food:
No bird only eats seed,
regardless of what someone might tell you. Our birds are
given a mixture of seeds, veggies, fresh fruits, dried fruits,
fresh vegetables and proteins protein such as cottage cheese. Fruits
and vegetable should be finely chopped. Don't give them a
lot of lettuce and celery as this may make them "runny."
Fresh spinache leaf would be better.
Water: We train most
of our birds to drink from both a dish and water bottle.
If your budgie doesn't drink from a water bottle right away,
offer it both the water dish and water bottle until you see for
yourself that your bird is habitually drinking from the water
bottle. But you may want to give them a dish long enough to
bathe, which is something they enjoy greatly. Water bottles are
preferable to water dishes because they stay cleaner, birds can
not throw debris in them or potty in them. Birds naturally like to
play in their water, which can be unhealthy if they do not have a
fresh, clean source of water.
You can buy
a Budige from any pet shop and from most breeders. A breeder
should be able to give you a little more information about each
particular bird.
Choosing your new friend: A healthy budgie will be bright, alert and very
active. If he is sitting with feathered puffed up and not
looking around, it is probably best to choose another.There
should not be discharge coming from their nostrils or eyes, and
you want to watch for normal eye pinning. Eyes dialating with
excitement or fear.. Their beak should not be over grown or
deformed.
Their
vent should not be dirty or packed with feces. If you have have a
preference between male or female, the female nose will be
brownish and the male's will be blue or purple-ish, but you will
not know for sure with a very young budgie because their color
comes later.. Either maleor female makes a nice pet and both will
talk..
You
will want to make sure your new friend's wings are clipped. They
are fast little boogers and can quickly make their escape through
open windows and doors. At the very least, until your Budige is
trained, you will be chasing him through the house.
Taming and Training: You
will want to train your bird the basics of stepping up on
command. They are a smart little bird and can learn tricks.
Always give them a reward when they have done something you want
to reinforce, but never, ever punish any bird in any way. They do
not understand punishment, and it will only cause them to fear
and flee from you....and rightly so....
If you are gone a lot, buy two so they can keep each other company....