Happy in a swarm

Are you interested in budgies? They are wonderful birds and it's good that you find out about their needs first. After all, you are taking responsibility for ensuring that the birds have a good life with you.

In the wild, birds living in flocks have a large habitat at their disposal and spend many hours a day looking for food. Keeping them in small cages in captivity is in stark contrast to this. It is therefore extremely important to give budgerigars in human care as much space, freedom of movement and activity as possible.

Trading in wild-caught birds has been prohibited in the European Union for many years. However, budgerigars are birds that have been domesticated for a long time and are bred in a wide variety of colors. The natural life expectancy of ten to 15 years is often not reached by the offspring due to the health problems caused by inbreeding. But even in captivity, the colorful birds live to be five to eight years old on average. Your budgies will be with you for many years. Therefore, check your living conditions carefully before you acquire these birds. Do you have enough time in your everyday life to look after the animals and do you know who can look after the birds you have left at home while you are on vacation? It is also important to consider compatibility with other pets. Living with a cat , for example, would be permanent stress for the birds.

Budgerigars can only live out their complex social behavior in the company of their conspecifics: grooming each other's feathers, feeding, communicating and playing with each other, but also settling disputes. The sociable flock birds should therefore be kept at least in pairs, preferably in groups of four or more birds. A human can never replace their missing conspecifics. In the wild, budgerigars live in large flocks with thousands of birds at times. As diurnal birds, budgerigars need a night's rest of at least ten hours. If necessary, you should therefore darken the aviary for this period and ensure that the birds are not exposed to loud noises such as a radio or television during this time. You can buy your budgies from an animal shelter, a reputable breeder or a pet store. We generally advise against buying online. You cannot check where the animals come from, whether they are healthy and under what conditions they have been living.

We recommend that you always check with your local animal shelter first to see if such birds are currently waiting for a new home there. You should choose breeders and pet shops carefully - with a critical eye on the conditions in which the animals are kept. The birds are often kept individually in cages that are far too small. The way in which the breeder or pet shop provides you with information will also give you an indication. Were you given detailed and competent advice?

Budgerigars can only live out their complex social behavior in the company of their conspecifics: grooming each other's feathers, feeding, playing with each other, but also settling disputes. The sociable flock birds should therefore be kept at least in pairs, preferably in groups of four or more birds. A plastic bird or a human can never replace their missing conspecifics. In the wild, budgerigars live in large flocks with thousands of birds at times. As diurnal birds, budgerigars need a night's rest of at least ten hours. If necessary, you should therefore darken the aviary for this period. You can buy your budgies from an animal shelter, a reputable breeder or a pet store. We generally advise against buying them online. You cannot check where the animals come from, whether they are healthy and under what conditions they have lived.

We recommend that you always check with your local animal shelter first to see if such birds are currently waiting for a new home. You should choose breeders and pet shops carefully - with a critical eye on the conditions in which the animals are kept. The birds are often kept individually in cages that are far too small. The way in which the breeder or pet shop provides you with information will also tell you a lot. Were you given detailed and competent advice?

When choosing the birds, make sure that they are not already in a pair. You should not separate these birds, but bring them into their new home together.

You can tell how old the birds are by their physical characteristics. Adult males have a bright blue wax skin on their beak. In adult females, this is beige to brown in color. The sex of adult budgerigars can also be distinguished by their behavior. Males feed all conspecifics, females only feed their young birds. Males are also usually more active and more compatible than females. We recommend keeping budgerigars in groups, as this corresponds to their natural way of life. If you have enough space available and put a group together, you should aim for a balanced gender ratio. It is important to avoid having too many females, as they are often very dominant. If you want to keep two birds of the same sex, it is particularly important that they get along well. Their age and sex usually only play a subordinate role. Budgerigars are generally easy to socialize with other birds of the same species. Nevertheless, acclimatization should take place slowly. To begin with, place the birds in two cages next to each other. This will allow them to get used to each other. Once they are beaking through the bars and behaving in a relaxed manner, you can bring the budgies together under supervision - preferably on neutral territory first, for example on a climbing tree.

Socializing with birds of other species cannot replace the company of a budgerigar's conspecifics. This is because the birds often come from different climatic zones, have different dietary requirements and do not communicate in the same way. Larger parrot species are not suitable for socializing with budgerigars, for example, as the risk of injury to the latter would also be too great. Although most parrot species are peaceful and their natural habitat overlaps with that of budgerigars, it is clear from their size, beak and claws that budgerigars are clearly inferior to larger parrot species. Injuries do not have to be inflicted deliberately, an accident is enough. Light pecking with the beak, for example, is part of the birds' normal social behavior. It is harmless within the species - but not if a small budgie is pecked by a large parrot.

It is not advisable to keep budgies together with canaries, partly because of their different food requirements. There is also too great a risk that the canaries will be injured, as the budgies are superior in size.

Budgerigars and cockatiels, on the other hand, get on well with each other. Due to their origin from the same habitat, a similar lifestyle and a similar diet, socialization is usually problem-free if there is sufficient space. As budgerigars are smaller, they should be outnumbered. For example, you can keep eight budgerigars together with four cockatiels. You should always keep a close eye on the birds to make sure they get along.

As arule, budgerigars can also be socialized with bourkeys, provided there is plenty of space. As Bourke's parakeets are crepuscular and only really wake up when budgerigars are asleep, the birds would disturb each other in an aviary that is too small.

Due to legal regulations on parrot disease, every parrot in Germany, including budgerigars, had to wear a ring until 2012. Since then, only species-protected animals have to be marked with a ring or transponder. However, some budgie breeders still issue rings as proof of origin. If one of your budgies has a ring, make sure that it fits correctly. It must not become ingrown and the leg must not swell. You can register the ring number and some details about your bird with FINDEFIX, the pet register of the German Animal Welfare Association. If you also enter your contact details there, the bird can be quickly returned to you if it escapes.

To keep budgies in a species-appropriate environment, they should live in a spacious aviary, as this is the only place where they can fly properly and get enough exercise. Basically, the bigger the better. Commercially available cages are generally far too small for the birds. Round bird cages are completely contrary to animal welfare standards, as the animals have difficulty finding their way around. Narrow, high aviaries are also unsuitable. The birds need so much space that they can flap their wings several times in succession. The aviary should be at least two meters long, one meter wide and two meters high for two to six birds with several hours of free flight per day. If free flight is not possible, the aviary must be larger so that there is sufficient space to fly. For up to six birds, it should then have a base area of at least four square meters and a minimum height of two meters. For each additional pair of birds, you should expand the base area of the aviary by half, first in length and then in width. Also provide more retreats, seating, feeding and watering areas to prevent resource struggles.

Shiny, galvanized or white plastic-covered bars are not suitable because they can dazzle the birds. In addition, budgerigars often gnaw off the plastic coatings, which can be harmful to their health. Dark blue, green, gray, matt silver or black bars are well suited. Stainless steel is ideal, but very expensive. Some companies offer a special coating that is explicitly declared to be free of zinc and heavy metals and is affordable in price. With metal coatings, you should not rely on the information "non-toxic". It must be ensured that the coating is free of zinc and heavy metals. The bars should run horizontally so that the budgies can climb. At least once a week, or more often if necessary, you should thoroughly clean the aviary and its contents with warm water and disinfect it if necessary, for example if an animal in the flock has diarrhea.

To provide the birds with some protection, the best location for the indoor aviary is a bright, draught-free, quiet place against a wall. The aviary should be positioned so that it can only be seen from one side, if possible. As the birds quickly become frightened when someone approaches from above, the aviary should also be slightly raised and not directly on the floor - this way no one can bend over it. The room temperature should be 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. As the birds are sensitive to overheating, temperature fluctuations and electrosmog, the aviary should not be placed directly by a window, next to a radiator or in the immediate vicinity of electrical appliances. The kitchen is also an unsuitable location, as cooking produces vapors, especially Teflon gases, which are toxic to the birds. You should also make sure that the birdhouse is inaccessible to other pets such as dogs or cats. Once you have chosen a location, you should stick to it if possible so that the animals are not unnecessarily stressed by a change of location. In contrast to the human eye, the bird's eye receives UV light and also has a higher spectral sensitivity. This means that birds perceive their environment in different colors than humans and see the light from fluorescent tubes as flickering light, for example. The birds should therefore live in daylight wherever possible. If the birds are kept indoors only, all light sources should be made flicker-free using ballasts and UV lamps (with UVA and UVB components) should be added to illuminate the bird house. As the UV radiation loses its power over time, you should change these lamps regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions.

A visually appealing alternative to an indoor aviary that is recommended from an animal welfare perspective is to set up a spacious indoor aviary. The ideal combination is with an outdoor space that the birds can reach through a window or door and where they can enjoy the sun and fresh air. If the outdoor aviary is large and the birds have access to a frost-free shelter, it is also practicable to keep them exclusively outdoors. The birds should be able to visit the shelter independently at any time. In summer, it protects them from wind, rain and heat. In winter, the temperature must not fall below ten degrees Celsius. Natural ground is recommended for outdoor areas. Every aviary must be both burglar-proof and burglar-proof so that the birds cannot escape and cats or wild animals cannot get in.

The interior of the aviary should include water bowls and several food bowls or hangers for grain and fresh food as well as perches of different diameters. It is advisable to set up separate food and water points for each animal. These should be placed in the aviary in such a way that birds sitting above them cannot soil them, for example by dropping droppings. In general, you should clean all feeding and drinking bowls once a day, or twice a day in high temperatures in summer, with hot water or, ideally, in the dishwasher.

Commercially available plastic and wooden sticks with a uniform diameter often cause ball ulcers in the animals. Replace these with natural wooden poles of different thicknesses. These poles are springy and also allow the birds to put even weight on their feet due to the different diameters. Branches from non-toxic, unsprayed trees such as maple, elder, poplar, willow or fruit trees are suitable. Attach some branches to one side only - like the branches of a tree. When attaching the branches, make sure that the birds have enough air space to fly. Suspended cuttlefish shells or limestone serve as a source of calcium. Perches covered with sandpaper or coverings on the floor are cruel to animals. They act like sandpaper and cause skin injuries. Germs can penetrate through the small, painful cracks in the skin and cause infections.

To avoid dust in the aviary, you should not cover the floor with bird sand, but with kitchen paper, newspaper or cellulose.

If they live in small indoor aviaries, budgies need several hours of free flight every day. It is important to eliminate sources of danger. Windows and doors should be closed or secured with fly screens. Glass panes should be visibly marked, for example with specially developed stickers, so that the animals do not fly against them. You can also hang curtains made of a material that the birds cannot get their claws into in front of the windows. Containers with water in which a bird could drown, such as watering cans, should be removed from the room. The same applies to cigarette butts, alcohol residue in glasses, lighted candles and sharp objects such as needles or prickly plants. Cupboard doors and drawers must be closed. Narrow gaps, for example behind cupboards, in which birds can become trapped, should either be closed or sufficiently widened. Birds can get their claws caught in deep-pile carpets and net curtains. These sources of danger must also be eliminated. As birds like to nibble on green plants when flying freely, there should be no poisonous plants or flower bouquets or arrangements containing poisonous plants in the room. Budgerigars will happily accept a free-standing climbing tree in the room. They can easily build it themselves from branched, larger branches of non-toxic and unsprayed trees. As a bird owner, you must accept that budgerigars like to nibble on furniture and room decorations and that they can defecate anywhere and at any time.

As budgies are more of an observational animal, your aim should not be to make them trusting. The animals get used to us humans the more calmly we interact with them and the more we spend time with them. For example, you can offer your animals food in your hand. However, if a bird approaches and accepts the food, you must not try to grab it. Just let it be. Otherwise it will immediately lose the trust it has just gained.

As a general rule, you should only pick up birds if it is absolutely necessary - for example to check their health. Fixation is stressful for the animal and should only last as long as necessary. Remain calm and do not make any hectic movements. If this is unavoidable and you have to catch an animal, you should darken the room in which the aviary is located. The birds will then be calmer and you can avoid them all flapping around wildly. You can then use a light towel to catch the bird by hand. To minimize stress, you should cover the bird's eyes. As the eyes are the most highly developed sensory organ in birds, covering them will automatically calm the animal down. However, you must ensure that the nostrils remain uncovered. Also make sure that you do not exert any pressure on the breastbone, otherwise the bird will not be able to breathe properly.

Obesity is one of the most common problems in budgerigars living in human care. In the wild, budgerigars spend most of the day foraging for food. In doing so, they move around a lot. As pets, they can easily become obese if their bowl is constantly filled with grains. Although the commercially available grain food for budgerigars consists of a balanced mixture of seeds, it is still advisable to give the birds other food that contains little energy and keeps them busy - such as green food. A level teaspoon of grain food per bird per day is sufficient. Don't always just offer the food in a bowl, but in such a way that the birds can work for it. Scatter the grains on the floor of the cage or spread the bowls around the bird's room. This helps against boredom and lack of exercise and also prevents obesity. Although treats such as millet are popular, they are also very high in energy. To prevent excessive weight gain, you should only offer them to your birds very rarely. You should also feed fatty seeds such as hemp sparingly. Energy-rich treat sticks, which often contain honey or sugar as well as high-fat seeds, should not be offered to your birds at all.

Obesity is a common problem with budgies kept indoors, especially females. It can seriously endanger their health and cause illness.

Causes of obesity:

• too little exercise or free flight
• wrong food
• too much food
• a tumor or lipoma
• diseases
• a gender imbalance in the flock or feeding male birds

You can buy special diet food from specialist retailers for birds that are too fat. It contains a higher proportion of grass seeds and fewer oilseeds. You can also offer the birds a lot of green food, as it has a low energy density and keeps the birds busy. You must proceed very carefully when reducing their weight. Your pets should lose weight slowly and in small steps - a maximum of one gram per week. Good and effective measures for losing weight are more free flight and a change in feeding. The animal in question should be given less food containing sugar and fat. Another option is to supplement the feed with cocksfoot grass. This seed is bulky and low in calories. You can mix it with the normal feed and give the mixture in the usual amount. You should not offer high-calorie fruit to an overweight bird. Ideally, he should only be given vegetables, culinary herbs and wild herbs. If you want to be on the safe side, ask an avian veterinarian for advice.

Green fodder should always be free of pesticide residues and come from nature. This improves the birds' supply of minerals. Give it fresh and washed every day and, if possible, hang it up so that the birds can shred it themselves. Offer your birds a variety of fresh herbs and at least three types of vegetables every day. Fruit should only be given to the birds in small quantities because it has a high sugar content. To prevent the birds from eating spoiled food, you should always remove leftover green food, vegetables and fruit from the aviary in the evening.

As a general rule, as soon as a bird appears ill, you should take it to a vet immediately. This will give it the best chance of recovery. A healthy bird has shiny, smooth plumage and makes a lively impression. If its feathers are fluffed up, its plumage is shaggy outside of moulting, it is sleepy, has no appetite or has diarrhea, it may be ill. Changes in the beak and song, loss of balance and increased drinking also indicate illness. However, a disease is often only externally recognizable at an advanced stage, as birds rarely or only very late show that they are ill. Unfortunately, just because a budgie eats regularly does not automatically mean that it is healthy. Even when they are ill, birds often continue to eat until the day they die. Always pay attention to the overall behavior and appearance of your birds and, above all, observe them daily. This is the only way to detect the first signs of illness as early as possible. If kept well, the claws should not be too long and therefore should not need to be shortened. However, if they do need to be trimmed, you should leave it to a vet, as there are blood vessels in the claws that should not be damaged.

The annual change of plumage is a physiological process in which the entire plumage is renewed. How often a budgie moults depends on many factors. Two to four moulting processes per year, which occur to a greater or lesser extent, are considered normal in a healthy budgerigar. Depending on environmental factors - food supply, season or temperature of the environment - and health status, age and hormone status, moulting can also be reduced or increased, without this necessarily being pathological. A moult lasts around seven to twelve days - measured from the time the feathers fall out until the new feathers grow back, which are pushed through the skin while still protected in the keel. The moult is particularly visible when the bird changes its large wing and tail feathers. During moulting, birds need more rest than usual and should be given the opportunity to bathe daily. It is important to provide a particularly balanced diet with green food, seedlings and possibly some animal protein, for example boiled eggs. The birds should also be allowed to fly freely on a regular basis during moulting. As the birds never change all their wing feathers at the same time, they can fly as usual during moulting. Moulting problems can occur with vitamin and mineral deficiencies or in old and sick birds. Birds with moulting disorders must always be examined by a vet.

Budgerigars reproduce all year round. In mixed-sex groups, the females look for cavities in which to lay their eggs. To avoid unwanted offspring, you should not offer the birds nesting opportunities such as nest boxes or cave-like structures. This will usually prevent them from laying eggs. However, parakeets are inventive. For example, they may also consider open drawers or baskets to be suitable nesting cavities and lay their eggs there. In the event that they do build a nest and lay eggs, you can buy artificial eggs from a pet shop. Artificial eggs are available to match the bird species. Mark the artificial eggs so that you can distinguish them from the eggs laid later. When a hen starts to lay eggs, replace them with marked artificial eggs. As the bird embryo develops quickly, this should be done as soon as possible. Eggs that you want to replace with artificial eggs should not be older than 24 hours. Instead of artificial eggs, you can also use eggs from your budgerigar that you have removed and boiled immediately after laying. Leave the replacement eggs in the nest for as long as the hen is incubating. The bird does not mind if no young hatch. This also happens in nature. When the mother bird stops breeding, remove the fake clutch. In this way, the birds can lead a normal sex life and still not reproduce. As the reproduction rate of budgerigars is high and it can be difficult to find good homes and responsible new owners for all the young birds, we advise against breeding. In addition, extensive specialist knowledge about breeding budgerigars is required in order not to put the parakeets in danger and to be prepared if problems arise. Apart from that, numerous wonderful budgies are already waiting in animal shelters for a new home.