Budgies are very inexpensive and are available at most pet stores. They usually cost less than $20. They come in a variety of colors from blue, green, yellow, white and mixed colors. Most budgies have striped wings and heads but some are in solid colors too. Male budgies have a blue cere (at the top of the beak where you see the nostrils) and female budgies have a cere that is paler in color. Many pet shops sell hand-tamed budgies at a higher price. They will not have to be trained to sit on your hand or shoulder.
Cage
The bigger the cage, the better! It is very important to buy a large cage. Do not buy the tall circular cages because it does not allow the budgie to fly and exercise. Budgies love to climb up and down their cages. The cages should be the square ones. The cage should be no smaller than 18 inches long and 18 inches wide and 20 inches tall. The spacing of the bars should be ½ inch or less. If the bars are too wide, the bird can get caught and injured or escape from the cage. The cage should have several perches and set at different heights in the cage but with enough space for the budgie to move between them. The experts say to use perches made out of natural branches because some of the round wood causes foot problems. The cages need to have a seed dish and a water dish. The bottom of the cage needs to be lined with paper. Place the cage in an area where there are no drafts or a lot of heat such as in front of a window where the sun is strong. At night, cover the cage with a cloth so the budgie is not distracted and can sleep.
Food
Budgies eat seeds and it is best to get a high quality mixed seed made for budgies. Some experts recommend pellets as well as seeds. With seeds, a budgie will leave the husks in the dish and you think it has not eaten anything. Don't be mistaken and not feed the bird. Remove the seed husks every day and add seed and change the water every day. Dirty water is bad for spreading bacteria. In addition to the seeds and pellets, budgies love fresh vegetables such as carrots, beans, corn, spinach, bean sprouts and lettuce. They also love pieces of fresh fruit. Budgies need cuttlebone to keep their beaks in shape and to provide grit to help with digesting their food. Cuttlebone is white and thin. Clip the cuttlebone to the side of the cage. It is available at any pet store.
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