| A Bath or Spray? Lots of budgies do not like to bathe and some do not like to enter an enclosure, so a bird bath is frequently a waste. A better choice is a shallow bowl of room temperature water on the bottom of the cage. But even budgies that do like bathing will sometimes prefer their water cup. Since birds preen regularly, they do stay clean, but spraying them will also encourage prening and help to keep them in top condition. The best way is to use a plant mister. Put in lukewarm to warm water (whichever your bird seems to prefer) and turn the nozzle to light mist or spray. Some birds prefer that the water be misted just above them so they feel like they are in a gentle rain. Wet the bird thoroughly and leave him to shake and preen himself dry, keeping him away from draughts while he is wet. Bathe your budgie in the morning so he and his cage have plenty of time to dry before evening. A bright sunny day and a warm spot are the best choices for bathing. Natural Perches Most cages come with one size of plastic or wooden perches. Wooden perches are acceptable, but the better alternative is branches cut from safe trees. Branches from trees are an excellent choice since a branch will have a varying diameter that is good exercise for a bird's feet. If the bird chews the bark and wood, it will help to keep his beak trim. Follow the same instructions in preparing the branches for perches as you do when using them as toys, which includes a thorough washing to remove any traces of pollution or dirt and can include heating in an oven to kill any parasites. However, always make sure that the branches are completely dry before placing them as perches in the cage. Safe trees to use include apple, peach, pear, maple, willow and birch. Avoid trees that have sticky sap, such as fir trees. Never place sandpaper covers over the perches. These do not keep nails trim and are very bad for a bird's feet. There are cement perches available in most pet stores which can help with keeping the nails and beak trim. These should not be placed at the top of the cage as the highest perch since that is most likely where a bird will choose to sleep and they should not spend the majority of their time on a cement perch. Some pet stores sell manzanita (a very hard wood) and eucalyptus (a wood found in their natural habitat) which are also safe choices. Toys for Your Budgie Toys will keep a bird occupied when his people are not available to amuse him. Budgies love to play with toys and should be supplied with at least two or three in the cage. It is a good idea to have two or three extra toys to alternate with the ones in the cage so he doesn't become bored with them and stop playing with them. Avoid toys with long hanging strings since a bird can get it caught around his neck and strangle. Ladders should only be set against the centre of a perch because birds have been known to climb up from underneath and get caught between the cage bars and the ladder rungs when it is hooked over a cage bar. Check toys to be sure that beaks and toes cannot become trapped in the toy, the hanger or the chain. Toys that look like another bird should be avoided if you want your bird to bond to you, and mirrors should not be considered because many birds form a strong attraction to their mirror-image or toy bird instead of their owner. Never put a new toy near a food or water dish because some birds are wary at first of things they don't recogniz and may not go near them for a few days, causing them also not to go near the food and water that is located in the toy's vicinity. Since budgies love to chew, you might wish to get some soft wood toys. You can also give them small branches to chew as long as you wash them thoroughly in clear, hot water and them place them in an oven at 250 degrees for about ten minutes to remove any pesticides or parasites. Let dry and cool before placing in the bird's cage, of course. |
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| Best in Show BFBS Young Bird Show 2009 |