Budgerigars are bright and beautiful birds that attract the attention of many fans of feathered pets. Before you decide to start them at home, you need to familiarize yourself with all the features of their breeding, as well as find out the lifespan of a budgie in a cage.
Bird description
Adult budgerigars have the following physical characteristics: weight from 40 to 45 g, body length 17-20 cm, tail, no more than 10 cm long. For the most part, this species of bird has a green or yellow-green color. Less often you can see budgies of blue, white, acid yellow. This color is characteristic of species bred by selection. Characteristic wave-like lines are present on the wings, back and nape of the birds. They are often located, thinner on the head, gradually sinking to the wings, more pronounced and wider. It is thanks to these stripes that the species was called wavy.
Before the onset of the first molt in young individuals, the tail is several times shorter than in adult birds. The wings of parrots reach a length of 10 cm, they are well developed and quite strong. Budgerigars use wings exclusively for flights, they do not use them during climbing. The bird's neck is very mobile, rotates 180 °.
There are four fingers on the legs: two of them are directed forward, the others are turned in the opposite direction. The surface of the paws is dark, gray-blue. The eyes are deep blue with a yellow or white iris. The vision of parrots is characterized by a large viewing angle, among other things, birds see the surrounding world in color, which is not characteristic of all representatives of the fauna.
The lifespan of a budgerigar at home is 10-15 years, subject to the recommendations of the contents.
Differences between male and female
The sex and age of the budgerigar can be determined at 3 weeks of age.
The male is distinguished from the female by the color of the waxen (this is a growth at the base of the beak). If she is pale purple, this is a young male. A rich blue wax says that he is at an adult age. A light blue hue means that you have a young female in front of you, and a brown light or dark shade is an adult female.
The feathers on the female's forehead have a fluorescent property and glow under ultraviolet light. According to the beliefs of ornithologists, this speck is designed to attract individuals of the opposite sex.
Light mode
Since vision for budgies is one of the priority organs of perception of the world, the light mode is of particular importance. It implies both a change of day and night, and the provision of a certain illumination in the room. It is vision that enables birds to navigate in space and choose the right food.
It is imperative to provide daylight for the place where the birds live. How many hours a day do you need? It all depends on the time of year: in the warm season, 14-16 hours of daylight, in the winter - 11-13 hours.
Lack of lighting causes them to be depressed, in rare cases, abnormalities in behavior are possible, birds peck feathers from their relatives or at home. In addition, non-compliance with the light regime leads to health problems, lack of vitamin D, females of the budgerigar produce unfertilized eggs, in turn, the males completely lose interest in them. Lack of light is not reflected in the best way in the endocrine glands, which are concentrated in the orbit.
Equally important for birds is the nighttime period when they are at rest. Lack of sleep and rest leads to a decrease in immunity, parrots become irritable, the stress period is prolonged, as a result, the pets become sick.
Air humidity
How much birds live is also influenced by humidity in the room. A person needs to provide it at a level as close as possible to the natural habitat of budgies. In their homeland, in Australia, rain is an infrequent occurrence, however, air humidity ranges from 55-70%.
If the air is dry at the place of keeping the birds, the skin diseases will appear in the pets, the feathers will become brittle and begin to fall out, the molting period will be delayed. Moreover, the condition of the parrots worsens, the risk of viral and respiratory diseases increases, the immune system weakens, the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes and mouth dry out. In order to avoid such consequences, a bath with water must be installed in a bird cage. Budgerigars are very fond of water procedures.
How to choose and arrange a cage
The right choice and arrangement of the house affects how many budgerigars live in the cage.
For the feathered one can purchase a cage of any shape and size. The most preferred is a rectangular one with a domed top. The lower part should be made of wood or metal, and the side walls should be grated with strong thin rods. Birds often gnaw on a wire, therefore it is better to refuse a copper cage which can cause oxide poisoning. If the pallet is made of soft wood, the parrot will easily bite holes in it and you will need to acquire a new cage. In order to satisfy the bird’s reflex, it is recommended to install thick tree branches in the cage.
The minimum size of the cage for one individual should be at least 35 by 35 cm, and for a pair of birds - 65 by 55 cm. The height of the dwelling is not so important, because the parrots only climb it. The rods should be located often enough so that the bird could not stick its head between them and cause injury. At the same time, too frequent rods are also undesirable, they make it difficult for parrots to view the room.
It is not enough just to choose a cage, it needs to be properly equipped. It places several poles away from the drinking bowl and food bowl, while the tail of the pet should not touch the bars of the wall.
Also, the cage is equipped with a hanging swing or a freely swinging ladder. Such devices contribute to the development of the muscles of the feathered legs. Three feeders are placed in the cage: for water, mineral fertilizing and main food.
Bird feeding
Proper nutrition directly affects the life of a budgerigar. In order not to undermine the health of the bird, it is important to seriously approach the issue of its feeding. The basis of the diet is millet (yellow, white, red), oats, seeds of wild plants and sunflower. After a day, soft food is included in the pet's diet: finely chopped boiled egg, grated nettle, grated carrots or beets, homemade cheese. If the female hatches eggs, a soft mixture should be given daily. From time to time, parrots are treated to peeled apple.
In winter, sprouted grains are especially useful for birds; they make up for the deficiency of vitamins and minerals. In summer, it is recommended to give lettuce, parsley, dandelion. If possible, willow branches, previously scalded with boiling water, should be placed in the cage.
Home dangers
The owner can extend the life of the budgerigar if it is prepared in advance for the dangers awaiting the pet at home. It can be:
- Open doors and windows through which the bird can fly away and no longer return.
- Mirrors and curtainless windows. During the flight, the parrot can hit and be seriously injured.
- Open electrical wiring. The bird may damage the insulation of the wires and cause electric shock.
- Poisonous potted plants. For budgies, they are deadly dangerous: lily, dieffenbachia, monstera, daffodil, ivy.
- Curtains in the form of threads or a cord from the blinds. Entangled in them, the pet may die.
- Smoldering Cigarette Butt. The bird can get burned or try tobacco and poison.
- Open ventilation grilles, washing machines or dishwashers.
- Free access to water, in which a parrot can drown in vain.
- Household chemicals that, if ingested, can cause death.
- Other pets.
- Newspapers placed in a cage can cause lead poisoning.
Breeding
Poultry can breed from four months of age, however, the optimal age for reproduction occurs 12-18 months after birth. Parrots are picky, so if you plan to breed birds, the female is offered to choose from several males. If the parrot begins to feed the female from the beak, clean her feathers, brings goodies, it means that replenishment is expected in the bird family.
In order to encourage the birds to breed, a separate house is arranged in the cage for them to hatch the chicks. Most often, budgerigars breed in the warm season, however, offspring can be expected in the winter. Laying on average ranges from 6 to 10 eggs, the female lays eggs daily or every other day and only after that begins to hatch. How many budgerigars hatch eggs? This period lasts up to 20 days, after which the first chick is born, the rest hatch in the order in which they were demolished.
Disease
Often owners encounter diseases when keeping birds. Pathology is manifested by the appearance of a build-up on the beak of a budgie, plucking feathers, refusal to eat, and a decrease in activity.
What could be the reason:
- Poisoning. At the first sign of poisoning, the bird is given a tablet of crushed activated carbon with water or a decoction of flaxseed.
- Tumor. This type of parrot is prone to neoplastic diseases that are rapidly developing and are very poorly treated.
- Iodine deficiency.
- Fractures of wings and legs. Occurs with strong impacts or falling from a height.
- Concussion. Typically, a bird gets it when it hits a mirror or glass. During the shaking, the bird has strange behavior, he staggers, actively shakes his head, eats badly.
- Colds. Heat-loving birds react strongly to drafts and viral infections. When infected, they have symptoms similar to humans. After the flu, the pet can get a serious heart complication.
Do not try to cure a domestic parrot yourself. If you experience the first symptoms of one of these diseases, you must seek qualified help.