The little clicky-thump sound their feet make slays me! This was wonderful. Looks like they like to chase and catch more than they do eat.
Very cute. I know they were a lot of work and worry just to get them to survive, but it certainly looks worth it. You’ve raised a pair of happy and confident budgies.
Some questions on the logistics of being owned by budgies:
I gather they spend a lot of time outside their cages. What do you do about the inevitable “output”? Or are they trained to go in a specific spot?
Do you let them roam free most of the time or do they go back in their cages when you aren’t around to supervise? What about at night?
What do they think of their cages? Do they complain when you put 'em in lockdown?
I haven’t owned budgies since I was a kid, but we’d watch for them to “go,” then clean it up immediately with a tissue. Ours spent a lot of time out of the cage with us in the same room supervising them. They’d go back the cage if we weren’t watching and went into the cage to sleep at night. As much they enjoyed being out of the cage, we had no trouble putting them back. They’d ride on our finger and often would fly back to the cage on their own before we reached it. The door folded down and they’d land on the door and go into the cage by themselves.
I try to make their area as fun and interesting as possible to encourage them to want to hang out there. So far it’s always worked so they’re mostly out of their cages doing their thing and so the poop stays in their designated area. They’ll go flyabout around the room and back to their area and only very occasionally misjudge and land on the wrong thing and then fly back.
Although some people will disapprove, I do let them stay out even when I’m not home. I’ve budgie proofed as much as I can and because they don’t wander, I have made the choice to let them be free while I’m gone all day at work. There is a small risk that they could get in trouble and hurt themselves but I decided to weigh that risk against being free and happy for the day and decided to take the risk. Knock wood, I’ve never had an issue and in 8 years I’ve just never had any of them go where they aren’t supposed to go.
Now, I’ve never had baby budgies so this is a whole knew ball game. They are only out of the cage when I am in the same room as they are. I don’t even go have a shower without putting them away. I’ve also not worked for a few months so it’s been nice for them to be out most of the time. I likely won’t let them out unsupervised for a good 6 months or so till I am confident that they won’t go exploring. If they are more adventurous than the others (which I kind of think they will be) then they’ll have to be locked up when I’m not around.
Mine are the same, they don’t have an issue at all with being locked in their cages and even when the doors and tops are open, often choose to be in the cages which are also full of toys, food and treats.
Because the babies like looking out the windows so much, I bought them each their own window perch!:
I had cockatiels, but they liked going back to their cages, too. I think if they have enough time outside the cage going back in is somewhat novel and interesting. Mine both liked to hang out on a perch on top of their cage, even though I had cool perches all over the room.
Cleaning up was no big deal with them, either. They pooped where they liked to hang out. They liked to sit on my shoulders when I was on the computer, so I had designated old washcloths and I just put a clean one on my shoulder first. I miss those nuzzles when they’d be on my shoulder.
I’ve kept a variety of parrot-type birds. Some species can, to some extent be trained to poop in designated areas (my current conure starts the morning routine with being placed on a particular perch and asked to “poopy!”, at which point he deposits something that looks like a cow pie and the rest of the day leaves much smaller deposits, also usually on the “poopy perch” or in/on his cage). Some cannot. If you let your birds out you need to be prepared for “deposits” from time to time and clean them up. A lot of owners have an old shirt for perching purposes, sometimes called a “birdshirt”. I use old flannel shirts for the purpose.
Angry/upset/frightened birds will tend to leave deposits regardless of training. It still makes less of a mess than, say a doberman having an accident on the parlor rug and it’s easier to clean up/get rid of than cat piss on upholstery or other fabric.
As for cages - that’s their bedroom. We make the cage as stress free and safe as possible, as a result, when the birds are frightened by something they are more inclined to shelter in their cages instead of, say, hiding under the couch or behind a bookcase. Even when not distressed, sometimes they choose to go in and sit in their cage even when the door is open and there’s ample opportunity for them to go out of it. Properly cared for birds do not regard their cages as prisons, they’re bedrooms, safe spaces (the bars keep the Bad Things out!), they are where food and water and toys are… it’s their space.
Birds also very much get used to routine. When I need to lock them up I usually announce "cage time!’. Some of the birds we’ve owned take that as a cue to return to the cage and enter it themselves. Some birds want to be picked up and carried there. Sometimes they don’t want to go there - usually after a long period when they’ve had to be keep in it for safety reasons - and will resist, but most mornings when morning out time is over I announce cage time and just go over and pick them up and put them inside. Then they get some fresh food and water, maybe a treat like a bit of fresh fruit, and some verbal attention. It’s all routine and expected and they view it as a normal day that all this happens.
They will also put themselves away at night. They’ll go into the cage, find a perch, and go to sleep when they’re tired.
We have also confined them in the bedroom (we have a spare bird playground there) and get them to go there by announcing “bedroom!”. As long at the path is well-lit they’ll usually go there themselves with minimal fuss or need for human guidance.
Birds are more intelligent than many give them credit for, they are readily trainable. The key thing is to provide a proper environment and understand what they need, so you have calm, sociable birds rather than neurotic, panic-prone basket cases. They aren’t cats, dogs, or any other sort of mammal so you really should study up on their needs and how they communicate to give them a good environment.
Because the world has gone cuckoo-bananas and hate seems to be winning, I thought people might like an update and a new picture to get your mind off of the nastiness for a moment.
The babies are doing very well at 63 days old though Mr. Octa is still not weaned :smack:. It’s only for comfort at this point, it has to be because he is fully capable of feeding himself (and does) but he won’t let go of mommy’s apron strings, yet.
I have a feeling it will be a long time before they can be out of the cage unsupervised. They’re so different from the other budgies and everything must be explored. They crawl up the curtains, jump onto the side of my head if I walk by, peak under doors, chew on cords on the floor and just get into everything.
Octa has learned that if he peeps loudly into my ear :eek: it makes a lovely (to him) noise. Apparently chewing on earlobes is also “fun”.
Aqua is leaps and bounds ahead of her brother in every way. She sometimes feeds her mom which makes me wonder if she’s male. Who knows, I’ll find out eventually what both of their genders are once their ceres change to adult colors.
Anyhoo on to the pictures!
Budgies on my shoulder, makes me happy!
Budgies on my shoulder, makes me glad…:
And here’s a non-budgie photo of some wintering swans from down the road:
I never realized I hadn’t seen swans standing up. LOL.
What different personalities your babies have!
This gives me much happiness! How cute that they seem to think that the default for their family is that anyone can feed anyone, it’s all good.
Be glad you don’t wear earrings! Nothing better than sparkly beads or glittery metal to attract attention.
Thanks for the updates, they must be a bundle of fun!
Parrots (and budgies count as parrots) often respond to what’s called a “drama reward.” They are attracted to yelling and drama even if you’re trying to tell them “no!”
I realize you can’t help it when they nip by surprise, but generally the best way to minimize that behavior is to grin and bear it silently.
Well they are 71 days old and Mr. Octa is finally weaned!! He seems so much happier now that he finally gets that food isn’t just something to play with but also makes you not hungry.
So I guess that’s the end of All My Budgies. They weren’t even supposed to exist and now they’re two lovely, healthy, happy little birds. It can be many months before they get their adult cere colours and when they do, I’ll post an update in case anyone wants to know their actual genders.
Here they are in one of their favourite spots, being vain:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/56821557@N06/32714666266/in/dateposted-public/
Puts me in mind of Dick Solomon on ‘3rd Rock from the Sun’ - ‘I’m GORGEOUS!’
I’m so glad you share these, they make my day every time. I will enjoy any and all updates and photos for sure!
They are adorable!
Yes, please do post updates! 
I get such a kick out of watching them climb the ladders back up to the cages and I thought some of you might enjoy it, too 
After his very slow start, Mr. Octa has come out as the dominant of the two but he’s a real mamma’s boy and still sleeps with her in the box every night. Green has already laid a full clutch of eggs (which I replaced with the fake ones) and she spends most of her time sitting on them.
Aqua is buddies with Fat Uncle Blue. When they sit beside each other he’s at least twice her width. Dead Beat Dad Turquoise finally fed one of his babies the other day!
Five budgies are shockingly loud compared to three and seem to make ten times the mess!
Little cuties! They’re so in earnest as they climb up their little ladders!
I used to have budgies when I was a kid. Yes, they’re noisy little buggers when there are enough for a flock.
That was a really cute video, thank you. They’re so much like kids - how can I do this thing? How long will it take me? How else can I try this thing?
What a sweet birdie family you have!
They’re adorable!