Budgie behaviour: From lover's tiffs to poorly peckers.

It still freaks me out that you call Ramba a she...I still think of him as a he even though his cere does seem to be indicating that he's a girl!

They're both on the floor together napping now. Ramba's confidence has really shot up since we added Kanji to the mix, and yet it's Kanji who always wants to be close to Ramba. I liked when we introduced them to the cage; Ramba took about 4 hours to come out of the travel box and Kanji burst out as soon as we opened it!

Oh they totally love each other; Ramba was just feeding Kanji!!

Red

We cleaned the budgies out for the first time today and I think they handled it really well. Ramba pretty much just flew onto a top perch and tucked herself away, and Kanji went berserk and flapped all around the cage, occasionally landing on something I was holding such as the dustpan or brush

But they handled it much better than I expected, and they are doing better with us than when we got them. They're totally used to Kasper now and he's completely comfortable and uninterested in them - just the way I like it!! They're also willing to stay at the front of the cage when I go and baby-talk them, so they're slowly getting used to me too

Red

Hmmm, Kanji has me a little worried today as the feathers near his vent look a bit wet. There's no poo stuck to his bum though, which is a relief as he wouldn't appreciate us trying to clean it! He's eating, preening and playing fine too. I've read it could be stress (which would make sense after moving house and then having all the furniture moved around yesterday!) or eating an all-seed diet. I've added some dandelion to the cage but they're terrified of it! I'll be keeping a very close eye on Kanji and here's hoping he improves within the next day or so and doesn't need a trip to the vet - he would *hate* that!

I also think Kanji is going through his first moult, which takes place around 3 - 4 months old, and he's around 12 weeks now so that seems to make sense. He seems to be growing feathers on his back which have a darker tinge to them, which is exciting!

I've been trying to get them to bath in warm water too for the past few days but all they'll do is drink out of it...

Also Ramba seems to have grown so much! She looks huge! I think she might be close to adult-sized already, we've only had her about a week!!

How do you get budgies to try new things?!!

Mainly food. I'm trying to get them to eat fresh veggies and they just won't! They don't go anywhere near them! They regard them with or and the veggies sit there being ignored until they're limp and need replacing with more...they refuse to have a bath, too. At first the were vaguely interested and perched on the side and sipped the water, now, nothing!

Whenever we put a new toy in their cage they love to explore them, why not food?!

The budgies are still refusing to try anything new...they have turned their beaks up at dandelion, spinach, romaine lettuce and cooked rice...phooey!

Well that's what it amounts to, which veggies, is a different question. Obviously, like most children, the sight of "greens" can be quite frightening. It could be a little soon to ween them to a more varied diet. Maybe in the fullness of time and once they have read the right books, they will see the value of a mixed diet.
I wouldn't worry though, you could try tricks such as tying small pieces of veg to one favourite toy.

Whoo yeah, they're loving the veg now

They seem to really like the spinach, once they'd plucked up the courage to peck at it! They ate a whole pot full yesterday, and I've seen them nibbling at it quite a bit today. I put it in their cage in a little glass pot in water, to keep the spinach as refreshed as possible and in case the budgies fancy having a wash in it as I've heard they enjoy bathing in wet veggies!

Also, we have a home visit from our vet tomorrow (aren't our new vets awesome?! We explained we didn't want to stress Kanji out and could they possible come do a visit and they were more than happy to, I really love our new vets'! ) in the morning, just to check how Kanji is doing. He still has dirty tail feathers and is doing quite runny poops (this could be because of the veggies though), so better safe than sorry.

He's still acting fine though, as lively as ever (Ramba and Kanji were divebombing each other today, then happily settled on a perch to groom one another...they are crazy!) and I'm about 95% certain Kanji is going through his first moult. There's little white fluff feathers everywhere and when he's grooming I can see the beginning of new feather growrth.

Woke up today and whatta-ya know, Kanji looks loads better! Of course he does the day of a vet appt

I guess the apple juice in the water must have helped. The vet came anywhoo and he was *really* good...the vet said they were lucky to have such a big cage but it would made catching them harder! He managed to catch Kanji pretty effortlessly though, and Kanji did good if you can call screaming his head off and then savaging the vet's finger good The vet said he still had good condition and hadn't lost any weight, that he was bright and lively, his lungs sounded fine...so yeah, all good

He gave us some anti-biotics just to be on the safe side, but said it was probably just the stress of moving to a new place and because he was younger.

Kanji is looking much better today, which is either down to the apple juice or the antibiotics. His bottom looks much cleaner. He's certainly moulting, it's very interesting watching all his new feather growth! The budgies have been very talkative today and very loving, Kanji was preening Ramba's head from the wicker heart (Ramba was on the wooden perch below) and Ramba kept telling Kanji off because the heart would spin around and Kanji would have to stop his grooming

The funniest thing happened today

Kanji was on the top perch that you unfortunately can't see on cam. He was in between the toy with the spinning mirrors and the big sunflower mirror and was screaming his head off, darting about and pecking at the mirrors...he thought he had been surrounded by strange budgies!! It was so funny! Eventually he managed to flee underneath the sunflower mirror and fly to the other side of the cage.

I was making a video yesterday too, and as I was replaying it to check the editing, the budgies heard themselves on the video and started chirruping up a storm. They're very funny little guys

I switched some more things around in their cage today, and for the first time we saw Ramba peck at the cuttlefish - all either of them had done with it up until then was perch on it!

I think Kanji is finally growing!!

We know that Ramba has grown since we had him (or her?!), but Kanji has always been very small and slim. Well, it looks like he's starting to bulk up and get a little height on him, hurrah! He's still battling his first moult too bless him, but has lots of lovely new feathers

I can't say I have noticed but then again I haven't been looking at ihis size just what he is doing! Could we please see some photos and see if we can tewll that would be interesting?

Yeah sure I have a photo I was gonna post anyway so check out the pics thread Not sure how good it is to compare them, but it's the only one I have because of my camera batteries Yeah I saw them both playing with the string toys! Kanji was on the new rainbow one and Ramba was pulling the threads at the bottom of the swing rope perch that he loves

As soon as we turn a light on, no matter how late it is, Ramba is up and active! He sings to himself, flies, plays with all the toys...poor Kanji is just up on the high perch right now, trying to sleep, and Ramba (after climbing all over the cage playing with the toys) has settled on his beloved rope swing next to Kanji and is just badgering him

Suuuure, that's what you tell *them*!

We recently moved the couch next to the budgies, and tonight Kasper half-climbed onto the table to say hi. They all did so well! Kasper remained very calm, as did the budgies. Kanji moved when Kasper was right next to him, but Ramba stayed where he was and said hi back

The budgies also have a new wooden branch perch with rope coming off It too...such a good idea!!

Thatz how I want sox to be

Another thing snoop always flys after snoop and lands on him. Is he fighting??? Cos I really dont wanna have to split them up or get rid of them is this normal??!?

Hahaha I think that's just a game - our budgie Kanji loves chasing around after Ramba and either landing next to or on top of him! They also have screaming matches at each other, but at other times can be seen grooming, feeding and sleeping next to each other, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Hey, are either of your budgies moulting? Just because Kanji is AGAIN! He has been nothing but trouble that lad