$40 each
Who doesn't know what a budgie is? Just about everyone is familiar with this little member of the hook-bill family. Short for budgerigar, budgies are also commonly (and confusingly) known as parakeets, especially in the United States. I much prefer the term 'budgie', as 'parakeet' is too confusing, referring to any number of different species, from the tiny budgie to the comparatively huge Alexandrine parakeet.
not many people take the time to hand tame budgie babies, as if you get them soon after weaning, they usually tame down quite well. However, I have found that hand raising them makes for a much better chance of them staying tame, and reduces their stress. They are fantastic, affectionate little birds.
The wild type colouration is a brilliant lime green body with a yellow head. Small blue and black dots adorn the jaw line. Tail feathers have a deep teal blue and the primaries have some blue, blending to dark grey/black. They have black barring on their head and necks, with wider bands of black scalloping the wings. Budgies are a sexually dimorphic species, with females having a pinkish/beige/brown cere and males having a blue cere. It is more difficult to determine the sex of a budgie this way in immatures and some colour varieties.
Budgie breeders have managed to create a large variety of colour mutations, or varieties, including yellow (lutino), white (albino), and many different shades blues and greens. Budgies also now have two distinct 'breeds', the regular, or American budgie, and the larger English budgie, used in bird shows.
Budgies are native to Australia, where they travel in large, noisy flocks. They frequent arid areas, and fresh and dried seeds do comprise a larger portion of their diet than most other hook bills. Having said that, feeding your budgie an all seed diet will effectively shorten his lifespan. It is a sad thing to know that a budgie can live for fifteen years or more, yet most never make it past their fifth year. Your budgie will enjoy fresh romaine lettuce, parsley, dandelion greens, soaked seed, bean mashes and shredded veggies such as carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Our budgies are weaned onto Zupreem pellets, as well as all the fresh foods mentioned. Seed is served about two times a week, and millet sprays are offered as a treat, as is dry popped popcorn.
02/04/2008