New baby after 9 years

[traco]

Our female budgie, Buddy (thought she was a he ~ then the name stuck), just passed away after living with us for 9 years. For such a tiny little thing, she sure made a huge hole in our hearts when she left.

We just got another budgie, 8-9 weeks old, who is now named Buddy2, but we call him/her Buddy.

This is the first week and he (we'll call him that for now) is doing great. Is eating bird seed along with millet which is what the store said to do for the first week to help ease him into his new home. We try at least 4 times daily to get down to his level and talk to him, open the door, get him used to our hand being in there. So far, so good. I can get right up to him with my hand and finger out, talking to him while going slowly.

He is starting to chirp a lot more now and will stretch his wings or fluff up when we come into the room which, I think (?) is good?

So, any tips or info would be appreciated. I'd like to introduce fruits/veggies in the next little while. I'll have to research here what are good things to try. I've read people here talking about soft foods (or a mix?) something along those lines?

So good foods to feed and any training tips would be great.

Great forum here. So much more now than 9 years ago, that's for sure!:D

Barb

[bananaz65]

With my budgie handling it was the best thing ever and introducing it to music is good to. Leaving it to get introduced with its enviroment when you get it also helps. It takes time and give it a chance to earn your trust. Also get him use to going on your fingure now then later

[Tiki<3Polly]

Thats great , but if it fluffs up when you come into the room, that means "he" is afraid of you :( im sorry , but if they fluff up and fluff down, then that means they are startled or afraid ...so he might just get started:o

[redgirl]

My budgie fluffs up all the time and I thought that was a sign he was happy..my Eddie isn't affraid of me and he does that a lot its mainly when hes cleaning himself.

[Budgiekin]

Fluffing feathers up can mean many things. They can be simply shaking dust of their feathers, or it could be that they are basically shaking off stress.....It is not necessarily a good or bad thing when they do it so I wouldn't read into it too much.

So, welcome to the forum Barb! I am so sorry to hear about your budgie Buddy. She had a very full life to have lived till the age of 9. That's impressive!!

As for giving your budgies fruits and veggies, I have found it helpful to offer small portions of grated carrot and finely chopped cooked (but cooled broccoli) in a dish that has a mirror behind it. Essentially that sort of fools your little budgie into thinking that there is another budgie checking out and eating those new foods. The trick is to offer those foods daily, even though your little sweety may never touch them for weeks...

You may wish to offer your little guy a formulated diet as well (pellets) as those are more nutrient dense than just plain seed. If you offer them mixed in with the seed, you can start by crushing the pellets and sprinkling them on top of th seeds so that your budgies gets a small taste of them.

Good luck with your new little fellow and I can't wait to hear more about him! He sounds like he is settling in nicely! ;)

[clifff123]

Our female budgie, Buddy (thought she was a he ~ then the name stuck), just passed away after living with us for 9 years. For such a tiny little thing, she sure made a huge hole in our hearts when she left.


We all understand how you feel, sorry for your loss of Buddy!!
Welcome to the forum. . I know you will enjoy it here!

[BUUZBEE]

awwww, sorry to hear about your loss of buddy. thats very impressive that she lived to be 9!
keep up the good work with the handling, sounds like its going very well!
as for the fruits & veggies, i start off with a little grated romaine lettuce, with grated carrots & corn kernals (from the can) i also use a soak mix http://talkbudgies.com/showthread.php?t=2429
good luck & keep us posted on the progress!
welcome by the way!