# Putting Fred on a Diet



## Tweetsley (Nov 17, 2015)

Hi everyone! I have gotten into the habit of weighing my budgies once a week, mostly because I've had to treat them twice for AGY. When I was weighing them today, I found out that one of my girls, Fred, weighs a whopping 47 grams. :O

I've been trying to break her seed junkie habits and switch her to pellets, but she does not want any part of it. Plus, it makes it difficult to control what she is eating because she lives with my three other girls. She likes fruits and veggies, but she still prefers seed over anything.

I know that she's been in breeding condition for a really long time, I just can't break her out of it. Freddie also needs cuttlebone anonymous and she manages to go through a whole one in two days. Do you think that could have something to do with her weight?

I don't know if Freddie is just fat, or if there's a possibility she may be carrying eggs. I really hope she's just fat.... Any advice would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## Frankie'sFriend (Oct 20, 2012)

I know zilch about breeding but just had to comment how gorgeous your flock are


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*If she's going through cuttlebones rapidly then her body needs the calcium. It's impossible to say if your budgie is overweight without seeing some full-body pictures of her. Weight is relative to body size and bone structure. When you hold her and gently press over the keel bone are you able to feel it easily?

Are you rationing the seed you give your budgies? 
Each budgie should be getting only about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of a high quality seed mix per day.

If you split the ration morning and evening and ensure they has pellets available 24/7 plus offer fresh vegetables, she'll eat the vegetables and/or pellets when she's hungry throughout the day.
Fruit should be offered only sparingly as it is high in sugar content -- once a week would be fine.

http://talkbudgies.com/articles-diet-nutrition/315033-healthy-diet-your-budgie.html

http://talkbudgies.com/articles-diet-nutrition/309849-quality-seed-mix.html

Start encouraging her to exercise more. 
Play with her during out of cage time.
Consider working with Fred using clicker training to help her be more active.*


----------



## philw (Aug 22, 2014)

I'd be thinking that since she's in breeding condition, and in a mixed group, her system in the breeding mode, craving calcium and she may be ready to lay. Might think about a temporary nest box and see if she lays, and later use this
sight to get her "out of" egg laying mode. Don't want to deal with egg binding. I'd see an avian vet, because this behavior is definitely cause for concern.


----------

