# Advice please: rehoming a budgie



## xxFugulovexx (Sep 23, 2016)

Hello everyone! As some of you might know, my husband and I found a budgie on the road and despite our efforts to find the owners or a good home for him, we ended up taking him in a number of months ago. Our lil budgie Artoo is a rather tame youngster and is a pretty good boy! I am absolutely sold on budgies! 

Unfortunately, we knew that taking him in was a temporary thing because we are planning to move back to America from Japan in spring of 2017. While I am not looking forward to this aspect of our move, it is something that we have known all along. A lovely woman that we know rather well wants to keep Artoo when we leave. She stays lives with her elderly mother who also likes birds, but they have no experience. That being said, neither did we! Unfortunately birds seem to be thought as disposable here and people at the shops do not give good information in my experience, so I am worried. 

My husband and I are trying to prepare for this move in any way possible and welcome advice! Come Christmas, these lovely ladies will be bird-sitting for a week while we are away, so it might be a good way for them to get to know each other a little.

I am very interested in all of your advice about how to prepare for December and this big move in spring. It is a bit heart-breaking to be honest, so I want to try to make it as easy as possible for everyone involved- especially lil Artoo. 

Here are a few things we have done: 
1) bought a new, much larger cage (as our first one was small and temporary)
2)Filled it with different textured toys and perches, along with the other recommended cage getup! (thanks for all the stickies!)
3) Started a notebook about him: 
A) medical history and vet info
B) a list of things that are toxic to budgies 
C) food info: amounts, lists of good foods (with rankings of what he likes)
D) phrases we use with him (as he responds to some commands)

It is all so overwhelming, that I am sure I will forget something! Help!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You've made an impressive start on preparing for the upcoming bird-sitting experience as well as your move. :hug:
I can only imagine how heartbreaking it must be for you to leave Artoo behind.

I would recommend you invite the lady who will be Artoo's new owner in the future to join the Talk Budgies forum now. 
It would be in her best interest to start reading the Stickies and Budgie Articles now to begin learning about the best practices for the care of Artoo for his optimum health and well-being.

If you haven't yet found a vet for Artoo, I would do so and ensure you provide the potential new owner with all the vet's contact information.

I'm sure you've probably talked to the person about how you hope Artoo will be considered and treated as a part of her family? 
I think being open and honest with her about your concerns is important.
Will she stay in touch with you and provide you updates about little Artoo when he goes to live with her permanently?*


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Autumn, 

It sounds like you're taking some great steps to ensure that little Artoo is well cared for when he has to be parted from you. 

FaeryBee's suggestions are right on and I completely agree with her. Other than that, great job! 

I know that it will be upsetting to leave your little one behind, but it will be a relief to know he's well cared for. I hope you can indeed stay in touch with his new owners to receive updates on how he's doing! :fingerx: 

Keep us posted on how things go with him! :yellow face 2:


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## lbeckman (Jun 26, 2016)

Does he spend much time out of his cage? Keeping him safe in the environment is another topic to address. :hug:


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## xxFugulovexx (Sep 23, 2016)

Thank you guys! 

lbeckman, you are right. That is something I have overlooked putting in the journal! Thank you!

Faerybee, I really want the lady to join this forum, but in addition to not speaking English, she doesn't use the internet much. We can keep in touch, so I am happy about that. 

I have been busy translating a lot of our Artoo Journal into Japanese and looking at all the stickies and adding translated basic points into it. 
You guys have been indispensable. 

Oh! And a little update, Artoo has not only perfected his R2D2 noises, but now says "Kiss kiss!" 

Has anyone else had luck getting their budgie to talk? :cobalt:


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