# My new baby budgie has been ruffling/scratching feathers a lot.



## Poochitauwu (Jun 18, 2021)

It’s my first ever baby budgie, I have two adult budgies in a separate cage and they don’t seem to scratch/fluff their feathers as much as he does. I would like them to introduce/socialize with each other but fear I it might be something contagious if anything at all; I’m on the lookout for bugs or mites. There’s no avian vets here that I know of but I know experts at this bird shop I can go to for help next week. Anyone have experience with baby budgies? The old owner had him for a couple weeks but decided he wasn’t for him. I have plenty food, millet, and toys for the smol bean but I want to raise a perfect happy little guy so any advice is welcomed and much appreciated.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi, Welcome to Talk Budgies!

The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being.

Please be sure to observe quarantine for the new budgie.
Quarantine means housing the new bird in a different cage in a different room than the current bird (as far away from the room the current bird is in as possible) for a period of 35-45 days.
Budgies mask symptoms when they are ill. Symptoms may not show up for over two weeks. 
Often you will not even realize your bird is not well. Many budgie illnesses are airborne which is why you need to quarantine your new bird in a completely different room.*

*Quarantine - Is it Really that Important?*
*Quarantine Your Birds*
* 
It is also a good idea to always take a new budgie in to see an Avian Vet for a "well-birdie" check-up. This allows you to develop a good relationship with the vet and the vet can establish a baseline for your bird in case of any future illnesses or injuries.
If there are no Avian Vets near you, then you should find an Exotic Pet Veterinarian who has experience dealing with small birds.
Where are you located?*

*International Vet Registry*
*Bird Vets Near You

How large is the cage you have the baby in? 
He should have a cage that is a minimum of 18" Long x 18" Wide by 18" High.
However, I always recommend that a single budgie be kept in a cage no smaller than 30" x 18" x 18".
What is his name?

How large is the cage the other budgies are in? Length x Width x Height.

I recommend you remove the wooden dowel perches in the cage and replace it with natural wooden perches of varying diameters to help prevent pressure sores.*
*Pressure Sores*

*The information in this link will give examples of better options for perches:*

*Essentials for a Great Cage*

*When you are ready to introduce your two budgies after the 45 day quarantine period, put the two cages near one another for several days. After that, please be sure to introduce the budgies in neutral territory. Sometimes having two or three supervised meetings prior to moving them into one cage is advisable. Before introducing a budgie into another budgie's cage, the cage should be completely rearranged (perches, toys, food and water dishes) in order to help prevent any potential territorial issues. *
*Introducing Two Budgies*

*Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of the Stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.*
*Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.*
*These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.*

*SITE GUIDELINES*
*List of Stickies*
*Posting on the Forums*
*Let's Talk Budgies!*
*FAQ*
*Articles*
*Be Prepared for Veterinary Care Expense*
*Avian First Aid*
*Quarantine IS Necessary!*
*A heartfelt plea to forum members new and old*
*Tips For Discouraging Breeding*
*Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies*
*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
*Cage sizes.*
*Resource Directory*


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and welcome to the forums! 

You've been given great advice and resources above by FaeryBee. Please be sure to read through everything to ensure you're up to date on the best of budgie care practices! 

If you have any questions after doing so, please don't hesitate to ask as we'd be happy to help. 

Best wishes! 👋


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