# Why is my parakeet so quiet?



## BabyLevi

Hi everyone, 
Please help. Why is my parakeet so quiet? I have a new baby, he's about five months old. I've had him for two weeks and he hasn't made a sound. No chirping. Not a peep. Is this normal? Is he just scared? He will eat millet from my hand although he seems very nervous. Should I take him to the Vet or does he just need more time to settle in? 
Thank you, Levi's Mom


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## FaeryBee

*Some budgies are more quiet than others.
Do you play music or the TV for him?
Many budgies like to sing along with music and will be more vocal when there is noise in the room.*


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## BabyLevi

Hi, Yes we have the radio or TV on most of the time.


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## FaeryBee

*I've deleted the duplicate thread you made regarding this topic. 
One thread regarding a topic is sufficient, please do not create multiples. 

Is your budgie eating, drinking and pooping normally?
Has he begun playing with any of his toys yet?
Did you take him in to an Avian Vet for a well-birdie check-up when you brought him?

Having your new budgie examined by an Avian Vet allows you to develop a good relationship with the vet in case your bird needs care for an injury or illness in the future. Additionally, it is always helpful for the vet to have a baseline for your bird to refer to should it need future treatment.

Avian Vets have special training to determine the cause of symptoms resulting from illness or trauma. 
This is important as "regular" vets will often overlook symptoms that are quickly obvious to an Avian Vet.
When you rely on anyone who has not had training in Avian diagnosis and care, you may be delaying effective treatment. 
This can prolong suffering that may be avoidable.
The bird will often require a more intense, prolonged treatment with a poorer chance of full recovery than it would have if you seek prompt professional diagnosis and treatment at the first sign of illness.

Distinction between an Avian Vet and a Vet that "Will See Birds"

Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, all of the How To Guides, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and 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
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/333106-posting-forums.html
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/388145-lets-talk-budgies.html
How-To Guides
FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
Budgie Articles
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295001-list-stickies.html
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295033-prepared-veterinary-care-expense.html
Avian First Aid
Why Quarantine?

http://talkbudgies.com/articles-general-budgie-info/227841-50-common-budgie-dangers-watch-out.html

http://talkbudgies.com/budgie-breeding/327881-heartfelt-plea-forum-members-new-old.html

http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/24411-cage-sizes.html
http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/31719-essentials-great-cage.html
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/339826-resource-directory.html

When you upload pictures as thumbnail attachments directly from your computer, tablet or phone, the forum automatically defaults to landscape.

To upload full-sized pictures with the proper orientation, please use a photo-sharing service such as PhotoBucket and follow the steps in these instructions:
http://talkbudgies.com/how-guides/175818-how-post-pictures-photobucket.html

For gender and/or mutation help - Lighting and Angle DOES matter

By the way, all photos entered in any of our forum contests must be a full-size photo and not a thumbnail attachment so it's good to know how to upload them! 

If you have any questions after reading through everything, please be sure to ask!

Glad you decided to join us and looking forward to seeing you around the forums.

:wave:*


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## StarlingWings

Hi there and :welcome: to the forums!

You've been given great advice and resources above. It's perfectly normal for some budgies to take longer to come out of their shell or have naturally quieter personalities. This is normal 

Meanwhile, be sure to read through the forum's many Budgie Articles and "stickies" (threads "stuck" to the top of each subform for easy reference) to stay up to date on all the best practices for caring for budgies. If you have any questions after reading through everything, be sure to ask as we'd love to help! :thumbsup: 

We look forward to seeing you around the forums! 

Cheers! :wave:


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## RavensGryf

When Chip was a juvenile, he was very quiet. Healthy and not silent, but quiet. Then.... once he grew older and became sexually mature he became the noisiest budgie I've ever had. He's just an outgoing, active, playful, boisterous, happy bird. While Mink my female has stayed fairly quiet. They're all different.


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## BabyLevi

Thank you StarlingWings

Thank you RavensGryf


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## BabyLevi

FaeryBee said:


> *I've deleted the duplicate thread you made regarding this topic.
> One thread regarding a topic is sufficient, please do not create multiples.
> 
> Is your budgie eating, drinking and pooping normally?
> Has he begun playing with any of his toys yet?
> Did you take him in to an Avian Vet for a well-birdie check-up when you brought him?
> 
> Having your new budgie examined by an Avian Vet allows you to develop a good relationship with the vet in case your bird needs care for an injury or illness in the future. Additionally, it is always helpful for the vet to have a baseline for your bird to refer to should it need future treatment.
> 
> Avian Vets have special training to determine the cause of symptoms resulting from illness or trauma.
> This is important as "regular" vets will often overlook symptoms that are quickly obvious to an Avian Vet.
> When you rely on anyone who has not had training in Avian diagnosis and care, you may be delaying effective treatment.
> This can prolong suffering that may be avoidable.
> The bird will often require a more intense, prolonged treatment with a poorer chance of full recovery than it would have if you seek prompt professional diagnosis and treatment at the first sign of illness.
> 
> Distinction between an Avian Vet and a Vet that "Will See Birds"
> 
> Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, all of the How To Guides, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and 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
> http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/333106-posting-forums.html
> http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/388145-lets-talk-budgies.html
> How-To Guides
> FAQs Frequently Asked Questions
> Budgie Articles
> http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295001-list-stickies.html
> http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/295033-prepared-veterinary-care-expense.html
> Avian First Aid
> Why Quarantine?
> 
> http://talkbudgies.com/articles-general-budgie-info/227841-50-common-budgie-dangers-watch-out.html
> 
> http://talkbudgies.com/budgie-breeding/327881-heartfelt-plea-forum-members-new-old.html
> 
> http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/24411-cage-sizes.html
> http://talkbudgies.com/housing-budgies/31719-essentials-great-cage.html
> http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-talk/339826-resource-directory.html
> 
> When you upload pictures as thumbnail attachments directly from your computer, tablet or phone, the forum automatically defaults to landscape.
> 
> To upload full-sized pictures with the proper orientation, please use a photo-sharing service such as PhotoBucket and follow the steps in these instructions:
> http://talkbudgies.com/how-guides/175818-how-post-pictures-photobucket.html
> 
> For gender and/or mutation help - Lighting and Angle DOES matter
> 
> By the way, all photos entered in any of our forum contests must be a full-size photo and not a thumbnail attachment so it's good to know how to upload them!
> 
> If you have any questions after reading through everything, please be sure to ask!
> 
> Glad you decided to join us and looking forward to seeing you around the forums.
> 
> :wave:*


 Hi FaeryBee, Sorry for the duplicate thread. I'm still trying to maneuver the site.
My Baby is eating and pooping normally. I have not seen him drink but I'm sure he is. He isn't playing with any of his toys. I did make an appointment with an Avian Vet. They can't see him until next Thursday. We live in a small town and only have one AAV within over a hundred miles. I think he's fine physically. We had parakeets when I was a child and when our kids were young. I have a little experience with them. I've just never seen one so quiet and inactive. So I'm worried about him. I've covered half for his cage on the Vets recommendation. Wish us luck. Thank you for your advice and information.


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## FaeryBee

*Try playing some budgie sounds for him from YouTube and see if he chirps when he hears them.

[nomedia="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz6L8dlGYkQ&list=RDHz6L8dlGYkQ#t=17"]From the best selling album 'Happy Budgies' - YouTube[/nomedia]*


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## BabyLevi

I have played parakeet sounds from YouTube for him. He doesn't respond. It's a nice day so I have our patio door open. Lots of wild chirping birds out today. Still no response. Thanks so much for your advice and feedback.


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## FaeryBee

*Since he's only been with you for two weeks, my assumption is that Baby Levi is still in the process of settling into his new home and trying to become comfortable.

Sit near his cage and talk, sing or read to him frequently.
About 10 minutes at a time 3 or 4 times a day would be good.
This will help him feel more comfortable and start to learn to trust you.

I'll be interested in knowing what the Avian Vet has to say when you see him next week.

Best wishes!*


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## BabyLevi

I'll post again after we see the Vet. Thanks again.


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## BabyLevi

*Baby Levi is chirping*

:green pied:
Hi Everyone, Baby Levi is starting to get more comfortable. I have been playing music, parakeet sounds and talking to him for two weeks but he didn't make a peep until today. He started chirping! I'm so relieved. I've been so worried about him. I have never had a bird that was this quiet. I can't get him to the Veterinarian until Thursday so having a sounding board and your support is very much appreciated. Thank you, Ali


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## FaeryBee

*I'm sure Baby Levi is going to be just fine.
Sometimes it simply takes some budgies a little longer to settle into their new environment than others. 
I'm glad to hear you're feeling better now that he's chirping. *


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## BabyLevi

Thank you:green pied:


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## BabyLevi

*Baby Levi is doing great !!!*

Hi Eveyone, I'm happy to report that Levi got a clean bill of health from the Vet today. However he's not as young as I was told. The Vet is guessing that he's around 6 mos. Old. I was told he was only 12 to 14 weeks. I'm a little upset at being given wrong information by the lady at the bird shop. I bought him from a "bird store" because I thought it was more reliable. I'm hoping he's not to old to (possibly) learn to talk. Either way he is part of our family and I love him. He is feeling more comfortable each day. He loves to listen to parakeet sounds on YOU TUBE. He has become very vocal. Lol. He will eat millet from my hand but nothing else. He's come a long way in the last week. Thank you for the encouragement.


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## RavensGryf

Good news, I'm glad Levi is fine . It could be the bird store employee was misinformed about the age, and didn't purposely tell you an inaccurate age. 6 months is still very young!


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## Underscorrr

BabyLevi said:


> :green pied:
> Hi Everyone, Baby Levi is starting to get more comfortable. I have been playing music, parakeet sounds and talking to him for two weeks but he didn't make a peep until today. He started chirping! I'm so relieved. I've been so worried about him. I have never had a bird that was this quiet. I can't get him to the Veterinarian until Thursday so having a sounding board and your support is very much appreciated. Thank you, Ali


That's great to hear. My little birdie is pretty quiet, but he will chirp along with music and budgie sounds.


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## FaeryBee

*As indicated earlier, some budgies simply take more time to settle in and become comfortable than others.

Additionally, some budgies are simply not very vocal.

I'm glad Levi is fine (I fully expected him to be! ) and that the vet visit went well.

It's good the Avian Vet will now have a baseline for Levi for the future too! :thumbsup:

As the question and concerns have been addressed, this thread is now closed.*


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