# Budgie not flying yet



## Invergarrytrees (Nov 20, 2021)

Bought male budgie from breeder. He is 16 weeks old and not flying yet. He had no tail feathers when we got him. He is getting new feathers in. Has he been clipped by breeder? Will his feathers grow as he matures and be able to fly?
He has a good appetite. Does a lot of pruning.
Slightly worried about him re flying.
Any advice please.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Please post a picture of the budgie.*

*How to upload images to posts*


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## Invergarrytrees (Nov 20, 2021)

FaeryBee said:


> *Please post a picture of the budgie.*
> 
> *How to upload images to posts*


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You need to remove that sandpaper from the bottom of the budgie's cage right away. It will cause pressure sores and possibly bumblefoot.
I also recommend you remove the wooden dowel perches in the cage and replace them 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*
*Bumblefoot

What is the budgie's name?
It does look like the wings have been clipped. Did you ask the breeder?

The budgie will be unable to fly until the feathers molt and the new flight feathers come in.
Budgies generally have a first light molt at around 3 - 4 months old and another at 6 -7 months old.
When a budgie reaches at 1 year old their molts adjust to the Seasons., After the adjustment the budgie will have its big molts in the Spring and Fall. Budgies may also have lighter molts throughout the year; triggered by stress, change in diet or change in environment.

You can supplement your budgie’s diet with egg food during a molt.
This helps your budgies replenish the energy lost during the time they lose and grow in the new feathers.
Additionally, egg food promotes good and healthy feather growth.
It is possible to buy ready-made egg food at any specialized pet store but just as easy to make your own by hard boiling an egg and mashing it up.
If you wish you can mix it with a bit of cooked quinoa and flax seed.
You can also finely chop some veggies and add it to the egg food mix.

If your give your budgie cooked quinoa, be sure you rinse it well several times before cooking.

Budgies get itchy during their molt, so they'll preen and scratch more often. Additionally, they may be sleepier and quieter as molting takes a lot of energy, and their poop could be a little runnier. To make them more comfortable, you can offer them baths either in a shallow dish of water (or Lix-It bath) or by hanging wet greens (romaine lettuce or kale works best) in their cage so they can nibble on it and rub against them.*

*Molting FAQs*
*Miserable Molting*

*The tail is a mess -- how large is the cage in which you are housing the budgie? Length, Width, Height?
The minimum size cage you should have for this budgie would be 30" Long (76 cm) x 18" Wide (46 cm) x 18" High (46 cm)
Width is more important than height as budgies fly laterally. The spacing between the bars must be no more than 1/2" (1.27 cm)

What are you feeding the bird?*

*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
*Safe Foods for Budgies*
*The Truth about GRIT*


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