# What do I need outside of the cage/in the room for a budgie?



## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

I've recently gotten two budgies, and these are my first. Irrelevant info ahead. I prepared the cage and have attempted to give them a balanced diet(I give them millet food, and I wanted to give them mostly veggies like I should, but every time I try, they just throw it on the cage bottom and leave it), I had enough toys in the cage(had to do with a few plastic ones, I'm trying to get those replaced), I got a half-decent cage(good width and depth, but taller than wide). Overall, underprepared but I'm trying to get back on my feet.

I've realized recently that the room isn't outfitted with anything a bird would like to explore, other than a swing on the underside of my loft bed. I was planning on letting them run loose in my room whenever I got the chance, but I never got anything for them to actually explore or play with.

What all am I going to need? I've ordered a one-foot-tall play stand as a temporary solution. It was what I could afford, and I'm going to get a bigger one. I'm also getting toys for it and I'm looking for areas to put food and water containers for them. Other than bird-proofing, what else am I going to need or should have?

And if you're wondering why I didn't use google, trust me, I tried. I could only find stuff for what I need in the cage or how to get the budgies themselves out. Wasn't too helpful.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi, Welcome to Talk Budgies!

There are various types of other hanging toys you could attach to the underside of your bed.
You can place perches on the outside of the bird's cage, and add patios to the outside of the cage as well.
I have a plastic box of plastic and wooden beads (large enough they cannot be swallowed by a budgie!) which sits on top of my birds' cage. They LOVE to get in the box and dig around as well as throw the beads all over the room. They also have both wicker and squishy spiny balls on top of the cage which they delight in throwing off.

If you post some pictures of your budgies, cage, and room and it will make it easier to make suggestions.

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.*

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## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

I’m attaching some images, and an explanation of the images are confusing.

when you walk into my room, my computer desk is to your left, against your side, right there. The loft bed is ahead, and under it is my “to be sorted” area because I don’t know what to do with it. The dresser with the mirror is against a wall, on the other side of the computer desk. The trash can is between the bed and window wall, opposite of the door. The cage is in the closet, which isn’t ideal, but it wasn’t actually used and was the best place for the cage, although not perfect.
Inside the cage, I have a good and water area, and a second food dispenser that doesn’t even work. It’ll be taken out after this post. From the camera’s perspective, the back left corner isn’t used at all. The keys in the front left corner, though, are poked at frequently and I caught Apple(the green one) hanging off of the ring part a few minutes ago. I have a few extra perches lying around that are, unfortunately, the same thickness as the other ones. I use to to help the birds up when they want back in the cage, as they can't get up on their own.
I know the place is a mess, but I’m really working on getting it cleaned up.

I DO NOT USE THE SMALL CAGE. My mom bought for me so she wouldn’t have to watch the birds as I clean the cage. It didn’t work. I was thinking I could remove the middle door(no doors stay open) so they can fly in and out as they please, if they please.

Some other questions:
My birds seem too comfortable with me for two months of ownership(I’m trying to be better with them) and the last few days, they’re not exactly comfortable with me but seem willing to put up with me, starting to chirp, play, and groom after a bit of me talking to them. Am I interpreting that correctly or should I stop talking to them?

They came out of the cage in the first few weeks, but now when they come out, they want right back in. Is this backwards progress normal? Will the new things outside the cage help?




































Pointless update I felt the need to add: I gave the two an apple slice and they absolutely loved it. I also took the mirror ladder out of the cage, as they don't use it at all and I don't want a pointless mirror in the cage.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You definitely need to get different perches for the inside of the cage 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*

*I'd make sure there are two swings inside the cage and get the budgies some shredding toys.

Where are you planning to put their playground. Do you have a link to it or a picture of what it will look like?
The cage needs to be somewhere beside in the closet. They are not getting enough light -- is there a way you can put the cage near the window or is it too drafty there for the cage?

You need to ensure the room is bird-safe.
You should be talking, singing or reading to the budgies throughout the day. The fact they are preening and chirping after you talk to them is a good sign.
The want to go back into the cage after being out because that is their "safe" place. At the moment, the room doesn't look to be to enticing for them to want to be out of the cage for any length of time.
I'll think about what else you might want to have out of the cage in the room for them. *


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## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

Thanks for the advice. I'm fixing the mistakes as quickly as I can.

I was either going to put the playground near the window, to the side of it, likely replacing that small cabinet near the window, or in the center area under the loft bed.

As far as the light issue goes, I suppose I can swap that cabinet mentioned before with the cage, keeping the wall protection and putting it near the window. I could also move the computer area under the loft bed and move the cage between the current computer desk and the dresser. Will the birds be able to adjust to that?

I'm doing what I can with bird safety in the room. I'm putting anything that doesn't need to be out all the time in drawers that are hard for even me to open(My little brother taking knobs was a blessing in disguise), plugging up loose sockets with those plastic plug thingies, and, despite what it looks like, removing unnecessary cords.

after posting this particular reply, I ordered some natural perches, which are all similar to each other, if not the same, that included a two-branching variation and a swing, as well as five pull-apart toys to shred, two flat-top perches, two rope perch things, a bird bath because the blue one under the cage ***** and doesn't attach to anything and is ignored all the time, a smaller playground to sit on any surface that actually has built in toys to add to the exploration factor around the room, and some rubber band balls that are SUPPOSED to be bird toys, but I doubt they'll be safe in terms of not breaking apart, so it'll probably just be me throwing them in the air and catching them until I get bored myself or lose them all somehow.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and welcome to the forums!
It looks like you're taking some good steps and FaeryBee has given great advice. The toys/perches look great with the exception of anything made with rope or cotton since they might chew on it and ingest it. 

Keep on poking around the forums for additional information as well, and if you have more questions after, please do ask!

Hope to see you around, 

Cheers!


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## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

I do have a question, continuing off of the early taming behaviors I was worried about. Lately, anytime the two are out of the cage(which is very rare), Alfred, the blue one, seems to be somewhat curious about me, getting closer when I'm not looking like some weird game of red-light-green-light, and even trying to work up the courage to step on to my hand with no reason when holding THE PERCH(I may have over-dramatized the perch I use to get them back into the cage when they want back in). I mean, he hopped on and got right back off, starting at the opposite end of my hand, and kept doing that, slowly getting closer, and the last time he did that, he got one foot on my thumb for half a second and quit entirely. Each time he got off, except the last, he'd circle around and chirp, staring at me or the perch. 
I don't understand. I've only really talked to them and cleaned the cage, as far as interacting goes. I haven't made too many attempts to get them used to my hand. Why is Alfred so curious of something he views as life-threatening? Do I need to get that checked out, or is it just a result of boredom from not having anything to explore?
Just in case anyone was wondering, no, I did not move my thumb when Alfred got off of it. I only moved to get him on the perch and to stay on long enough for me to lift him back to the cage.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Well, not all budgies automatically view humans, especially someone who obviously they've seen a few times with no ill consequences, as an existential threat. Some are definitely more curious than others, and are interested in humans who they've seen enough to know aren't an immediate concern. Obviously they'll still be skittish, but will exhibit a lot of the behaviors you're seeing now. This is a great sign! Don't rush him and just keep being gentle and spending time with them and it's likely that soon he'll decide to step on your hand of his own accord, etc. When he does, you can praise him a lot and everything so he knows it's a good thing.


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## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

I'm glad to hear that this seems to be okay for him. Trust me, I didn't want either to be rushed into being tamed. If they both wanted nothing to do with me for eternity, I could have lived with that. I was worried that somehow I rushed Alfred or they were rushing themselves. Apple's gotten to a point of mutually understood distance. Yes, I MEAN no harm, but I'm still a giant, so distance is good. Still preens and plays in front of me like I don't exist, but I can't come too close or it's uncomfortable. About where I expected both to be at this point.

Thank you for helping me correct some basic mistakes, both of you. Anything else I need to do, I will 100% do my best to get it done. They're both cheerfully eating as I type, regardless of if I'm watching them or not, so I guess I'm a bodyguard?


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Guess so  It sounds like they're doing great so far, and you too


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## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

I feel the need to update here, as this will likely be the last reply on this thread and I don't want some non-closure post like some other posts, the rubber band balls, new food containers, millet spray treats, new perches and swing, play stand, bird bath, shredding toys, and flat top perches are all arriving tomorrow. Time to give them the life they deserve.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*It sounds as though things have progressed very well! We'd love to see updated pictures showing the changes you've made when you have some!

Best wishes!*


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## Benny8a (Apr 11, 2021)

The picture isn't too clear because I had to use my front camera on my Ipad, but I took out all the old perches aside from that swing because I screwed it on there too tight and physically cannot get it off, and there are flat tops and natural perches all over, with some outside of the cage leading up like a staircase. I found out I did not read carefully when I bought the playstand and it's a screw-on like the other perches, so that sits on top. They're getting tired, so it's bedtime for us. I'll try to add anything else to the cage that I should.


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