# Medicating your budgie



## elga (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi everyone! 

I just read one of the previous threads about correct way of keeping your bird in your hand and/or towelling it for medication. But I am curious about how do you get your birds out of the cage if you have to medicate them? What is the least stressful way to do so? For example, If you have to give them medicine two times a day you really have to have a plan for that! 

How do you do it with tame and/or not tame budgies? :001_rolleyes:


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

With tame budgies, you can have them step onto your finger to take them out of cage. 
If they are used to a routine, they can even come out of the cage on their own accord. 
You can also use the towel/small piece of cloth to gently pick them up, get them out of the cage and give the medicine.


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## elga (Aug 27, 2016)

And what can you do with non tame budgie? That start running/flying around to escape from you or your towel? 



aluz said:


> With tame budgies, you can have them step onto your finger to take them out of cage.
> If they are used to a routine, they can even come out of the cage on their own accord.
> You can also use the towel/small piece of cloth to gently pick them up, get them out of the cage and give the medicine.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Do you need to medicate your budgie at this time?

If not, then the best thing to do is help your budgie learn to trust you enough that it will step up onto either your hand or a small dowel perch when you need to bring it out of the cage.

If your budgie is not tamed and you need to medicate it, the best thing to do is put the bird in a smaller "hospital" cage so it it easier to catch. 
Basically you then dim the lights as much as possible and use a soft cloth to gently catch the bird for the medication to be administered.*


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## elga (Aug 27, 2016)

Thank you FaeryBee for your advice!

I am currently medicating the new bird with painkillers which I got from the vet and two other budgies are finishing their antifungal treatment. I kept both of them in the cage they live, but used cloth/paper tussue to take them out one by one. Sometimes it is more successful sometimes less. Birdies are more or less used to their medications, one gets them for almost 28 days twice a day and other 14. Medicating them did affect our taming process but not much. After we finish with medication I will continue taming all of them. Priority for me now is to keep them happy doing what they want and stressing them less as possible.



FaeryBee said:


> *Do you need to medicate your budgie at this time?
> 
> If not, then the best thing to do is help your budgie learn to trust you enough that it will step up onto either your hand or a small dowel perch when you need to bring it out of the cage.
> 
> ...


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

I have to medicate a couple of birds that are not tame. I do it in the dark except for a small night light. In the am before the sun is up and at night after I turn out the lights. I reach in very slowly and quietly and pick up the bird, I usually have some sort of cloth in my hand. Sometimes they do flutter around a bit but it is far easier to catch them in the dark than with the lights on.


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Medicating budgies is always stressful for both parties.
Have medication drawn, ready, please have it at room temperature if possible. Use a gloved hand to catch the budgie or a small cloth. It is definitely easier to catch them in a darkened room, be very careful and do not squeeze or apply too much pressure to their chest, head. Usually you can have the bird in an upright position with the head between finger and thumb, gently place syringe at the side of beak and slide in, press the plunger slowly allow the bird to swallow, once finished gently wash the beak and surrounding area with a wet cotton ball to remove any sticky, substances. then gently return to cage.


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