# Can we talk?...



## FaeryBee

*Can we talk?...

I'm interested in knowing just what it is that you REALLY LIKE about the Talk Budgies forum.

Many members first join for help and/or support in one area and realize this forum is "the ultimate budge forum..." 

So ... what is it that keeps YOU coming back?

We even have long time members who have stayed with us even during periods when they didn't currently have budgies. Why? What is the major draw?

I'll go first 'cause I started the thread. 

1) I love that this forum is dedicated first and foremost to sharing the "best practices" of budgie care. There is always something to learn and striving to find the best ways to ensure the health and well-being of our budgies is the top priority!

2) Common courtesy in responding to posts and respecting thread topics is the expected norm and members are kind and supportive of one another.

3) We have members from all over the world and all walks of life which provides the opportunity to broaden our horizons after intially coming together due to our shared interest in budgies.

4) We have areas of the forum to "chat" about light hearted and fun topics, we can share stories about our other pets and we get to see LOTS of pictures of beautiful, cute and amazing budgies!!

5) Contests -- I love seeing the entries to our contests.

Those are a few of my favorite things.... what are YOURS?

:tb:*


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## despoinaki

Let's see..TB is like an alive,friendly budgie encyclopedia for me. I keep coming here because I want to learn,chat and relax..I get to know more about budgies,other cultures,see a lot of pictures and be friends with many people. And whatever happens,I can help and be helped by many people! It felt like a second family when my Phillip had health issues. Thank you TB Forum!


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## Budget baby

Deborah
I initially joined Talk Budgies as an Emergency call for help.
With some excellent, and non judgemental advice and guidance I managed to raise my Beautiful Boy Budget.
With the Emergency over, I started to navigate my way around the forum, I found so many helpful and knowledgeable articles which are called Stickies on every subject known to relate to Budgies.
Before I knew it I was wanting to be online as often as possible, I quickly became engulfed with so many new, and like minded people who I am honoured to say are my world wide family.
Talk Budgies is a big part of my daily life, I am committed to now helping others as others have helped me in the past. 
I love the fact that here on Talk Budgies you can ask or say what is on your mind within the guidelines of course.
I have become more confident in my being able to give my budgies the best possible care and life because of this community.
I love being able to enter the competitions when I can, the information and general happy feel of the forum is a huge plus for me. I hope to be here for a long time to come.


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## aluz

I have joined Talk Budgies mainly to share my love of these wonderful companion pets that have always been a big part of my life. 
While growing up and even during part of my adult life I was never really able to communicate to others about how much my pet birds mean to me, they just didn't get it and most of the time I would just give up and refrain from talking too much about them or expressing my concerns when one of my birds was ill or when I was in mourning for one of them.

Talk Budgies has been a real blessing, because I have found here kindred spirits who share the same love I have for budgies and I'm very fortunate to be part of this community. I also love the fact that we have dedicated places to talk about our birds of different species and our non-feathered pets.

:urock: :tb:


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## eduardo

*I joined TB some years ago when I got my first budgie because I wasn't sure about his gender. And then I had some other questions and so on. I have stayed a member for four years now I think. Even though I don't have budgies any more, I love talking with people here, and I have made some very good friends over time. And of course, it's always great to look at the cute budgie pictures *


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## Spiritbird

I joined because I read several threads started by members with questions that I had some input to write. I think there are many young, inexperienced budgie owners that need some help in understanding the needs of these birds.


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## Niamhf

I love that I've finally found a place where I fit in. My whole life I've sensed that people just don't understand the connection I have with animals and have often been left feeling somewhat hurt by careless comments from others. When my little boy Oisin became ill I was in sheer despair and felt frustrated with people making jokes that he's just a budgie and it would be cheaper to get a new one or to just end his life it's not fair to put him through blood tests - my view on it is, no one would dare make those comments about a human so why should animals suffer. (I have a hundred and one other examples from over the years).

I found hope in a great community of people who share my true unconditional love for animals and I gained strength and calming energy from my friends on TB. Thank you all - I truly love this forum, it has comforted me when my world fell to pieces, strengthened me in my moments of fear and uncertainty and every day brings me joy and happiness :budgie:


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## LynandIndigo

When I first joined Talk Budgies I wanted to learn about our beloved birds. When I first got Buster I wished I knew about this wonderful form then as Buster had a tumour Cancer I didn't no a lot about the tumour he had.. Buster had a lot of avian vet trips etc but he had the operation and came through after a few years I lost him from cancer... Then one day after I lost him I found this wonderful caring community that helped me through my loss of my beautiful boy... I have learned so much here and I have made a lot of dear friends...

One thing I like about the form is that everyone is so caring towards one another this is why I keep coming back... Tb is my second family... Kim Budgiekin was my first friend who made me feel so welcome she explained how everything worked on the form so after that we became really good friends... She was always there when I needed help...

I also like seeing photos of other members budgies and in the contests to..

Now I have my beautiful Indigo and he is my world and I love him so much...

I also like helping in a little way by doing my slideshows for people it made me feel really good to do something nice for someone else to cheer them up...

I just love this form cause of the friendly people and the information that is given to us about our beloved budgies so we can learn... Thank you for having me a part of this fantastic form...

Talk Budgies is far the best well run form ever I am proud to be a member of Talk Budgies... The Staff are wonderful and so are the members to....


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## Griff

I first joined about 5 months adter I got my first budgie, Elsa. I was at my wits end, very saddened by the fact that she "didn't like me". I was walked through the process of taming her correctly, and he got pretty far in the process. I loved having a semi-tame budgie, but I felt she wasn't happy alone, so I adopted her now best buddy, Gilbert, 3 months later. the reason I stayed is because of all the friendly animal-loving people here. In real life, I can't endlessly talk about my love for animals because most people don't think they're that important. But here, I feel like everyone loves animals so much that we can all appriciate each other's pets.


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## JWKnight

*I came here because I was looking for mutation help, as I was just getting started with breeding. I wanted to know as much as I could, so I could breed my birds to be the best possible color/mutations that I could find. I love unusual beautiful budgies, and that's what I get a lot of the time now that I know what to match up with what.

My babies are beautiful and full of life.

I stick around to help others with what I've learned, and to join the contests when I can, just for the fun of it.*


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## Jo Ann

*Can*

Several years ago, we were caught in the middle of a weekend with an acute bird and the animal e-clinic had no avian vet on duty. I was frantic as my usual backup, my mentor was away as well. I found TB on the net and received assistance. I was amazed at the kindness and support. I have learned so much and seen some real miracles Like Tony finding his way back to Edwardo's family..
Or the team helping Juhi with her egg bound hen in India where the only vet in her area was just a regular vet, but he was willing to help Juhi and her family.
What a wonderful experience watching the little hen recover and All of the members of TB work together. Mutual respect and understanding why we have certain rules to keep everyone safe while on line. What a wealth of resources we have built together for the well being Of our budgies and their human families. Feeling safe to mourn and talk about our experiences with others who really understand .Deb's leadership is a wonderful gift as well. Thank you each one for being a member of TB. Best wishes, Jo Ann


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## Wiki

What an interesting question! I joined TB as a part of researching how I could do a better job with a future budgie - the knowledge, open exchange, supportiveness and kindness have been what has kept me coming back for more.

That future budgie turned out to be Wiki, and I have everyone here to thank for him being good at eating pellets and seed, veggies of many colours and a strong flier. For him having a larger cage than his predecessors, with nary a dowel nor sandpaper in sight.

This is what TB does: changes the world, one bird and one bird owner at a time without judging: only with explanation and supportive nurturing. It's home.


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## annabellerigby

TB has an extremely supportive environment! It's great to join a forum that caters to your interests and that is so full of help! It's beautiful to see how we all care about birds so much.  I'm quite young, so finding friendly forums like this is so relieving. Everyone is so kind!


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## Jonah

This is the kind of thread you do not want to be a late arrival to....all the good stuff has already been used, and I agree with all of it. I will say my love for talk budgies has evolved in the time I have been here. I logged in here before I got my girl's from Lindsey, and was pleased to start finding all kind's of great info immediately. Between the info, and the very helpful, experienced folk's here, I couldn't tear myself away because I really wanted the best for my new bird's and there was no doubt this was the place to get me there. That phase evolved into the fun, and fellowship phase with like minded people, and even more exciting, like minded people from all over this world of our's. The Pictures people share, stories that are told, and experiences shared, all became very important to me.

Now in the phase I am in, the first two phases are still very important, as I continue to learn new thing's all the time, and keep on enjoying the thing's from the second phase, but I now relate heavily to JoAnn's post above. I see the forum for what it has done for me, and what I have witnessed it do for other's, and my only goal besides enjoying it, is to try and help keep it what it has been, for those that are yet to come...


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## nuxi

That's a nice thread! I joined Talk Budgies because I was looking for a budgie forum which is "single bird keeper" friendly. All the German boards I took a look at were strictly against single bird keeping so I decided to take a look at English/International budgie boards. Then I found Talk Budgies by using Google. I immediately liked the nice and kind vibe of the forum and the fact it's single keeper friendly. So I decided to join. I still like the nice and friendly vibe of the forum,all the nice and kind people and it feels like a big family. We all share the fun and joy but we also give comfort when times aren't so happy. Maybe because a member lost his/her bird or the bird is sick or maybe the bird escaped. The people here seem to be genuinely caring.

Hugs to all of you!:grouphug:


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## jrook

Well, like Randy says, a lot of the 'good stuff' has already been said.. and I agree with the comments above.
This forum was a lifesaver for me.. probably literally for my little birds. I'm still learning every day and my birds are happier and healthier for being here.
I stay because of the learning and sharing and for the support... And.. because it's become fun to know people and birds.. I love it that I can smile and have fun here too. It is a well run forum and people are respectful of each other.. What's not to like?
I'm sure glad the forum is here.. It's kind of become part of my daily life and I never thought that would happen... nor did I think I would love my birds as much as I do (and you guys all understand that!)


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## Penzance

I just have to agree with everything that has been said.

I have never been a 'forum person' until I came here. Bad experiences at a UK forum several years ago, a non user of social media - I can't stand Facebook for example but have to use it commercially.

When I lost Lucy recently I was bereft with a grieving boy and it wasn't enough to just take it on the chin on my own. Like others have said, you have to be a budgie owner to understand the impact of these sad events, and of the happy ones too - it seems to be a lost cause to non budgie people.

I found TB after googling budgie pictures to try and cheer myself up. Against my better instincts I put up a post and was astonished by the kind, caring, understanding and knowledgable response. I couldn't believe it! I thought am I imagining it or have I found a community that really thinks like me. A real common purpose!

I love it here and enjoy all of it! But above all, I love the way the forum is populated by decent people who like me, just totally love budgies!


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## Sansas

Well you know I am down with a Talk Budgies Love fest! :love2:

First what really makes this place special is the shared interest in this tiny parrots. It takes special people to bond and appreciate these birds. Maybe that's ALL it is, the kind of people who enjoy Budgies are just the kind of people who make for wonderful online support. 

QUALITY! would be my biggest thing about this forum. The quality of the posts are superior to most pet forums. 

Quality of life: Even where opinions differ, the goal always seems to be to enhance the quality of life of the budgie in question. New owners who are doing everything "wrong" are encouraged to take small manageable steps to improve their budgies situation. Not shamed and run out of town.  


To sum it up simply, it's the people. 

People who love budgies and know how to care for them, are understanding types of people. And easy to hang out with. :yo:


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## dsavino

I'm so glad I found TB a few years ago. It's been like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert! It's such a blessing to finally find kindred spirits who can share wisdom, sorrow, joy and the love for our feathered family that most people just don't understand. Blessings to all the wonderful moderators and members who make TB such an awesome family!


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## sunnydyazz

This is a really amazing discussion topic. What makes this forum stand out form several other budgie forums on the net?
I first found this forum while doing a random google search about some query related to my birds. Thereafter, I must have visited here several times as a guest and finally joined it. I received very kind support from all the members in my mourning for my female budgie. And thereafter, Jo Ann and other members provided their excellent suggestions for my AGY affected budgie. What I like most about this forum is the genuine helping nature of the members here. I'm sure everyone feels a great sense of satisfaction after solving someone's query or providing effective advice to the pet owners. I also appreciate how the members share each other's grief in their times of distress and lend support to the grieving person. 
Although I admit I'm not able to visit the forum on a daily basis and post(be active) as much as I want to, I feel something's amiss on those days. I really like the ambience of TB.
:tb:


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## mekat

Ease of use - Forum is easy to navigate and is pleasant to the eyes

Members - Knowledgeable and Friendly

Moderators - They do a good job of keeping a pleasant atmosphere. 

Searchable Forum- I don't always like to ask question after question. Sometimes I just search the archives. The posts go back several years which means I can easily get different perspectives on the same problem.


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## StarlingWings

What a great thread, Deb! I have to say with some sheepishness that honestly I'm sort of addicted to TB!  
And why wouldn't I be when there are so many great pictures of adorable budgies, funny stories, and awesome people to hang out with? Talk Budgies isn't just a website, it's a community, and a place where everyone is included and can find valuable advice with their budgies. 
I joined two years earlier than I appeared on here for real because I wanted to lurk around and see all the great threads that came on here. Finally, I decided to declare myself and I haven't left since! :spy: 
Much love from me and Mallorn!


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## Didoushkaya

TB is now part of my waking up routine. Let me rephrase that: TB is the first place I go when I wake up. I am addicted? Oh yes!

This thread was the one of the first I saw this morning. As I started reading Deborah's post, I also noticed how late it was, so I jumped out of bed and left it at that. Between breakfast, lunch (and dinner) preparations, the drive to school and help in the classroom, it's past midday now.

I haven't yet read anyone's replies. I avoided doing so on purpose so that my own wouldn't be influenced. So here goes:

I came to TB first when our family was trying to make a decision about adopting our first bird, following a very unfortunate incident described here. It is this forum that completely won me over to getting a budgie. After reading through most of the stickies and some of the threads, I felt very secure that, even though we had zero experience with birds, we'd be able to get all the help and support we needed here.

The information I keep finding here is priceless. I am able to approach Clouds' settling in with a serenity that I would never have found (or be able to maintain) without the kind, supporting, accepting and experienced advice I is given here.

Gosh do I wish there had been a "Talk Babies" when my son was born 

But experience is not all. This community could very well be extremely knowledgeable, yet remain cliquey, judgemental or generally unpleasant. I think it goes to the moderators' credit that the beautiful tone of this forum is maintained and that everyone feels not just welcome but accepted.

I am really enjoying discovering the personalities of the regular members, observing friendships being formed in every direction. I also _love_ being able to get to know all these amazing little birds that make the TB flock. It's as close as it gets to having lots and lots of birds, isn't it? (I am already secretly plotting the adoption our second budgie at Christmas but would never be able to wait that long if I didn't get so much 'bird satisfaction' everyday )

It is not often that such chemistry occurs where a whole amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Long may it last!

I've said my bit so now I can't wait to read what everyone else wrote


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## FaeryBee

*Thanks to each and every one of the members who took the time to read and post in this thread. 

You all are GREAT!
:grouphug:*


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## Budget baby

I just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every one of these wonderful insights.
TB is indeed a daily ritual for myself, As a member I can not thank past, present and future members enough for all the help and valuable information I have come across. As a moderator I love how members are so obliging and wonderfully accepting of Forum rules and Guidelines. It truly is a well oiled machine that takes a fair bit of love, passion , common sense and kindness to maintain the exceptional level of happiness that is here at TB . Long may we all be part of this Ultimate Forum TB.


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## eduardo

*


FaeryBee said:



Thanks to each and every one of the members who took the time to read and post in this thread. 

You all are GREAT!
:grouphug:

Click to expand...

Deb, this forum would not be the same without you!! You are the best :thumbsup:*


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## Didoushkaya

eduardo said:


> *
> 
> Deb, this forum would not be the same without you!! You are the best :thumbsup:*


I second that!

(the other moderators are pretty cool too tho)


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## RavensGryf

I joined when I got Mink, because I wanted to be part of a friendly community of fellow budgie lovers who know exactly why I love these cute little things  You guys just "get it". Tons of great information here too! 

I love my parrots, and the forums are great, but I feel that not as many people there really care about the smaller birds like budgies. When I want to talk specifically about my budgies, not as many people get as excited, as when someone mentions a new Macaw or something. It leaves me feeling like saying "Hey people, don't you care about my BUDGIES too?? Aren't my BUDGIES cute?? Don't you just love hearing about my BUDGIES?? Look everyone I got a new BUDGIE!!!!!" Lol :laughing2: So.... I joined a forum just for BUDGIES with lots of other people who love BUDGIES too! :2thumbs:


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