# New Diet and Sleep Schedule



## Noxiousted (Aug 4, 2018)

Since quarantine started I started a bad habit of staying up super late. This also means Treenia ends up staying up too. I've tried putting her to asleep around 9 PM using a blanket. She is super afraid of shadows so the blanket makes it worse on her. I honestly don't believe she gets more than 4 hours of sleep a day. She is of course cranky and sleepy because of this. I need to fix this because she needs the energy for the big molt she is going through. At first I thought she was sleeping because she is sick. When I take her outside and sit her on the deck in her cage she jumps around and has the time of her life talking. She also has bursts of energy and squawks while flapping her wings in her cage. I sit her in front of the TV a lot and she will fall asleep for a while and then wake back up. I don't know how to put her to sleep when she is scared of shadows and the dark. I tried leaving the lamp on but instead she believes it's day time and eats and chirps. I also don't know for how long she should sleep. There is mixed answers everywhere on the internet. Most say 8 and others say it depends on if she has a cage mate. Which I believe I will get her another female. As I don't trust myself having a male and a female. I'm not very good at keeping track of things like that. I don't wanna end up with baby budgies I don't have the knowledge to take care of.

As for her diet she hasn't been very fond of fresh fruit and veggies. I've tried red peppers, lettuce, and boiled eggs. She was more of super scared and hid in the corner. So for now I've decided to try her on pellets. I'm going to use mash because of how stubborn she is. I also want to use powdered vitamins every once in a while to help. I just need a recommendation on what type of vitamin powder I should sprinkle on her food.


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## Blingy (Feb 26, 2018)

I use one of those little plug in nightlights for my guys. It goes beside their cage, under their night covers. It’s not bright enough to keep them awake, but it allows them to see if they get startled by something. I’m sure it has helped reduce the number of night frights. 


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Budgies need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep per night and it is best to keep them on a regular schedule.

If necessary, put her cage in a different room for her to sleep so that she won't be bothered by your noise and light.

Cover her cage top, three sides, and 1/3 of the way down the front. Ensure there is a small night light in the room to help prevent night frights.

Do not get another budgie at this time. You need to let Treenia settle in and become accustomed to a regular schedule for her health and well-being.

It can take several weeks (or even months) for budgies to decide to try a new food.
Fruit is high in sugar content so vegetables are actually healthier for your budgies with fruits given only occasionally (once or twice a week)

Healthy Diet for your Budgies

Please take the time to read the Budgie Articles and the Stickies posted at the top of each section of the forum. 
Most basic questions have been answered there. 

You will find many different tips with regard to presenting vegetables and encouraging your budgies to try new foods in the Diet and Nutrition section of the forum.
The first vegetable which my budgies that had not been weaned to vegetables tried (and loved) was sweet corn kernels sprinkled with a teeny bit of garlic powder (NOT salt).

Budgies seem to love "spicy" tastes. 
They also adored fresh basil, cilantro, dill, chickweed, zucchini and red pepper. 

Diet and Nutrition - Talk Budgies Forums

Using Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother)
as a natural pro-biotic is very beneficial to your budgies:

Apple Cider Vinegar

I use Volkman Avian Science Super Seed Mix for my birds. :thumbup:

When I introduced pellets to my budgie, my Avian Vet recommended using Harrison's High Potency Mash and sprinkling it on the budgie's seed mix every day. 
This way, when the budgie hulls the seed it tastes the pellet mash and ingests bits of it as well. 
This helps the budgie identify the taste as a food source. 
It worked for my all of budgies and lovebirds!

Many members seem to find the easiest pellets to use for introducing pellets to their budgies to be the CANARY sized (XS) Zupreem fruity pellets. 
Most budgies like the taste and the "Canary" sized pellets are tiny enough for them to easily eat them. 
Once they've become accustomed to the Fruity Pellets, introducing the smallest "natural" pellets is then an easy step.

Other than when I was using the Harrison's mash, I've never mixed my birds' pellets and seed together.

My birds have Zupreem Fruity Pellets, RoudyBush Mini Natural Pellets, Dried Herb Salad and Miracle Meal available at all times. 
(Yep - I have a lot of food dishes! :laughing

Their seed is rationed to approximately 2 teaspoons of seed per budgie each day. 
I give them seed first thing in the morning right after putting clean packing paper on the bottom grate of the cages. 
I sprinkle their morning ration on the paper so they can forage for the seeds. 
I then do the same thing in the evenings (after replacing the soiled paper with clean) and again allow them to forage for their seed.__________________
With a healthy diet, you should not need any vitamins or supplements other than Vitamin D3 which is used for birds who get limited direct sunlight.*


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## luladavis (Aug 24, 2020)

Blingy said:


> I use one of those little plug in nightlights for my guys. It goes beside their cage, under their night covers. It's not bright enough to keep them awake, but it allows them to see if they get startled by something. I'm sure it has helped reduce the number of night frights.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


thanks, and thing helps


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