I have 3 parakeets, and the easiest way to clean their cage is to simply pull the slide out tray to the utility sink and use the sprayer and a putty knife to scrape. First I dump seeds into the trash then spray with hot hot water, then I feel secure in knowing it is sanitized.
Parakeets love music, I discovered this when they tweet like crazy when the Monkees theme song comes on. Also, I play the harmonica for them, they love it, they are in awe as they listen. They do not sing along, but close their eyes and cackle with happiness.
They also love when I plant wheat berry seeds in organic soil. It sprouts and I put it in their cage and they eat and play with it. I had to laugh one day, one of the birds, all you could see was his hind end sticking up with his head in the pot, then he jumped up and was flinging dirt clods out of his cage.
Lastly is a important tip, chlorine is hard on little birds' kidneys, so I fill a plastic jug and let it set uncapped for 24 hours so it goes away. Then I put a few vitamin drops in their water holder and add the water. It is best to do the vitamins freshly, if it were to be added to the jug as it sets it would lose it's potency.
By Linda from Bellevue, N.E
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I had put on here a long time ago how my parakeet Perry loved to unravel string in his cage for entertainment. He really did love to do this. Just the other night, he became entangled in one of the strings that he often played with.
I was privileged to photograph these little parakeets last week. It was 28 degrees! The owner has acclimatized them and keeps them outdoors year 'round.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My parakeet loses his feathers and has a bald spot on the belly area. He is eating and acting normally. What possibly could have happened? We got him Thanksgiving of 2010. Thank you.
By gaboong from Fountain Valley, CA
Have you noticed the budgie scratching itself a lot lately? Could be mites from some of the forums I've read for you.
Please call an Avian Veterinarian and make an appt. then you will be sure of what's going on. Good luck.
I agree to taking your bird friend to the vet. Also, keets love to be held and played with. If his wings are clipped he could play outside the cage on a play stand. They love their daily baths too. Use a shallow saucer.
Sometimes our avian friends pluck themselves when they are bored or unhappy. Other times it could require a vets attention. Try a slice of apple, or raw broccoli or carrot wedged between the bars of the cage. That should keep him/her busy.
It's worth a try. It works for my birds and i have 13 of various types. But first and foremost, see an avian vet.
Maybe your parakeet is molting. They have special food at the pet store when a bird is molting.
Why my parakeet has no feathers on its belly. Eats, and flies around in his cage fine
I can't afford the bill right now
Our female parakeet keeps laying eggs (we have a male but he doesn't get in her cage). She is losing her chest feathers. She doesn't seem sick and she doesn't itch. Could you please help us? Thanks.
By Don
Maybe she's acting like chickens do... is trying to build a nest as she doesn't have supplies for that, so she 's using de chest feathers.
Eliane
Too much light. Too many hours. Like a commercial chicken. Egg laying chickens get at least 14 hours of light a day. A dark cover on cage but i don't know how is best to cut back the hours. All at once or slowly? Also she will need vitamins as she is depleted. Vet needed as perhaps too much calcium could harm and not help. Call a bird vet please before you lose her.
This is called a brood (incubation) patch and is completely normal. Since the male is not in the cage to breed with her simply remove the eggs as soon as they are laid. I learned about brood patches when I had a couple of finches (Romeo and Juliet) quite a few years ago. Here's more information about it so you won't worry that something is wrong with her:
birding.about.com/
We have 2 parakeets. We our new bird owners. What can you tell us to help us take good care of them? We want them to live a full life span. What kinds of toys do they like? Can we make our own handmade toys for them that are safe to play with? Thanks bird lovers!
By Trudy from in the woods, PA
Here are some tips that I learned from my parakeet Periwinkle:
Make sure the cage in not in a draft area. They like to have their food bowl blown out, which means, they will get the food out of it's "hull" and then leave the hull. I don't see this tip in much of the bird literature I read. IF you do not do this they will die of starvation, as they cannot get to the food underneath.
Change the water daily or more often.
Sometimes parakeets won't take a bath in a bath thing. I have a small spritzer I spray upward of them, and it falls down on them like rain. I don't do this a lot, and not on cold days.
My parakeet, who is named Periwinke, likes mirrors all over the cage, and toys I would get them toys from Drsfostersmith. com.
There are toys that stimulate their desire to forage. There is a toy on there where the bird pushes a button and it says a word or a tune. You don't have to buy them toys though, mirrors will make them happiest! Don't forget a trapeze. I have been wondering if mine would like a hanging house in the cage. I doubt it, he is happy with the trapeze and the mirrors all over. <3
Periwinkle loves to have part of his cage covered. Periwinkle is best friends with our Rooster, Phoenix, and his cage is on Phoenix the rooster's living area. They are best friends. I am glad you have two birds, they are so sweet and they love company.
The birds love treats, the ones that are long sprays of millet. This must be Periwinkle's favorite. Don't forget to softly blow on the birds bowl at least once or twice a day, to keep it ready and see how much food is left. :) I usually do it at night but I check on it every so often during the day,
Here are a few places for more information:
www.ehow.com/
www.wikihow.com/
Blessings and tell them they are good darlings for me!
Robyn
Our birds are fond of toys with bells they can ring and things they can easily grab in their beaks. Since you have two birds mirrors may not be the best; they can distract the birds from bonding with each other and may even cause arguments! Speaking of bonding, make sure you check on your birds' gender if you haven't already in case you get any little surprises. :-)
To really be healthy birds need more than just seed in their diet. You can buy vitamin-enriched birdseed or special bird vitamins which will help. Try to encourage them to nibble on fruit if you can. Make sure their cage is of a good enough size to let them spread their wings and get exercise. If it can be done safely letting them out for a couple hours a day is good, too. Having perches of different sizes helps to exercise their feet. Make sure they have a cuttlebone to trim their beaks on as birds like to chew. Have fun with your birds!
Most of our toys for our Parakeet are home made and are the best toys at low cost! We even made her a swing for her from bark and wire. She loves it! We also made her perch from a tree branch in the back yard. She ate all the bark and now it looks store bought! She is also able to jump to diff. branches. We gave her a cat ball w bell in it and she plays w it on the bottom of her cage w her beak. I went to the dollar store and bought X-mas bells and tied it to the side of her cage and she plays w it all the time w her beak. I went to a Craft store and bought a very small wind chime for one dollar and we can hear her every morning playing w it. :O) There are so many toys that you can make if you are creative and research the Internet for ideas... :O)
Lana - Des Plaines, IL
My boy parakeet seems to be feeding the girl. What does that mean and is she getting all her nutrition she needs?
By Michy from Chicago
It could be a mating ritual - you don't mention the age of the birds. Google information about parakeets or Google parakeet breeders & contact them as they are full of useful information.
I have two parakeets. One is perfectly fine, but the other one's eye looks kind of yellowish and runny. It looks kind of bald too, but only around one eye. What could this be? and what can I do to make it better?
By Destiny W.
Caged birds often get fatty livers from not flying. Cold Tea is often given to birds that are "under the weather". I hope this helps.
I use Walmart brand triple anti-biotic cream on. and in the eyes of my kittens, but I don't know if it can be used on birds.
I have 2 parakeets and when I talk to them they move their beaks like they are talking back to me, but nothing comes out. They will also cock their heads to the side. What does that mean?
By kayla lunder from Miles City, MT
Your birds are attentive to your voice and recognize you with the tilting of the head while being spoken to. Not making any sounds with the movement of the beak doesn't mean they won't make any noise at some point; only they may be trying to imitate the sounds they pick up on and aren't successful at it yet. Keep talking to them and say the same phrase repeatedly and maybe you'll get that response you're hoping for some day. I own three parakeets and they love music. Try playing music to get them singing.
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My parakeet is losing his flight and tail feathers. His wings were clipped when I first got him 4 months ago. He jumps off his perch a lot and tends to break his feathers.
My parakeet is losing feathers from the neck region and the underside of the wings.
My Parakeet keeps picking its foot, could it have mites? It is also plucking feathers. Could it be stressed?
