Hi,
I do see your progress, and cheer you on.
Its difficult not to address all issues when we help people. As its the whole bird and environment ect. We all start out and learn a lot on the way, and even years later I keep trying to learn more.
I would like to suggest additional perches for the cage. Dowels are just not great for their feet, over time leads to feet issues and sore spots, and arthritis . Even little budgies need at least one perch that is as big around as a small ok made with fingers. This gives them a chance to rest with fully supported foot.
As far as withholding food, I'm against it. Burds have a very simple digestive system..food passes very quickly through it. You have probably noticed yours poop about every 15 minutes, and that there is a pile underneath them were they sleep. I don't think I still have a diagram of a burds digestive track, likely easily found on Google. They also have a high metabolism, and evolved to be more of a grazing animal eating small amounts all day. Infact when they fast overnight (normally birds don't eat after dark) their poop can take on a deep green color from bile acids. Its very noticeable in species other than budgies. Thsts normal fir first morning poop. But when seen later in the day is a sign the bird isn't eating enough, has liver issues or infection. I share that because it shows how on the line burds are metabolically just from the normal not eating when dark.
So its risky to withholding food. If the temperature drops a little overnight or drafts they burn even more calories. Burds burn a lot of calories to maintain temperature, due to their airspace air sacks inside their body. ( why its so important to prove warmth for sick burds to save calories they need to use fighting infection) . Or if they are burning more calories from stress or activities. They get in trouble very quickly. So what I'm saying is its risky, as in sudden death risky.
You may say, that their activity or behavior seems fine. But they hide any health issues, hardwired evolved to hide , until they are critical and can't spare the calories anymore, and then they are typically hours to 24 hours from death and its difficult to save them at that point.
So if you pull the food out overnight, be there first thing in the morning with the food in your hand. And I would not withhold food during daylight hours at all.
I do see your progress, and cheer you on.
Its difficult not to address all issues when we help people. As its the whole bird and environment ect. We all start out and learn a lot on the way, and even years later I keep trying to learn more.
I would like to suggest additional perches for the cage. Dowels are just not great for their feet, over time leads to feet issues and sore spots, and arthritis . Even little budgies need at least one perch that is as big around as a small ok made with fingers. This gives them a chance to rest with fully supported foot.
As far as withholding food, I'm against it. Burds have a very simple digestive system..food passes very quickly through it. You have probably noticed yours poop about every 15 minutes, and that there is a pile underneath them were they sleep. I don't think I still have a diagram of a burds digestive track, likely easily found on Google. They also have a high metabolism, and evolved to be more of a grazing animal eating small amounts all day. Infact when they fast overnight (normally birds don't eat after dark) their poop can take on a deep green color from bile acids. Its very noticeable in species other than budgies. Thsts normal fir first morning poop. But when seen later in the day is a sign the bird isn't eating enough, has liver issues or infection. I share that because it shows how on the line burds are metabolically just from the normal not eating when dark.
So its risky to withholding food. If the temperature drops a little overnight or drafts they burn even more calories. Burds burn a lot of calories to maintain temperature, due to their airspace air sacks inside their body. ( why its so important to prove warmth for sick burds to save calories they need to use fighting infection) . Or if they are burning more calories from stress or activities. They get in trouble very quickly. So what I'm saying is its risky, as in sudden death risky.
You may say, that their activity or behavior seems fine. But they hide any health issues, hardwired evolved to hide , until they are critical and can't spare the calories anymore, and then they are typically hours to 24 hours from death and its difficult to save them at that point.
So if you pull the food out overnight, be there first thing in the morning with the food in your hand. And I would not withhold food during daylight hours at all.
Yes there are other perches in there,. I live on a small acreage and we raised Heartnuts (a sport of Japanese walnuts) along with hazel nuts, pecans, English walnuts and some assorted fruit trees. I have wild grape vines on the property and used those with notches to add in perches. I think I only left in the one perch, but since it is different sized than the grapevine perches, and some walnut perches, thought it might be alright for the time.
