Hello from myself, Moody Blues, and Bodhi!

[lightning]

Hi! After close to four years of research, asking questions, constant visits to a couple of pet stores, and finally narrowing down to what kind of bird would be a great edition to our home, our family proudly welcomed two beautiful budgies home last Saturday. It has been a long but rewarding process, and so begins the journey. We had originally set our sights on a macaw or a cockatoo but have come to see that while one or the other will be a great edition to our family eventually, our pretty girls are the perfect fit now and for years to come. :smile015:


After looking into as much as I could find to be prepared as much as possible before bringing them home, I know there is no amount of reading that can replace learning from experience. I am here to learn from those who have that type of experience so that Moody Blues and Bodhi have the best possible quality of life we can give them.

 

[Scott]

Greetings and welcome to the forum! Thank you for researching and beginning with a smaller species that is still large in personality and companionship. While I have no personal experience with Budgies, there is a wealth of experience here willing to share! As your experience grows, there may yet be a Macaw or Cockatoo in your future!!

 

[lightning]

Greetings and welcome to the forum! Thank you for researching and beginning with a smaller species that is still large in personality and companionship. While I have no personal experience with Budgies, there is a wealth of experience here willing to share! As your experience grows, there may yet be a Macaw or Cockatoo in your future!!

Thank you! We are still in the early phases of getting to know each other and are taking things very slowly, but they are coming around and getting comfortable fairly quickly. Our home is a busy home and they seem to enjoy that lol.


I'm sure we will have a macaw or cockatoo when the time is right. We just decided against it for now. Birds are quite different from having other pets such as dogs and cats, and with kids in the home smaller seemed a better way to go for us.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Hi Welcome to the forum. I love the names

I also love budgies. such sweeties.

 

[GracelynNBirds]

Congrats on your decision, and welcome to the forum! Feel free to ask ANY questions relating to birds, we would LOVE to help. Have a great day with your budgies!

 

[psychocircus91]

Congrats and great decision.
I assume your budgies are parent-fed? Are they sharing a cage?

 

[lightning]

Congrats and great decision.
I assume your budgies are parent-fed? Are they sharing a cage?

They were parent fed and were in the same cage when I bought them so I didn't feel right about separating them, so I just placed them in the bigger cage together.

 

[psychocircus91]

Congrats and great decision.
I assume your budgies are parent-fed? Are they sharing a cage?

They were parent fed and were in the same cage when I bought them so I didn't feel right about separating them, so I just placed them in the bigger cage together.

Just curious. As you may know, birds kept together can be a bit harder to train (but it is still doable!) What type of interaction are you hoping to have with your babies?

I would love to see pictures of them!

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to y'all! Love their names!

 

[lightning]

Congrats and great decision.
I assume your budgies are parent-fed? Are they sharing a cage?

They were parent fed and were in the same cage when I bought them so I didn't feel right about separating them, so I just placed them in the bigger cage together.

Just curious. As you may know, birds kept together can be a bit harder to train (but it is still doable!) What type of interaction are you hoping to have with your babies?

I would love to see pictures of them!

That's what I've heard, but I'm up for the challenge I had originally planned to keep them separate, when we had finally decided on budgies. But I had trouble finding a breeder that I could get to (closest I could find is close to 4 hours away and every time I tried to set up a day something would happen.) So I ended up getting the girls from a locally owned pet shop where I get feeder crickets for my gecko. They have beautiful birds that are well cared for.

As for training, I will take what I can get. I do hope to at least get them to step up, exit and enter their cage, and sit shoulders. Those seem to be basics and whatever else they learn after that is great.

I've noticed that Bodhi tries everything first and Moody mimics Bodhi, so I think that might be the key to training them. Maybe always start with Bodhi and Moody will follow.

I have a few pictures, but only on my phone. Soon as it charges I will post them

 

[psychocircus91]

That's what I've heard, but I'm up for the challenge I had originally planned to keep them separate, when we had finally decided on budgies. But I had trouble finding a breeder that I could get to (closest I could find is close to 4 hours away and every time I tried to set up a day something would happen.) So I ended up getting the girls from a locally owned pet shop where I get feeder crickets for my gecko. They have beautiful birds that are well cared for.

As for training, I will take what I can get. I do hope to at least get them to step up, exit and enter their cage, and sit shoulders. Those seem to be basics and whatever else they learn after that is great.

I've noticed that Bodhi tries everything first and Moody mimics Bodhi, so I think that might be the key to training them. Maybe always start with Bodhi and Moody will follow.

I have a few pictures, but only on my phone. Soon as it charges I will post them

I had a pair of budgies that lived together, who I only handled once in a while, but they were tame enough to step up and stay on my finger. Granted, they were clipped at the time. Are your budiges clipped or fully fledged?

 

[lightning]

That's what I've heard, but I'm up for the challenge I had originally planned to keep them separate, when we had finally decided on budgies. But I had trouble finding a breeder that I could get to (closest I could find is close to 4 hours away and every time I tried to set up a day something would happen.) So I ended up getting the girls from a locally owned pet shop where I get feeder crickets for my gecko. They have beautiful birds that are well cared for.

As for training, I will take what I can get. I do hope to at least get them to step up, exit and enter their cage, and sit shoulders. Those seem to be basics and whatever else they learn after that is great.

I've noticed that Bodhi tries everything first and Moody mimics Bodhi, so I think that might be the key to training them. Maybe always start with Bodhi and Moody will follow.

I have a few pictures, but only on my phone. Soon as it charges I will post them

I had a pair of budgies that lived together, who I only handled once in a while, but they were tame enough to step up and stay on my finger. Granted, they were clipped at the time. Are your budiges clipped or fully fledged?

You have already given me hope with the first line

They are fully fledged. We discussed getting them clipped but since we have other pets in the house (cat and dog) we decided it is in their best interest to not clip. We are diligent about taking every precaution but accidents can and do happen, even to the most dedicated and experienced owner. If they were to somehow get out while my dog and/or cat is in the house, they need their wings to fly.

 

[psychocircus91]

That's what I've heard, but I'm up for the challenge I had originally planned to keep them separate, when we had finally decided on budgies. But I had trouble finding a breeder that I could get to (closest I could find is close to 4 hours away and every time I tried to set up a day something would happen.) So I ended up getting the girls from a locally owned pet shop where I get feeder crickets for my gecko. They have beautiful birds that are well cared for.

As for training, I will take what I can get. I do hope to at least get them to step up, exit and enter their cage, and sit shoulders. Those seem to be basics and whatever else they learn after that is great.

I've noticed that Bodhi tries everything first and Moody mimics Bodhi, so I think that might be the key to training them. Maybe always start with Bodhi and Moody will follow.

I have a few pictures, but only on my phone. Soon as it charges I will post them

I had a pair of budgies that lived together, who I only handled once in a while, but they were tame enough to step up and stay on my finger. Granted, they were clipped at the time. Are your budiges clipped or fully fledged?

You have already given me hope with the first line

They are fully fledged. We discussed getting them clipped but since we have other pets in the house (cat and dog) we decided it is in their best interest to not clip. We are diligent about taking every precaution but accidents can and do happen, even to the most dedicated and experienced owner. If they were to somehow get out while my dog and/or cat is in the house, they need their wings to fly.

Yes, clipped and fledged each have their benefits, and I wouldn't try to convince you either way. I will say, in terms of training it can be a bit harder initially, because the birds may be more tempted to fly away. Initially, just being in their presence, talking with them, and trying to entice them with treats from your hand at the entrance of the cage, will help to build trust. Allow the birds to initiate interaction as much as possible.

 

[lightning]

Pic of the girls. Bodhi's nose looks blue in the pic, but it is just the lighting.

 

[psychocircus91]

Cute little fluffs! I find the chatter of budgies pleasant. Miss having them around sometimes..

 

[lightning]

I had a pair of budgies that lived together, who I only handled once in a while, but they were tame enough to step up and stay on my finger. Granted, they were clipped at the time. Are your budiges clipped or fully fledged?

You have already given me hope with the first line

They are fully fledged. We discussed getting them clipped but since we have other pets in the house (cat and dog) we decided it is in their best interest to not clip. We are diligent about taking every precaution but accidents can and do happen, even to the most dedicated and experienced owner. If they were to somehow get out while my dog and/or cat is in the house, they need their wings to fly.

Yes, clipped and fledged each have their benefits, and I wouldn't try to convince you either way. I will say, in terms of training it can be a bit harder initially, because the birds may be more tempted to fly away. Initially, just being in their presence, talking with them, and trying to entice them with treats from your hand at the entrance of the cage, will help to build trust. Allow the birds to initiate interaction as much as possible.

Thank you for the encouraging words and advice I am the only one tending to their needs presently as I would imagine letting everyone tend to them would be a bit overwhelming for them. But we all take time out to just sit near the cage and talk or sing to them, and we have started allowing the kids to gently hold their hands one person at a time on the cage for a few minutes a day with at least an hour or so in between people.

I fell like I'm kind of winging it ( couldn't resist) as far as taming them to the entire family. The plan is basically for me to tame them and teach them some basics, to then really include the entire family, slowly.

 

[lightning]

Cute little fluffs! I find the chatter of budgies pleasant. Miss having them around sometimes..

Thanks I love the chatter. It's a lovely sound.