Oh my goodness there’s a Budgie outside ...

[Tami2]

OMG- there’s a Budgie outside on my Hot Tub & it dropped down to 21°F last night. I’m going to try and catch him. Oh my, it is so cold out there right now. How is this poor thing able to survive? As soon as I saw him I put out some conure food. He must be starving.
I’ll put Levi’s visiting cage out and hope he goes in it. If he does than I’ll keep him separate from Levi, warm him up and than what? Take him to my Vet or the local bird shop. He does have a band, maybe I could find his owner?
Advice Please. POOR LITTLE GUY.

Here’s a video-
[ame="https://youtu.be/FkY8t3hs9NY"]Budgie outside in NJ - YouTube[/ame]

 

[GaleriaGila]

I'm holding my breath.
GET IN THE CAGE, BUDGIE!

 

[ParrotLover2001]

Hope you catch him and find his owners.

Sent from my Galaxy s8

 

[Terry57]

Awww, poor little guy! Putting the visiting cage outside is a good idea, with some food and water in it. Hopefully you can catch him!
If you can, you could take him to your vet, and there are a lot of FB groups for lost birds that he may be posted on.

This thread has a lot of good tips for people who have lost their birds, but some of the ideas could also be used to perhaps help find an owner:
http://www.parrotforums.com/lost-found/49129-bring-them-home-tips-locating-lost-bird.html

Thank you for feeding him and trying to bring him in, you are wonderful

 

[MonicaMc]

You might need to string the cage up like a trap so you can easily close the door once she goes inside the cage and she wont escape once you go out to bring her back in.

 

[Tami2]

Okay thank you great ideas.
I took out most of Levi’s favorite toys & his swing and left a couple of things in there. I put more food in the bowl & hot water b/c it’ll freeze quickly.
Fingers Crossed he’ll go for the cage. Not so sure now that he’s had a taste of freedom. ? It warmed up to 27° now, he must be freezing.

 

[MonicaMc]

Hopefully she see's the cage as a place of comfort and will go in.

If the only food is in the cage, that might prompt her to go in the cage that much more. (also try hanging millet inside the cage!)



Also, weird fact, hot water freezes faster than cold water does!

 

[Tami2]

Hopefully she see's the cage as a place of comfort and will go in.

If the only food is in the cage, that might prompt her to go in the cage that much more. (also try hanging millet inside the cage!)



Also, weird fact, hot water freezes faster than cold water does!

That’s funny that you say that. I used to think that. And my husband the engineer absolutely rejects that premise. I will show him your message.
I’m not sure why I thought that. If my dad said it or I learned it in Chemistry? But he vehemently rebukes it.

I agree about the food. I don’t have hanging millet. I bought it once for Levi & he never ate it. I gave it to my wild neighborhood birds.

 

[Tami2]

Okay, I haven’t seen him since I put the cage out. However, there’s a Junco perches on it and a Tufted Titmouse keeps going inside perching and eating the food. Typical Right.....

 

[gracebowen]

If this is a bad ideal i apologize in advance but could you use a reptile rock or other heater to provide some warmth in the cage.

 

[Scott]

I hope he returns to your safety! Thanks for the concern and effort!!

 

[Tami2]

If this is a bad ideal i apologize in advance but could you use a reptile rock or other heater to provide some warmth in the cage.

Hi Grace, I don’t know what that is and I don’t have one.
However, my husband builds bird nesting boxes & roosting boxes for the local birds and I’m wondering it he’s been taking shelter in one of them.

 

[Tami2]

I hope he returns to your safety! Thanks for the concern and effort!!

Me too, thank you Scott. :heart:
PS) He’s not mine. I only have Levi.

 

[MonicaMc]

Apparently known as Mpemba effect. (hot water freezing faster than cold water) I understood it was something about water molecules and atoms that move faster at higher temperatures, which somehow results in the water freezing faster. Hot water also freezes clearer. (my grandmother has always liked freezing hot water bottles for this fact alone)

https://www.sciencealert.com/does-hot-water-really-freeze-faster-than-cold-water


I hope you see her again! Maybe look around for any lost posters or ads, and put some up of your own? In local groups, 911 parrot, etc. Maybe she's off eating at someone else's home? And maybe some people don't even realize that she's not a native bird, despite the fact they've never seen a bird like her before?

 

[Scott]

I hope he returns to your safety! Thanks for the concern and effort!!

Me too, thank you Scott. :heart:
PS) He’s not mine. I only have Levi.

I totally understood, thanks for being so kind and compassionate!!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

The poor thing :02: Did you try to calmly approach him? talking softly and reassuringly? GO IN THE HOUSE BUDGIE!





Jim

 

[Tami2]

Apparently known as Mpemba effect. (hot water freezing faster than cold water) I understood it was something about water molecules and atoms that move faster at higher temperatures, which somehow results in the water freezing faster. Hot water also freezes clearer. (my grandmother has always liked freezing hot water bottles for this fact alone)

https://www.sciencealert.com/does-hot-water-really-freeze-faster-than-cold-water


I hope you see her again! Maybe look around for any lost posters or ads, and put some up of your own? In local groups, 911 parrot, etc. Maybe she's off eating at someone else's home? And maybe some people don't even realize that she's not a native bird, despite the fact they've never seen a bird like her before?

That’s what I thought, it was a molecule thing. Thx

 

[Tami2]

The poor thing :02: Did you try to calmly approach him? talking softly and reassuringly? GO IN THE HOUSE BUDGIE!


Jim

No Jim, every time he even sees me in the window he bolts.
But, I did think about that approach. Thx :smile049:

 

[gracebowen]

They sell them in pet stores in the reptile section. The lizard i babysat had one. It has to be plugged in but it provides heat.

 

[reeb]

I was introduced to my very first budgie like this! He flew down onto my deck at my holiday home, and he was so skinny. I lured him towards my house with sunflower seeds (it's all I had!), and then caught him by throwing a towel over him and handling him gently and bringing him inside. I didn't have any birds at the time, and I was in a small holiday town with no pet store to buy a cage or food. I made him a makeshift cage out of some metal baskets, and rushed to the supermarket to buy him some bird seed. All I could find was plain millet seed, since there was no pet shop in the town. I also made some DIY toys using what I could find at the stationary store and out of stuff I had at home. Despite searching for the owner, no-one came forward so I just took him home with me, that's where it all started!

As someone with an aviary, I have gotten quite good at capturing my untame budgies. Since it is so cold, if he/she comes back for the seed on the ground, my advice for this poor baby is to find a towel, slowly approach him/her and then lightly throw the towel over him/her, since there is no guarantee that he/she will come into the cage on his/her own. It is a bit risky unfortunately, but if you are careful you should be able to capture him/her. Pick up him/her gently to bring inside and into the cage you have.

Leaving the cage out and allowing him/her to come in is also a great idea - hopefully this will work so you don't have to worry about capturing him/her. Another suggestion might be to put a heat pad under the cage to keep it warm, just like the heat pads you use for hospital cages - not sure if you have one!

Good luck! I really hope you can help this baby.