why I don't think budgies make good "beginner " parrots..

[Zoruace]

don't get me wrong..
I LOVE budgies I have not personally owned one but from the research I've been doing I don't think they make good "beginner " birds..

1. they are VERY skittish
they are timid and small birds that get scared easily, which makes it hard for them to bond with someone..
that can make a new owner VERY frustrated

2. they are hard to convert their diet
I've seen a lot of people here on the forum struggle to get their budgies to eat veggies, pellets, fruits..
most budgies are stubborn when it comes to diet since most of them have been weened of to seeds and that might make it hard to make them try new foods..

3. They are harder to train
budgies are smart and can learn lots of fun tricks,
but since they are more timid then most birds but that takes time and patience to teach them new tricks.
I just feel a more experienced owner would find it more easier to teach them such things..

4. they are still NOT cheap birds
yes you can get them for 10-35$ but
have you thought of the cage? that can go all the way to 200$?
the toys you have to buy frequently? depends on how many and what toys you get but it can go from 45$-100$ and over
the avian vet bills if something go wrong? that can easily reach 1000$?
good quality pellets? about 45$ or more..
the appropriate perches? 12$-30$ and over
all of these can go as high as a 100$ monthly..

5. they are not "low-maintenance"
budgies need at least lets say.. 4-6 hours out of the cage time a day
and require a lot of time and effort to form a good bond with their caretaker..

everything mentioned above is MY opinion on budgies as "beginner birds"
other people might have different opinions...
no living thing should be a beginner anything.

remember that I never owned a budgie so I don't really know the reality of this..
but this is what I concluded from my research on them.

I'm not saying don't get a budgie as a first bird..
just ask yourself: "does a budgie suit me?".

 

[Kitekeeper]

Hi Tikitiel,

Oh well.... I recommend you to spend some time with a budgie. I strongly believe that after one month living with a budgie you would definitely change your opinion

They are not at all skittish, with some very rare exceptions. If they are kept alone they will bond with you very quickly. My girlfriend has a lutino male that learned to talk. He is happy to interact with any visitor as much as he is easy to go with her. I rescued a female some time ago that lives with 3 other budgies and she still loves to nibble my finger anytime (she was not hand raised and is with me for less than 4 months).

My budgies changed their diet from seeds to pellets with little effort. They did not change right away, but in a matter of 2 months.

Oh, they are not hard to train...but yes they have a simpler type of intelligence that makes them less prone to make complex learning. On the other hand, that simpler intelligence makes them really sweet and not at all jealous.

My budgies never leave the cage as I have no way to protect them from accidents here. Only the hand raised parrots I have are allowed to have out of the cage time. Nevertheless my budgies don´t seem to miss this privilege. In fact when I had just one (Bud) he used every chance he had to fly back to his cage.

I really love to have them around, they are always happy and easy going... a good company to rest from some temperamental lovebirds...

 

[vljenewein]

You should "quantify" your title with the word "Parrots" rather than just "Birds".
We have 2 Zebra Finches that cost us $39.00 for the pair plus we bought them a fair sized cage. Not as big as the one we bought for our 2 keets that cost me around $80. Our Parakeets cost $29 each. Around here a Quaker parakeet (parrot) goes for $450 on up, Lovebirds, around $200 (if you can find either) And Macaws Amazons, Greys. They are the cost of used cars.

The Finches are very skittish birds, nothing like our Parakeets. I can stick my whole head in the cage door on the Parakeets cage and no one gets overly shook. We have only had them since the beginning of December and I can hold a millet spray in my hand and both of them will come down off the perch and eat some.
Perches I have cost $0.00 as in FREE. I have grape vines and other assorted trees on our property and easy to notch the ends. Usually anyone can have or get tree branches. Towns, parks, walks, woods... anywhere.

They, along with the Finches get no out of flight time. With a cat that hunts outside and lives with us, along with 4 Toy Fox Terrier dogs, we don't chance it, and don't want poop on our floors or furnishings.

The Finches food costs us about as much as what we spend on the Parakeets. They seem to like the occasional apple and pear slice. In the wild they are mostly seed eaters.

Personally, they are a charming little bird with lots of antics and songs.

 

[Zoruace]

Hi Tikitiel,

Oh well.... I recommend you to spend some time with a budgie. I strongly believe that after one month living with a budgie you would definitely change your opinion

They are not at all skittish, with some very rare exceptions. If they are kept alone they will bond with you very quickly. My girlfriend has a lutino male that learned to talk. He is happy to interact with any visitor as much as he is easy to go with her. I rescued a female some time ago that lives with 3 other budgies and she still loves to nibble my finger anytime (she was not hand raised and is with me for less than 4 months).

My budgies changed their diet from seeds to pellets with little effort. They did not change right away, but in a matter of 2 months.

Oh, they are not hard to train...but yes they have a simpler type of intelligence that makes them less prone to make complex learning. On the other hand, that simpler intelligence makes them really sweet and not at all jealous.

My budgies never leave the cage as I have no way to protect them from accidents here. Only the hand raised parrots I have are allowed to have out of the cage time. Nevertheless my budgies don´t seem to miss this privilege. In fact when I had just one (Bud) he used every chance he had to fly back to his cage.

I really love to have them around, they are always happy and easy going... a good company to rest from some temperamental lovebirds...

as i said diffrent opinions!
i think if i did spend time with budgie i will change my opnion..

You should "quantify" your title with the word "Parrots" rather than just "Birds".

done

Personally, they are a charming little bird with lots of antics and songs.

thay are little charming birds for sure!

 

[StormyPica]

I do agree with this, as a keeper of 3 budgies, if you only have 1 budgie, it will bond with you and not be as skittish, but if you have multiple as I do, bonding can be much harder. Also, might I mention, having budgies it like, constant noise. Not loud, but constant. And that is what steers many people away from budgies.

 

[vljenewein]

Also, might I mention, having budgies it like, constant noise. Not loud, but constant. And that is what steers many people away from budgies.

I just got my first hearing aids at Costco June 16th 2021. Before that I was not hearing any birds outside, nor our recently passed Finch. I got to hear him for the first time before he died. I can now hear parakeets, in fact I am so hard of hearing that pretty much all sounds stop after I take out the hearing aids.... except I can hear the Parakeets! They can hit a few shrill high notes, that really pierce my hearing, but at least I can just turn down the HA and no worries, Mate!

 

[StormyPica]

They can hit a few shrill high notes, that really pierce my hearing, but at least I can just turn down the HA and no worries, Mate!

Haha I wish I could do the same