Why do parakeets puff up? What does this behavior mean?
The most common reasons are:After preening to settle their feathers.Before going to sleep, to increase insulation.If the parakeet is sitting in one place fluffed up all the time with half-closed eyes, not moving, he is sick and you should take him to a vet.
When will my baby parakeets leave the nesting box?
Congrats on your new clutch !This is a fun and exciting time . They will start leaving the box around 25 day mark starting with the eldest. It will begin with one or two of the little guys sticking their heads out . Suddenly you might find a chick outside being fed by the dad. The chicks won't all fledge together though.Just keep an eye out on the mother. Fledging is usually the time when she starts going into breeding mode again. You might spot the parents mating again.Often the mother could attack her own chicks to make room for the next clutch. They have been known to even kill chicks in certain scenarios.If you spot any signs of aggression, you have 2 options ;Separate mom from the breeding cage. If the youngest chick is over 10 days old , the father is more than capable of raising them solo. This would obviously mean that you're willing to forego the next clutch. It might seem cruel to do this but pairs do need rest . Raising chicks is very taxing on them especially the mom. This will ensure they don't burn themselves out and will reduce chances of egg binding, Dead in shell and chick mortality rate.If you don't want to go with option 1 , I'd suggest you keep some handfeeding formula and a makeshift incubator ready just in case. You will have handfeed the chicks yourself and wean them off.I hope you aren't forced into even considering the above , but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.Good luck !
Parakeet babies killing each other???
Are you sure it is the other babies killing each other ?? Watch really close. I rather think it is another mother hen, killing chicks that are not hers. You can not put chicks from one hen into the nest box of a different hen. Why would you mix your breeding stock up like that. When you have a nest with chicks in it, you should not even bother that nest, until the chicks leave it. No your Mother's whole lot of Parakeets will not do good until she has mated her pairs up and she will need to start from the beginning. That is one of the worse things a breeder can do, is move her hens and chicks when they are so young. Usually, the hen will not be a good settled hen. Sometimes they kill their own offsprings, because of the danger they feel in being moved. Next breeding time, should be more settled down. Once your Parakeets start to mate, do not bother them. Leave them alone. Another thing !!! Do not bother the hen, while she is setting on her new nest of eggs. The nest needs to be dark and do not disturbe. The male needs to be in the same pen as the hen, while she lays eggs, because he feeds her while she is sitting tight on her clutch. You and your Mother needs to start over. Go to websites in regards to Parakeet Breeding. To have a good Avery, you need to not let others in to bother your breeders. Good Luck
Why do parakeets attack each other?
Your answer in is in the information you supplied. 8 budgies and ONE nesting box.............! ! ! bad bad move. Remove a breeding pair to a cage with their nesting box, not in with all the others. The others are eyeballing the nestbox for themselves and there will be fights over it for breeding. The nestbox urges them to breed. The fights will cause smashed eggs, injured birds, and damaged or killed chicks if it gets that far. Change what you are doing as I advised and you will have success.
Parakeet Depression?
I have two parakeets 1 male female, they rarely (never) get out of the cage, I feel bad that I can't they hit walls, windows, mirors, aquariums, couches, I don't let them out where there are mirrors any more, but they hit walls, bite, get lost, it is just a hassle, I had a keet before and I trained it, it knew boundries (walls lol), sat on my shoulder ate out of my hand, so on, but the are birds from H E double hockey sticks! The female has her moments when she beast the crap out of the male, and she is just soooo mean, but this happen every 3 months or so, so when it happens I saw if it happens again soon I will seperate them but sometimes she just pecks the crap out of him, usually when I change water, food, etc... almost like she is stressed, but I like the male and think that he has some possabilities, but I would still feel bad, forr the female, I think that they may feel better seperate, but I have no clue what to do! Should they beseperated? Will they get depressed without.....
Parakeet egg question?
Dont worry I started breeding birds at your age and through much sadness and happiness we have been successful for many years now. Now things you will need: -A breeding box (or a breeding cage) -Mineral blocks (particularly ones with calcium as female budgies lose lots of calcium when laying eggs, it should stop her eating them as well as that is what does happen she is lacking calcium.) -Cuttle bone (you can get it from any petshop or if you live in australia, then most beaches will have them.) -Fresh fruit or vegetables (I'd stick to grapes etc) -Fresh seed and water Because you have two females and one male, please check if the birds have paired up. You will notice at least one male and female next to each other, etc. They will preen and feed each other. these are the two that you will separate into a separate cage (with attached breeding box) Facts about breeding: -Some eggs may not hatch -Sometimes the eggs hatch but the babies die within a couple days -First time breeding females may kill the babies (it does happen but not usually.) -Practically any thing can go wrong for the first time. Just be prepared. -If a baby does get weak then leave it. I do suggest not taking any eggs or babies out of the nest until you have had at least a couple of years experience. We are trying this year but its our sixth year breeding and we are far more confident with the babies. Stuff to know once eggs have been laid: -Eggs will be sat on by the parents for roughly 14-17 days -They will hatch and at about 6-7 weeks old they will start to leave the nest. -You can actually handle them in the box when they get ALL there feathers. Mum will still feed them but if you handle them when they are young, for example, hatchlings (tiny and pink) then mum may dis own the birds. If you have any more questions feel free to email me at: chloequinn96@hotmail.com
What are the responsibilities of owning a parakeet?
Supplies: Cage, feeding dishes, toys, especially a mirror, ladder, etc., They groom themselves but enjoy being misted with water, make sure that you fill a spray bottle with very hot water because it losses much of its temp when being sprayed. Metal nest boxes suck and you do not need a nest box unless you plan to breed the bird. You can buy a wooden nest box. As far as bonding with a rabbit, concern yourself with bonding with the bird yourself. Most parakeets don't talk, some will mimic a word or two but don't expect him to be able to do much else. If you spend enough time you can teach minor tricks, I built a small slide with stairs and one of mine would walk the steps and slide. If you want a tame parakeet you have got to either buy a hand fed bird or with parakeets you must handle them several times a day. He may bite at first but will get used to you holding and petting him. When you grab him out of the cage, make sure you grab from the back to secure the wings, if he fights and flaps he can damage or break a wing. Parakeet food is relatively inexpensive but they also like millet, this is a branch of tiny seeds. They will also eat fresh fruit and vegetables. NO PEACH PITS. Saw dust makes great bedding for the nest box but as I said it is totally unnecessary unless you plan to breed. I wouldn't plan on breeding for quite some time, maybe not even this first bird. Eggs are laid on alternating days and hatch the same way. It is best to leave the babies with the parents for the first week then remove them to a tank that must be partially heated with fresh lining several times a day. Babies need to be hand fed every four hours for the first couple of weeks, as they grow they need to be introduced to soaked seed and weened off of the hand food. The throat of a bird is divided the right side leads to its crop where food is stored, the left leads to its lungs, should you accidentally get food down the wrong sid of its throat, it will drowned. Breeding and raising birds is much harder than any other animal. If this is something you would like to do than you have much reading to do. I have raised all types of birds from finches to macaws. Breeding parakeets is not all that profitable unless you mass breed for a pet store, in which case the females are over bread and the offspring not healthy because of the poor stated of it's mother.