A budgie in the bird markets of India sells for a few hundred rupees․ And that is the whole problem․ It tells you the bird is a low-stakes pet․
A budgie that leads a healthy life can live between ten and fifteen years, though the average budgie in an Indian home lives between four and six years (and that's down to two things almost every time). A cage that is too small, a bowl full of seed.
The Legal Bit at a Glance
Budgerigars are Australian and are not covered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, so it is not illegal to keep them. Indian native birds such as rose-ringed parakeets are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and cannot be caged, caught or sold. If a seller offers you a green Indian parakeet, walk away.
The Cage
Budgies do not fly very high, so horizontal space is more important. 1 budgie needs a minimum of 60 cm wide, 40 cm deep and 45 cm tall, but bigger is better. A tall, narrow cage looks generous on the shelf but leaves the bird nowhere to fly.
The space between the bars should be 1 to 1.3 cm; anything wider and a budgie can get its head stuck.
- Horizontal bars on at least two sides, because climbing is exercise.
- Different thicknesses of perches, especially in natural wood. Avoid sandpaper perch covers; they cause sore feet.
- Newspaper should be placed on the floor and changed every day. Cedar or pine shavings are not used․
Old galvanised cages or cheap metal toys can lead to zinc poisoning, which leaches from the coatings used in the construction of cages and toys․
Where you put the cage matters as much as what you buy. Keep it out of direct sun and away from the draught of a fan or an AC vent. Keep it out of the kitchen too. Fumes from an overheated non-stick pan can kill a small bird within minutes, and a tawa left on high heat is ordinary in Indian kitchens.
Food, Which Is Where Most Budgies Are Failed
The usual approach here is a bowl of seed mix, topped up when it empties. Seed is fatty and short on vitamin A, calcium and iodine. Birds kept on seed alone end up obese, with fatty liver disease, goitre from iodine deficiency and overgrown beaks, and they die years early.
A Better Daily Plate Looks Like This
- Pellets made for budgies as the base of the diet.
- Fresh vegetables every day. Methi, palak, coriander, grated carrot, capsicum, peas, and cucumber should be included. Wash them properly.
- Seed as a measured portion rather than a full bowl, roughly one and a half to two level teaspoons per bird per day.
- Fruit in small pieces now and then. Apple, papaya, a little melon. Sugary, so keep it rare.
- A cuttlebone and a mineral block provide calcium and iodine.
- Provide clean water daily, and twice a day in summer.
Never feed avocado, chocolate, caffeine, onion, garlic or anything salted, and remember that both avocado and chocolate can kill a bird this size.
Converting an adult budgie from seed to pellets can take weeks to months․ Provide a dish with pellets but keep the seed measured, not unlimited, and be patient. Never starve a bird into converting. A budgie can stop eating for 24 hours or more and be in serious trouble․
Company And Time Outside The Cage
Budgies are flock birds. A single bird can be perfectly happy, but only if someone is around for several hours a day, talking to it and handling it. If the house is empty from nine to seven, get two. They will still bond with you.
Every budgie needs one to two hours out of the cage daily. Before you open the door, switch off the ceiling fan, shut the windows and the bathroom, cover mirrors and large glass panes, and check where the cat is.
Health, And The Signs Owners Miss
Birds hide illness until they cannot hide it any longer. By the time a budgie looks unwell, it has usually been sick for days. Any of the following means you should see a vet the same day:
- Sitting fluffed up at the bottom of the cage
- Tail bobbing with every breath, or breathing with the beak open
- Droppings that turn watery, discoloured or much fewer in number
- Seed husks piling up while the seed level does not drop, which means the bird is shelling but not eating
- A chatty budgie that goes silent
Other common health problems include scaly face mite (crusts around the beak, eyes and legs), goitre (if fed on an all-seed diet), egg binding in females and psittacosis (which can also infect humans). During the monsoon, check that seeds and pellets are not damp or mouldy at every feeding and store them in a well-sealed tin.
Find an avian vet before you need one․ Most small animal clinics only train to treat dogs and cats․ You don't want to be trying to find someone who treats birds on a Saturday night․
Frequently Asked Questions
Do budgies talk?
Many males learn words and some pick up dozens. Females rarely do. How much a budgie talks depends far more on daily one-to-one time than on the bird.
How long do budgies live in India?
Ten to fifteen years with excellent care. Four to six is what a small cage and an all-seed diet produce.
Should I clip my budgie's wings?
No. Flying is how a budgie stays fit. Bird-proof the room instead.
