Caring for Budgerigar
In order to keep your feathered pets happy, you need to provide them with enough living space and room to move around. Therefore, buy them the largest cage possible. They will feel more comfortable if at least one of the cage walls is against a wall. Direct contact with their owners is very important for cockatiels, so it’s a good idea to place their habitat at a higher level, preferably in the living room, where the whole family gathers. They get bored if they’re alone, and they raise their voices with louder music to mimic. If you don’t want to be woken up early in the morning, cover the cage with a thin sheet at night.
It’s important to feed your feathered pets a balanced diet. Pet stores offer a variety of foods for cockatiels, enriched with vitamins and minerals. Occasionally, give them pieces of fruits and vegetables as well.
In natural conditions, these birds fly long distances daily in search of food and water. Imagine then how they live closed in a cage until the end of their days. You can at least let them fly freely around the room, and with a little effort, teach them to return to the cage on their own in the evening. After the bird lands, slowly approach the cage to it and wait. Once it gets hungry, it will only want to go back. Your patience will soon be rewarded with the greatest gift for the parakeet – it will live almost freely, not in captivity, and will eagerly await flight time every day.
Behavior of Budgerigars
Male budgerigars eat more abundantly, drink more water, are more active, and sing more. They court females intensely, but only if they like them. Their courtship dance involves nodding their heads. Male budgerigars also navigate the room impeccably, and are more sociable, but can be quite noisy.
Female budgerigars are more cautious, take longer to warm up to others, and are quieter than males. They have poorer orientation in the room, so it’s not unusual for them to bump into objects, furniture, and walls. If they were humans, they would definitely park badly.
Once acquainted, budgerigars start grooming each other and kissing. Watching them is a true delight for the soul.
How to teach cockatiel to talk
Many people believe that only large parrots like macaws, cockatoos, and African greys can talk. The truth is, with enough patience, you can teach even an ordinary cockatiel to say 100 or more words. Before you start “training,” you need to earn the bird’s trust. Give it 3-4 days to adjust to the new place and start approaching the cage frequently, speaking calmly with a soothing voice, saying a phrase like “good boy.” Once it stops being afraid of you, you can teach it to perch on your finger. Slowly insert your hand into the cage, place your extended index finger in front of the perch it’s standing on, and gently nudge it under its belly until it steps onto it. Slowly move your hand around the cage, transferring the budgerigar from one perch to another. Repeat the encouraging phrase to it.
After a few days of such exercises, you can carefully extract your hand with the perched parrot from the cage. Remember that the room should be secured – no cats, dogs, open windows, or doors. Try using the index finger of your other hand to gently stroke the bird’s head. This can help you win its friendship.
Repeat the chosen phrase as often as possible, and soon your patience will be rewarded. Once the bird learns the first word, start with the second using the same method. This way, word by word, it will accumulate a significant vocabulary.
If you are consistent enough, your budgerigar will learn its first words within 6 weeks of arriving with you. However, keep in mind that a bird that hasn’t learned to talk by its ninth month is unlikely to ever speak. Although, of course, there are exceptions.
Budgerigars typically start imitating human speech only if they don’t have a companion and are very young (up to nine months old). The explanation for their speech is simple: because they are social animals, they mimic those they live with. If they have a similar companion, they will communicate with each other and won’t feel the need to imitate you. However, even if all these conditions are met, you still need to engage with the budgerigar daily to teach it to talk.
Take care of your budgerigar – if it’s healthy, it will sit firmly on its perch, be visibly alert, eat, and drink water. Any behavior different from this is a sign of illness. Take it to the vet immediately if you notice a lack of appetite, lethargy, or difficulty perching. Clean your budgerigar’s cage once a week, and if its nails grow too long, trim them.
