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A guide to raising a newborn pet bird
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If you have a new baby budgie, you can help him develop healthily and happily by being attentive and providing the right environment. Allow the parents to care for the chick in the first weeks, but lend a hand and monitor everything. Once the chick begins to leave the nest, you can facilitate the weaning process. Once the chick is ready, you can take him away from the nesting box.
Things You Should Know
- Allow the parents to care for and preen the newborn, and try to handle the chick as little as possible. If you do, take care to support its fragile head.
- Provide a dark and warm nesting box to keep the chick away from light, sound, and other harsh surroundings. Add nesting material like rolled oats.
- Add shallow dishes of water and bird food to the bottom of the cage once the chick emerges from the nesting box.
Steps
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Let the parents care for newborns. If you have a baby budgie which you have bred from a pair of budgies at home, it's important to allow the parents to do most of the caring. Part of creating the best possible environment for the chick to thrive is helping the parents look after him. The parents are the real experts, so you should enable them to do the job. You should, however, always keep a close eye on how the chick is progressing. [1] X Research source
- Try to handle any chick as little as possible in the first couple of weeks especially.
- The chick will be incredibly fragile, with a long neck that cannot yet properly support his head. Be very gentle and move slowly when you handle him.
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Ensure a dry, dark, warm nesting box . The chicks are born blind and without feathers, so they are very vulnerable to environmental factors, such as light, heat, cold, and wet. They should stay in the nesting box for the first few weeks so they can develop in a protected area. Make sure that the nesting box is out of any direct light. There should be a good circulation of air, but the box should be warm and insulated from any drafts, cold or moisture. [2] X Research source
- A wooden box that has plenty of nesting material such as plain rolled oats or safe wood shavings in it makes a good nesting box. The parents will construct the nest, but having a safe, closed space like a wooden box can help them feel secure.
- A cardboard box is generally considered a bit too flimsy, and wood is preferable.
- There should be enough room for the birds to move around the box, but it should be small enough to still feel closed and secure.
- Place the box in the cage, but try not to interfere too much. Allow the parents to organise the nest. Having the nest attached outside the cage is the best option if possible as it allows the most space inside the cage. [3] X Research source
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Keep the nesting box clean. The chick's parents will try to keep chicks clean, but you can help by making sure the chick's feet and beak don't get clogged up with soiled bedding or anything else. [4] X Research source Once the babies start getting feathered, you should begin cleaning out the nest box regularly. Keep an eye out for large build-ups of soiled bedding. Scoop these areas out and replace them with fresh bedding.
- You should also scrape clean the wooden insert on the base as needed.
- Try to clean out the nest once a week or more frequently if required.
- Place the chicks in a large bowl, which you have lined with a soft towel, while you are cleaning the nest box. [5] X Research source
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Monitor the chick in the first days. The chick's parents will care for it as best as they can, but you should regularly check on the health and development of the chick. If the chick develops an illness, you may need to consult a veterinarian. By the time the chick is a few days old, it should show some bright colour, and should be beginning to put on weight. Generally a lighter chick is more disposed to illness or is being targeted by red mites.
- If your chick doesn't appear to be developing or gaining weight, consider contacting your vet or handfeeding if you can.
- Once your chick has begun to develop feathers, and they have reached about half an inch long (approximately 1cm), they should feel strong when you touch them.
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Check the babies for fixable developmental problems. If you think your chick is not developing properly, you should consult a vet for some expert advice, but there are some basic checks that you can do at home to help the chick develop healthily. The first of these is to look under the top mandible (beak). If you notice a build-up of food, this can lead to an undershot beak.
- If you see some food stuck there, very carefully remove it with a toothpick.
- If you think that your chick is beginning to develop splayed legs, try adding some extra bedding to the nest. [6] X Research source
- If the chick cannot stand up straight, perch, or walk around easily, he may have splayed legs. Look to see if the legs lean out to the sides rather than underneath the body. [7] X Research source
- If you are uncertain or you think your chick is ill, don't hesitate to contact your vet.
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Help the chick wean. Once the chick starts coming out of the nest on his own, you can help the process of weaning along, and then help him leave the nest. Once you notice the chick coming out of the nest, you should provide a shallow dish of food and place it at the bottom of the cage. The chick will start eating the food from the dish, beginning the weaning process. [8] X Research source
- You should allow the chick to wean by itself, but monitor it closely to ensure that it is eating enough.
- Provide a dish of fresh water so the chick can learn to drink from it.
- Monitor the chicks and parents; when they have not been fed by the parents for at least a week, have not asked for feeds and you can see they are cracking seeds and filling their crops well you can considered them weaned.
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Remove the chick from the nest. Once a chick is weaned you can remove him the from the nest. This will help his development and the development of any younger chicks in the nest. Put the weaned chick in a large cage that you have set aside for young birds. Ensure the cage has plenty of food placed in different areas, but especially in a dish at the bottom of the cage, and a supply of fresh water.
- Keep a close watch on the young birds and check that they are eating sufficiently.
- Make sure the bird's crop is full before covering the cage for the night. [9] X Research source
- The crop is the place where budgies store food. When it's full, there is a noticeable lump on the front of the chest. [10] X Research source
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Consult your vet. Once your chick is developed and independent, you can book him in for his first check-up with the vet. Bringing him to the vet will reduce the chances of a hidden problem developing. The vet will also be able to give you some good tips on how to care for a young bird. Before you go to the vet, it's a good idea to prepare yourself well.
- Write down a list of all the foods and supplements you are feeding your bird.
- Be able to describe the bird's living environment. Bring in photos if possible. [11] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhen can I hold a baby budgie?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Regular handling and holding should take place from 2 weeks of age onward. If you are gentle and the parent birds are used to your presence, it's fine to gently check the chicks soon after hatching. Much of the specific timing depends on how well the parent birds are comfortable around you.
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QuestionDo budgies make a good pet?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Budgies make great and cheerful companions. As a flock bird, they love company and will chat away to their owner. They are also relatively low maintenance and low cost to maintain.
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QuestionHow can I tell if my budgie is healthy or unhealthy?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.A healthy bird should be bright and alert, taking an interest in what's going on around it. Its face should be clean with no discharges from the eyes or cere. The feathers should be smooth and sleek, with a satin sheen rather than fluffed up. There should be no coughing or sneezing, and the poop should be white and black, rather than green or yellow. An unhealthy bird is often hunched or fluffed up, withdrawn, and may breathe more quickly than usual.
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References
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/care-baby-budgies-9246.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/care-baby-budgies-9246.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/build-budgie-nest-9079.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/care-baby-budgies-9246.html
- ↑ http://budgieplace.com/breeding.html
- ↑ http://budgieplace.com/breeding.html
- ↑ http://www.petful.com/pet-health/caring-bird-with-splayed-legs/
- ↑ http://budgieplace.com/breeding.html
- ↑ http://budgieplace.com/breeding.html
About This Article
Article Summary
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To care for your baby budgie, start by making sure the nesting box is clean, warm, and dry with good circulation. For the first couple of weeks, let the parents do most of the caring, and try to handle the chick as little as possible since it will be very fragile. Then, monitor the chick’s health, which will be indicated by gaining weight and showing some bright color. Once the chick starts coming out of the nest on its own, provide a shallow dish of food and water at the bottom of the cage to help the weaning process. For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, like how to know when to take your baby budgie to a vet, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Thank you for your simple but informative article. I have my first baby budgie (just two weeks old). It was encouraging to read that the baby seems to be on track. You also had some sensible advice re: handling, nesting environment and feeding. Thank you!" ..." more
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"How to create a nesting box really helped a lot, as did the tips on how to care for the babies. Thank you."
"My first budgie egg hatched today, so reading to let the parents do what they do best was good to read."
