Housing

Your bird will be happiest if you keep it in an outside aviary about four to five metres long, two metres high and two metres wide, with plenty of shelter. Depending on where you live, this may be difficult so you may have to keep your bird in a cage.

Budgies and canaries need a cage at least 50cm wide, 60cm high and 60cm long. The cage should be big enough for the bird to stretch full height, flutter, spread and wave its wings, and jump from perch to perch. Cages should be made of galvanised wire or nickel; but never painted, as birds can absorb paint chemicals through their feet and die. The cage floor must be covered with grit, clean sand or special gravel sheets. The cage must be thoroughly cleaned at least once a week.

Perches must be available for the bird, and the ideal situation is to have several perches – one round, one oval and a natural tree branch perch. Perches must be taken out once a month and scrubbed clean and dipped in boiling water. This will keep away mites (almost invisible), which annoy birds and can be dangerous to their health.

Diet

Seed, which you can buy from a supermarket or pet store, should be renewed every day and empty husks removed. Clean water, cuttlefish bone and shell grit must always be available for your bird. Fresh celery or spinach should be given to your bird once a week, and you should also give it pip or stone fruit to maintain good health. Always remove these foods once they have lost their freshness.

Never give cake crumbs or anything sweet or fatty to your bird, and don’t give vegetables straight from the fridge or those sprayed with insecticides.

Tree bark is essential for budgies and all parrots as part of their daily diet. It helps them digest seeds, and prevents beak and claw overgrowth. Almost any tree bark is suitable to keep in the cage as long as it is large enough for the bird to stand on.

Health

Budgies cast their feathers from time to time. There is no set period for this to occur, although spring and autumn are the usual times for them to moult. They may also moult at other times due to a high room temperature or for other reasons. However, if a bird seems to be moulting continually, this should be checked by your veterinary surgeon. Claws grow rapidly and may need trimming occasionally.

Dry, hard droppings suggest that your bird may be suffering from constipation. Increase the quantity of greens in the diet and try mixing a little cod-liver oil with its seed.

Birds enjoy and need baths. Once a week put in the cage, a dish of water large enough for your bird to bathe in, and remove it after use.

If at any time you are concerned about your bird’s health, see your veterinary surgeon immediately.

Exercise

It is cruel to keep a bird constantly confined to its cage. Ask yourself how you would feel being locked in a cage forever. Every couple of days close all the windows and doors in the room in which your bird is kept, draw the curtains, remove all other pets (especially cats), tell everyone in the house what you intend to do and open the door of the cage. Leave the bird to venture out by itself. You should let your bird remain out of its cage for about half an hour, but stay quietly in the room to make sure the safe and quiet environment for your bird is maintained.

Points to Note

• Don’t leave your bird’s cage in a cold, draughty place or exposed to direct sunlight without any shade. Don’t leave it on top of the fridge, as it gets quite warm in this position. The kitchen is not a good place for your bird due to the presence of fumes and heat.

• It is better to keep two birds than just one. It is very lonely for one bird living in a cage with no contact with its own species. If you do keep two birds, be sure to keep them in a bigger cage.

• Place a few toys in the cage such as a ladder, a bell, a swing and a ping-pong ball. These all help to make life a bit more interesting for your bird. If you have only one bird, a mirror will provide it with company. It may take time for your bird to get used to any new item placed in its cage, so be patient.

• Never keep in a cage a bird that was born in the wild. Only cage-bred birds should be kept in cages.