|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
BUDGERIGAR- BUDGIES
Melopsittacus undulatus
|
|
|
| |
| Budgerigars are the most popular and widespread pet parrots in the world, and so are in our country. Natural habitat of these parrots is whole Australia , except for coastal zones. They make nests in hollows of trees and live in large flocks. This indicates that budges are very social parrots. Their basic color, of wild budgies, is green with yellow head. They have dark purple patch, like earrings, on both sides of the cheeks. Wings are green with black mottles (this mottles resembles on those on tiger's and that is why in Serbian language budgies are called tiger parrots), while the tail is greenish blue. Budgies are about 19 cm long. In long period of drought, which are common in Australia , they migrate to rainy areas, in big flocks. Once they settle down in the new place, they start to nestle. As soon as budgie chickens hatch, the flock leaves that area. Female lays 5-7, sometimes even up to 10 eggs, size 9 x 15mm. After a female hatched her second egg, she starts brooding (having in mind that she hatches eggs every second day). The period of incubation is around 18 to 21 day, and the youngsters stay in the nest 4 to 5 weeks after hatching. Two weeks after the first flight, this is the period in which chickens learn how to fly and feed on their own, the young birds become independent and leave their parents. |
|
|
Budgies are one of the first parrots to domesticate as pet parrot, and they are very easy for breeding in captivity. The first scientist who described this specious is Mr. Shaw in 1805. However, thanks to Mr. John Gold, who brought them to England in 1840, budgies became famous. In the next ten years, after first pair of budgies came to England, the Australian Government was forced to ban further hunt and export, because of the large export.
|
|
For future breeders of these beautiful and sprightly parrots, my advice is to make volier size 2m in length, 1,5m in width and 2m in height. This would be enough for successful mating of ten couples. Always have in mind that is better not to have equal number of males and females, but to have one male extra. This will quarantee more youngsters and better parenthood. Nest boxes should be made of wooden boards or thick plywood, size 20 x 15 cm in base, and 20 cm in height, with gap sized 6 cm in diameter. On the floor of the base make a nest. The nest should be a hollow of 6 to 7 cm in diameter and 1 cm in depth, were the female can hatch eggs. The nest should be made diagonally from the gap.
When it comes to feeding, budgerigars are very easy to handle. Their food is simple, they eat seeds like proso millet, oat, sunflower, canary seed, bright seed. They should get apples, carrot, spinach, leaves of dandelion and chickweed. |
.jpg) |
|
|
|
In our aviary we have budgerigars in all colors and all kind of mutations! |
|
|
|
| Young blue male (still a chicken, just got out of the nest),
Entirely yellow (lutino) female budgerigar |
|
|
Green female chicken (just got out of the nest)
Few parti-colored female budgerigars with white feather base |
If you decide to have just one budgerigar as a pet, have patient in teaching. Budgies, when alone in cage, can learn to clearly pronounce quite a number of words. You will have to let your budgie fly, and you can also teach him to come and sit on your shoulder or head. Anyhow that is we all want from our pet bird.
Beside green (natural) colored, there are some genetically made mutations: yellow (lutino), white (albino), blue, and all kind of mixtures of these colors. This mutations place budgies on the first place as the most colored mixed parrots. The color of the cere (the area above beak, with nostrils) differs between the sexes; blue in males and pale-brown, brown or white in females. This is not the rule when it comes to albino and lutino budgies, becouse their cere is the same colour and the only diffrence is that male has smooth and plished cere, while female has mat cere. Sex of immiture budgies can not be specified, both genders has the same colour of the cere (mostly it is pink).
|
|
|
| Two entirely yellow female budgies - lutino mutation
|
.jpg) |
|
male
|
female
|
|
| difference between genders
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
