A birthday gift

[rajasmom]

In my neiboughood there is a little girl who is just crazy in love with my birds. Everyday she comes over and helps me prepare my birds food and plays with my smaller birds My Cocateil and my Green cheeked conure. she is very responsible for her age and had to grow up quite quickly due to the size of her family they have seven children and she is the middle child her birthday is coming up and she will be 10 yrs. old I know that she would just love to have a bird of her own so I asked her mom if it would be ok to get her a little budgie for her birthday her mom said that would be fine. So today I went out and bought her a little handfed Budgie he is so cute he's very young and very friendly. I do have a Question though Its been a very long time since I have had a Budgie in the house at least 17 years. and back then Budgies and most birds where fed grit do Budgies need grit if they are fed properly with pellets seed mix and fresh fruits and veggie or is that just something that is a thing of the past before us humans knew any better. any way I took a couple of pics of the little guy so here he is isn't he cute he has black pearl like markings on his back

[farseeker]

Oh he is a darling isn't he? We used to have one when I was younger that looked like him called Sunny (he was named by the children at the preschool we rescued him from).

From all that I've read, parrots including budgies don't require grit. The offering of grit is to help digest foods, so I think birds such as pigeons etc that don't hull their seed require it. Since parrots hull it, it isn't necessary - in fact from memory there's some concern over it potentially causing an impacted crop?

My memory isn't great though and I may be getting mixed up. We don't feel it's necessary to give grit to our budgies. They get a variety of seeds, pellets and fresh fruit and vegies and do quite well on it.

[meandem]

You are an amazing person. What a golden heart you have. I am sure the little girl will be thrilled with her birthday gift.

I still give all my birds grit, it never hurts. I always give them fresh fruit and veges. And my budgies especially love a small amount of rolled oats soaked in water.

[vankarhi]

What a lovely thing to do Rajasmom. That is totally awesome. ;D

We have a little handraised budgie named Pepper and he just the funniest little bird ;D This arvy I was putting some fruit in the birds cages and just sort of mucking around and I heard a little voice say "kiss kiss" ...... I looked up and saw Peppa in the corner of his cage looking down at me......so I obliged him and gave him a kiss. Then he said "what ya doing" . Who says little birds can't think??? ;D

[Jane]

I'm sure she'll love him Patricia He's a pretty little bird

I don't give any grit after reading several discussions on here about it.

[rajasmom]

Thank you all for the kind words If they don't need grit I won't give her any to feed him. I put a mineral block and a cuddle bone in his cage that shoud be enough. I got some Zupreem fruity maintanace pellets for him and a good quality seed mix I also have a small can of canary treat seeds around here that I'll give her. I put him in a cage that is 18"x18"X20"high should I put a mirror in there or not? I know with some birds they say they won't talk or bond with you if there is a mirror in there cage. I don't know if that includes budgies or not I gave him a swing and a wood block type toy and a little plastic rope with beads and rings toy I hope thats enough is there anything else they need besides fruit and veggies? I just want to make sure that he's got a good start.

[vankarhi]

Peppa has a mirror....actually a couple I think and he loves them and his bell and his swing that has dangley things on it and he loves his ladder (he has lots of toys lol) ...... but he still loves to come out and be with us too and he loves to come over and talk to us....he is a real chatter box.

I too had heard that about the mirror.......but Peppa talks and loves company.

[farseeker]

My first budgies had a mirror - they enjoyed singing to it but they also loved spending time with each other (they weren't tame). My guys now never have, but they've always had interaction with people.

Squee used to attack his reflection. So I never dared to put one in his cage haha. Jedi was terrified of her reflection and Trouble alternates between trying to get it to preen him and then getting cranky and attacking it when it doesn't so neither of them had mirrors either.

I really think it depends on the bird - maybe just let her know that if he seems preoccupied with the mirror to the extent of not wanting any interaction that she should take it out.