Budgerigar Care: A Beginner's Handbook

Budgerigar Overview

The budgerigar, also known as the common parakeet or budgie, is native to Australia and lives in large flocks. Its scientific name, Melopsittacus undulatus, means “melodious parrot with wavy lines,” referring to the black wave-like patterns covering their bodies and faces.

Budgerigars are friendly and intelligent birds that can be easily tamed. With proper socialization, they enjoy daily interactions and can learn basic commands.

Although budgerigars are social creatures, pet parents should take precautions before deciding to house multiple budgies together. They should not be placed in the same habitat without a proper introduction, which should be done slowly, in neutral territory, and under close supervision.

Budgerigars are capable of producing a variety of sounds and can even “talk” by mimicking human vocabulary and sounds. Pet parents can encourage their budgerigars to speak by repeating simple words daily in the same tone.

Gender can be determined around the age of 10 months by observing the cere, the skin around the nostrils. Males typically have blue ceres, while females have brownish-red ceres, which may darken due to hormonal changes as they age.

Budgerigar Features

• Care Difficulty: Beginner
• Average Lifespan: 10-12 years with proper care
• Adult Size: 7 inches long from head to tail
• Diet: Granivorous (grain eater)
• Minimum Habitat Size: 18 inches wide x 18 inches deep x 18 inches high

Budgerigar Care Checklist

For a happy and healthy budgerigar, pet parents should prepare the following essentials:

• Appropriately sized habitat (at least 18 inches wide x 18 inches deep x 18 inches high)
• High-quality budgerigar pellet food
• Spray millet (as a treat)
• Cuttlebone
• Cuttlebone/millet holder
• Treats
• Habitat paper or bedding
• Food and water dishes
• Perches
• Toys
• Bird bath
• Grooming supplies
• Play gym
• UVB light

Budgerigar Habitat

Choosing the Right Cage: The ideal budgerigar habitat should be at least 18 inches wide x 18 inches deep x 18 inches high for one bird. The bar spacing should be half an inch or smaller to prevent escapes or entrapment. The habitat should be spacious enough for the budgerigar to comfortably stretch and flap its wings. Always provide the largest habitat possible.

Homemade habitats or any made of wood or galvanized wire are not recommended. These materials could expose the bird to toxic chemicals that might lead to severe medical issues.

Setting Up Your Habitat

Budgerigars are comfortable in average household temperatures, ranging from 55 to 79°F. Pet parents should be wary of extreme temperature changes.

Keep the habitat in a draft-free, well-lit area away from direct access by pets such as cats and dogs. Ensure no habitat parts or toys are made of lead, zinc, lead-based paint, galvanized metal, or any other potentially toxic materials. All these can lead to serious medical issues.

Budgerigars can be kept alone, as a pair, or in larger groups with other budgerigars. Different species of animals should never be housed in the same habitat. If deciding to house multiple budgerigars in the same habitat, pet parents must first introduce the birds to each other—slowly and under close supervision—to ensure they are compatible.

Bedding and Lighting

The bottom of a budgerigar’s habitat should have a removable metal grate so droppings can fall below where the bird walks. Pet parents should place habitat paper or other paper-based bedding on the tray at the bottom of the habitat. This helps keep the environment clean and reduces dust.

Birds need access to UV light to produce Vitamin D in their skin, which helps them absorb calcium from their diet. Glass windows filter out UV rays, so just placing a budgerigar’s habitat next to an indoor window is not enough. Instead, birds can get natural UV exposure by spending time outside in an escape-proof cage when the weather permits. Birds should never be left unattended outside or be exposed directly to sunlight.

To supplement UV exposure, pet parents can shine a full-spectrum UVB light designed for birds over the budgerigar’s habitat for 10-12 hours daily.

Decor and Accessories

Perches: Budgerigars should have access to a variety of perches of different sizes, heights, textures, and materials to exercise their feet and prevent sores. Perches should be at least 4 inches long and have a diameter of 3/8 inches.

If the perch’s diameter is too wide, the bird will not be able to grasp it properly, leading to falls and other serious injuries.

Sandpaper perches and perch covers are not recommended as they can cause wear on the bird’s feet.

Do not place perches above the bird’s water or food dishes—droppings will end up there.

Toys: Budgerigars should have access to a variety of enriching toys for exercise and entertainment. Lack of mental and physical stimulation can lead to boredom and the development of harmful habits, such as feather plucking.

Toys can be made from cardboard, paper, softwood, or plastics that are too hard for budgerigars to break off and ingest. Regularly rotate toys to prevent boredom. Toys should not have small parts that can be removed and ingested.

Water and Food Dishes: Dry food, fresh food, and water should be offered in different dishes. If more than one budgerigar is housed in the same habitat, each bird should have its own feeding station to avoid competition.

Water dishes should be large enough for budgerigars to bathe in. Dishes must be thoroughly washed and rinsed daily to prevent bacterial growth.

Cuttlebone (Cuttlefish Bone): Cuttlebone is an excellent way to supplement calcium and other trace minerals in a bird’s diet. Calcium is an essential nutrient that helps maintain the bird’s bones, beak, nails, and feathers strong and healthy.

Using a cuttlebone holder like the JW Pet® InSight Cuttlebone Holder Bird Toy can help keep the cuttlebone in place and prevent its fragments from falling out of the cage.

Budgerigar Cleaning and Maintenance

Pet parents should perform spot cleaning of the budgerigar’s habitat daily, removing any dirt and discarded food. Water and food dishes must be washed daily. Bedding, substrate, and habitat liners should be replaced at least once a week, more frequently if housing more than one budgerigar.

Pet parents should only use cleaners formulated for pets when cleaning a budgerigar’s cage, as birds’ respiratory systems are sensitive to aerosolized fumes.

Cleaning the Budgerigar’s Habitat:

• Move the budgerigar to another safe environment (like another habitat or travel cage) in a separate airspace. Remove any old substrate, bedding, and accessories from the habitat.
• Wash the habitat and any accessories with a bird habitat cleaner or a 3% bleach solution.
• Rinse the habitat and accessories thoroughly with water to ensure any trace amounts or residual odors of cleaner or bleach solution are removed.
• Let the habitat and its contents dry completely before placing new substrate, bedding, and clean accessories back in the habitat.
• Return the bird to the clean habitat.

Perches, dishes, and toys should be replaced when worn or damaged. Pet parents should regularly replace old toys with new ones to prevent boredom. Since birds are creatures of habit and can sometimes feel stressed by change, it’s advisable to introduce one new toy at a time.

Budgerigar Diet and Nutrition

Budgerigars enjoy a variety of foods, including pellet food, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and occasional treats. Budgerigars should always have access to fresh, clean water.

Pet parents should never share their mouth or plate food with budgerigars. Microorganisms in human mouths can make birds sick.

A nutritionally balanced budgerigar diet should include high-quality pellets formulated for budgerigars. A nutritionally complete and balanced pellet food should make up at least 60-70% of the budgerigar’s diet.

Determine the amount of food to feed daily based on the manufacturer’s instructions. Discard and replace any uneaten food before each feeding.

Treats, vegetables, and fruits can be fed in limited quantities. Treats should not exceed 10% of the budgerigar’s diet.

Budgerigars can safely enjoy a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including:

• Berries
• Melons
• Papaya
• Sweet potatoes
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Pea pods

Discard uneaten fruits and vegetables after a few hours.

Fortified seeds and millet can be fed as treats. Like other parakeets, budgerigars will hull seeds before eating them, so pet parents do not need to provide grit to help grind whole seeds.

Fresh, clean water should be changed daily.

Do not allow budgerigars to consume avocado, fruit seeds, chocolate, caffeine, or alcohol as they are toxic and can lead to death or serious illness. Pet parents should also avoid high-salt or high-fat treats.

Budgerigar Grooming and Care

Pet parents owning birds should avoid using non-stick cookware and other appliances with non-stick coatings (like Teflon™). Non-stick coatings contain a polymer called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). When heated, PTFE releases colorless, odorless fumes that can kill pet birds if inhaled.

For pet parents interested in wing trimming:

• Wing trimming can temporarily prevent birds from gaining lift and flying away.
• Properly done wing trimming allows the bird to glide safely to the ground without gaining lift.
• Only trained professionals or those taught how to trim feathers should trim a budgerigar’s wing feathers. Improper trimming can cause serious injuries.
• When done correctly, trimming the outermost “flight feathers” can help keep the bird from flying away and avoid injuries.
• Before attempting to trim a bird’s feathers, pet parents should consult an avian veterinarian for assistance.
• Wing trimming must be repeated every few months as feathers regrow.

Bathing: The water dish should be large enough for the budgerigar to bathe in. Pet parents can groom birds that do not often bathe themselves by gently spraying them with warm water from a clean spray bottle several times a week.

Nail Care: Nails must be trimmed as needed, which could be every few weeks to months. A trained professional, avian veterinarian, or another trained individual should trim the bird’s nails to prevent injury.

In case of bleeding, styptic powder can be used for quick clotting.