How to make budgies fly. Making your parakeet fly is a very common desire among the people who have them. In fact, most people think that keeping a budgie is just like having a toy to play, or an object to decorate his/her room. But it’s far from being so…
In fact, budgies need to work out continuously in order to keep healthy and happy. However, not all of them are gifted with wings and they can’t achieve this without help from their human friend(s). So you may wonder: How do I make my parakeet fly.
How to make budgies fly
Best to try releasing the bird in one small room first. Close the curtains so she doesn’t fly into the glass. Then release her and observe her actions. Keep cats and dogs away, as well as close any doors in the area while making sure to stay nearby and watch out for flying objects that might hit the bird during takeoff such as ceiling fans.
Here are some tips to make your bird fly
1- Choose a safe area for letting him fly free. You need to be sure that he won’t get squashed by any vehicle or run over by a cyclist, and most importantly, there should be no cats around. If you don’t want your budgie to die before his time (which is very possible if you decide to let him play in the garden), then choose an enclosed yard or at least cover it with netting so that he can’t escape through the walls.
2- Let him explore the new place on his own terms. If your parakeet gets scared easily, then just simply put him down on the ground and if he starts to fly, then just let him do it. Don’t try to catch him or hold him while he flies because he will never learn how to take off on his own.
3- If your budgie gets scared easily during the first few days of letting him play outside, you may want to close the door so that only one room is open for your bird. This way, you can use food as “bait” and reward your bird for exploring its new playground without freaking out too much.
4- If your parakeet has been conditioned to keep flying from a certain point until it reaches another (i.e.: from the curtain rail till my shoulder), then control this behavior by changing things around so that your budgie needs to go back and start from the beginning (the rail) and gradually build up his confidence until he’s ready for a longer flight.
5- Don’t forget to let your bird fly back home! If you want him to come back, don’t make it too hard for him because if he gets stuck out there, then he will either starve or get eaten by cats as soon as the sun sets down. In other words: keep it simple.
So now that I have told you how to make your budgie fly without hurting himself, here are some more tips on behavior management that may help you in keeping your parakeet happy and healthy:
1- Make sure he has enough toys so that he can play and fly around all day
2- Give him a healthy and varied diet, so that he gets all minerals and vitamins necessary for his well-being.
3- Provide your bird with a large cage (60×40 inches is an ideal size) and put only one parakeet inside it. This way your budgie can spread its wings all day long and flap them without getting hurt or causing damage to other individuals.
Budgie on tree
4- Don’t play harsh games like “chase” with your budgie as this may encourage aggressive behavior. The best game you can play with him is “titbits toss” where you toss some food in the air for your parakeet to catch it before it on the floor (not too high, of course).
5- Don’t leave your bird alone for hours on end. If you must do this, then provide him with some toys that he can play with by himself (in his cage), but make sure they are not something that can cause damage to the environment (i.e.: plastic bottles!)
6- Make sure your parakeet gets enough sleep at night (12 hours) and chances are he will be more active during the day if you keep these rules in mind.
7- NEVER use water or loud noises as punishment because this may really frighten your budgie and cause negative behavior which is difficult to fix later on… Also, avoid handling your parakeet roughly before letting him play outside because he may become so scared and desperate to get out of your hands that he may fly away without thinking about the consequences…
8- NEVER use millet as a reward! This is how budgies learn to beg for food from humans, something that is not natural for them. Offer him only healthy treats like fruits or vegetables (but not too much because it can make your parakeet fat).
Budgie with closes eye
9- The best medicine against negative behavior isn’t “treats” but LOVE! So spend some time cuddling your parakeet every day and if you do this enough, then I guarantee that you will have an angel sitting on your shoulder all day long!
10- When letting your bird fly free outside its cage, be sure to cover the door of the room where your cage is located. This way, your parakeet won’t fly back inside his cage and destroy all its content while you are not at home or when you don’t know it’s happening.
11- Make sure you have a good relationship with your bird before letting him play outside on his own because if there is something wrong between you two (i.e.: he hates being touched), then he will be more likely to get scared and fly away from you while playing.
12- Put some toys in front of your budgie cage while playing with him outside so that he doesn’t feel too lonely for his former cage mates. Remember: birds need companionship through their entire life!
13- Make sure you only allow your parakeet out where there are no cats or other predators around…
Budgies on a tree
14- Try to avoid having a busy environment because this will make your bird feel unsafe and may cause him to fly away at the first opportunity that arises.
15- If you can’t play with your budgie outside, then be patient and keep trying for as long as necessary until he gets used to it and starts playing by himself. It took me about two months to train my bird and I’m still working on some minor issues, but all in all I am very happy now that my budgie loves being outside of its cage!) However, please remember that every bird is different so should expect some problems along the way.
You should be prepared for the responsibilities and costs associated with pet budgies before welcoming them into your home. Thinking ahead will ensure that both you and budgie will be happier at the end of your budgie journey!
Several factors affect budgie’s lifespan including genetics, environment, and budgie diet. The longevity of budgies varies from one budgie individual to another due to their genetic differences, for instance, some may need less sleep than the others do which results in long life expectancy. Budgie species that are not captive bred have relatively short lives because they are more exposed to predators and harsh weather conditions in the wild when compared to those that are captive bred.
Of course, the way you care for your budgie affects his life span as well. If you provide a proper balanced diet and a healthy environment, your pet will spend a longer time with a family. In addition, providing toys or entertainment for your budgie is going to help them feel better out of boredom.
How to know that budgie’s life is ending?
Budgie’s death may come neither suddenly nor by a long illness. Usually, pet birds’ death is an event rather than a process which means you can’t see the real sign of their demise in advance.
It should be noted that it is usual for a budgie to sleep a lot toward the end of their lives. Although it doesn’t mean that they are going to die soon, you should be concerned if your budgie sleeps excessively even though he was normally active before.
How often should you change budgie’s food and water bowl?
Budgie’s living arrangement and food/water bowls should be changed every day to keep your pets healthy. Several owners never change budgie’s water bowl for years which results in the growth of algae that is going to injure the pet bird’s digestive system. In addition, you need to check whether there are some leftover foods on his feeding dish since budgies usually goes back to places that they have been before.
Although budgies don’t require changing their food bowl as frequently, you have to clean it every day due to hygiene reasons. It is recommended that you replace budgie’s water and food bowls with new ones at least twice a week if there are more than one budgies in a single cage.