Budgerigar, Cockatiel and Lovebird Care

Faculty of Avian reptile & exotic pet hospital Veterinary Science Budgerigars, Cockatiels and Lovebirds - General Health care introduction Cockatiels, budgerigars and lovebirds are the most commonly kept parrots in Australia. They are especially good pets because they are not especially loud, do not need large cages, are relatively easy to feed and can entertain themselves in their cage, yet are often eager to get out and be with their owners. Of the three species the cockatiel is the most likely to be sociable and the lovebird the least likely.

diet Housing Too keep these birds healthy, they These three species of parrots would need a daily mix of seeds, pellets, prefer to live in cages that would allow and fresh plant material. Seeds them some flight. Many Australian should make up about 50% of their bird owners keep their birds in diet. Seeds do not contain calcium or sheltered predator proof outdoors many vitamins so these birds should aviaries or large cages during the also be taught to eat pelleted diets day and house them in smaller cages and pellets should make up about inside when they are home. Others 25% of the diet. Birds may need will keep their birds in outdoor encouragement before they will eat aviaries all the time. This is not an pellets. Making up pellet rissoles, option for everyone and these birds mixing the pellets with other food, generally do well in smaller cages that and appearing to eat the pellets are more appropriate for those with yourself can sometimes convince limited space. reluctant birds to eat the pellets. Pellets by themselves contain too much calcium and will cause kidney Natural gum tree branches are ideal damage if fed exclusively. perches and parrots love to destroy the bark covering them. Branches should vary in diameter from one end The remainder of the diet should to the other, but the average diameter contain green and orange vegetables should allow the bird to wrap its foot and herbs such as spinach, Asian 3/4s of the way around the branch. greens, parsley, mint, peas, pumpkin, Doweling wood perches lead to sores carrots, and beans. Do not feed and infections on the bottom of the rhubarb leaves, lilies, avocado and foot. Do not use rope toys as birds chocolate. Feeding of native foliage may chew on these and crop and such as bottlebrush, grevillea, banksia stomach impactions can develop. and eucalypts as well as seeding grasses from an area that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals is an ideal Cages should be made of stainless way to improve the nutritional value steel. Staples, bag ties, nails, screws of the diet and provide behavioural and wire contain lead and zinc so birds enrichment. Clean water should be should never have access to them. Do provided daily in clean bowls kept not house birds near kitchens or open up high to avoid contamination fires where there could be smoke, gas with droppings. Provide a calcium or cooking fumes. Pet birds should and mineral source such as grit, ideally have some out of cage time to cuttlebone, a calcium bell or chalk express natural flight behaviour and interact with their owners every day. Cockatiel stick. (Nymphicus hollandicus)

Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) Behaviour and training Purchasing a bird Hand-raised birds are the easiest to Whenever possible purchase your train, but recently weaned birds also bird directly from a breeder. Locate respond well. Pet parrots require a a breeder that has sold healthy birds lot of social interaction. A single bird to others. Ask the specific age of the requires 45minutes of direct contact bird, how their birds are housed and time and 3 hours of indirect contact what they are fed. It is also important time per day. Positive reinforcement to find out if the bird was hand fed by techniques gain your bird’s trust. All spoon or crop tube and whether it will family members should take part in require further hand feeding. training and play time. You need to teach your bird to be part of a flock and develop successful relationships. Disease prevention New birds should be seen by an Food rewards can be used as part of avian veterinarian within a week of training to achieve a‘step-up’ and purchase and once a year thereafter. ‘step-down’ behaviour on to the hand. A tailored health and disease testing This can then be built on to ask for program for you and your bird will be behaviours such as coming in and set up including testing for diseases out of the cage. When the bird is out such as psittacosis and beak and of the cage, it should remain on your feather disease. The vet will follow up hand or on a perch that you take with Fischer’s Lovebird any specific problems identified on (Agapornis fischeri) you around the house. Do not allow physical examination and will answer your bird to sit on your shoulder. Here any questions on diet, housing and they are dominant and can exhibit training for your bird. Persistent egg aggressive behaviour such as biting laying can result in significant medical when you attempt to remove the bird problems, especially in cockatiels and from your shoulder. less commonly in budgerigars and lovebirds.

Bird owners will benefit greatly from attending a behaviour and training consultation beginimg at the new bird SIGNS OF ILLNESS exam. Behavioural enrichment keeps A sick bird needs to be taken to the a bird mentally healthly. Birds should veterinarian immediately, as most be provided with toys as soon as they of their diseases can overcome are brought home and new and old them quickly. Some signs of illness toys exchanged regularly. Toys with include a cessation of talking or a mirrors and shiny bells can lead to change in the quality of the voice, bonding with the reflection and less a change of behaviour, decreased interaction with the owners. Toys that food consumption, sleeping more the allow the bird to forage for food and normal, swelling around or redness encourage problem solving are vital of the eye, matting of feathers round to optimise your bird’s health and will the nose, vomiting, liquid droppings, help to prevent feather destructive bleeding, and weightloss. behaviour and obesity.

for more information contact Faculty of Veterinary AVIAN REPTILE & EXOTIC PET HOSPITAL Science 415 Werombi Road Camden NSW 2570 T 02 4655 0798 F 02 4654 6762 E [email protected] W www.avianreptileandexoticpethospital.com.au W www.sydney.edu.au/vetscience/wildlife_conservation/hospital