If you want to raise a budgie, you may wish to impress it with the things that make them happy and comfortable, leading us to this question: What do budgies like in their cage?
Budgies like these ten things in their cage:
1. Perches
Budgies like flying and settling on the highest perches in their cages. Perches help budgies exercise their wings to stay fit. Therefore, when putting perches in a budgie’s cage, consider putting perches of different colors, textures, flexibility, and lengths to create a distinct impression on your birds.
2. Toys
Budgies are playful. Putting toys in their cages will help stimulate their brains. Toys such as bells and ladders will make budgies enjoy their company without feeling lonely. You can also spend quality time paying with your budgie to create trust and for bonding purposes.
3. Bird Bath
Like humans, birds love cleaning their bodies and preening their feathers for their appealing look. Also, when the temperatures are hot, especially during the summer, budgies enjoy cold baths to cool their bodies and keep them hydrated. This makes budgies look healthy and smart; hence, a bird bath is an essential accessory in a budgie’s cage.
4. Feeding Bowls
Feeding bowls are vital since all feeds are placed in one position where budgies can easily access them. Also, bowls help minimize feed waste since budgies will not throw away seeds and pellets. Also, feeding bowls allow you to quickly understand the best ratio your budgies require daily.
5. A Swing
Swings create a sense of trees in a budgie’s cage. Budgies love swinging on a branch of a tree, hence making their cage feel like a more natural habitat. Thus, it is essential to put a swing.
6. Paper Towels
These paper towels make cleaning a budgie’s cage easier. They also create a cage lining that gives the cage an appealing look. Changing the paper towels regularly is important to ensure high hygiene levels that will keep the budgie healthy.
7. Plants
It is essential to have plants in a budgie’s cage. Not only do plants make a cage look attractive, but they also give a natural sense that budgies love. Select a plant with leaves and some flowers that will please your budgies. Hence, ensure your budgie’s cage is spacious to accommodate these plants.
8. Foraging Figures
Budgies have busy beaks that will constantly nibble on anything. Putting foraging figures in their cages will stimulate them. Ensure the foraging figures are clean to avoid transmitting diseases. Also, prevent lead and zinc metals, as they threaten a budgie’s life.
9. Treats
Apart from things that stimulate their minds, budgies love having treats in their cages at least once to twice a week. Usually, budgies love having millet sprays in their cages, as they are among the healthy feeds. Avoid non-healthy treats like sugary, salty, and oily feeds.
10. Water Bowl
Budgies also like having a clean water bowl with fresh water. Mainly, water bowls are always placed near a feeding bowl to soften their feeds and throats, preventing choking on them. Ensure you regularly change the water and clean the bowl to maintain hygiene.
What Should a Budgie Cage Look Like?
A budgie’s cage should be:
1. Spacious
The minimum dimensions of a budgie’s cage should be 20 inches wide, 20 inches deep, and 18 inches long. If you want to cage more than one budgie, consider getting twice the size of a single budgie’s cage.
A spacious cage is healthy for budgies as it accommodates many accessories, and budgies will freely fly without hitting themselves on the cage’s wall.
2. Have Corners
Budgies love having cages that they hide in while playing. Therefore, avoid buying round cages as they lack corners, which annoys your bird.
However, ensure the cage has no sharp corners that will hurt your budgie. In addition, avoid cages made of lead or zinc, as they are hazardous to your budgie’s health.
3. Proper Bar Spacing
Proper bar spacing is a significant factor in buying a budgie’s cage. These birds are tiny creatures that a wide spacing bar will freely let out and into their cages without any restrictions.
Thus, ensure the bar spacing is ½ inch, as these measurements ensure the budgies are not stuck.
4. Secured Door with Locks
A good budgie’s cage should have a secure door with locks. Budgies are clever birds and can easily open their doors using their beaks.
Therefore, it is essential to lock the door’s cage properly before leaving. This will prevent the budgie from escaping and also the entry of predators.
5. Filled with Accessories
Budgies are playful in nature. Their cages must have toys such as ropes, bells, and swings. Toys stimulate their minds and help to kill boredom.
Furthermore, there should be feeding and water bowls, bird baths, perches, and some plants. This makes a budgie’s cage so appealing that it makes these birds enjoy the serene environment in their cages.
6. Lined at the Bottom with Newspapers or Paper Towels
A budgie’s cage should be lined at the bottom with a newspaper or paper towel to make cleaning more accessible and efficient. Also, it makes the room look less messy with Budgie’s poop.
Avoid putting wood shavings, cat litter, or sand in them, as they are difficult to clean. However, you can use these materials on a nesting box as they are soft, preventing eggs from cracking after being laid.
7. Have a Heat Lamp
Budgies are tropical birds and, hence, are adapted to warm climates. However, if you live in a cold region, include a heat lamp in a budgie’s cage to provide warmth and avoid pneumonia and other cold infections.
Do Budgies Get Bored in Cages?
Yes, budgies can sometimes get bored in their cages, especially when they do not have a birding partner. Moreover, a lack of playing resources like toys will make the budgie lonely and bored.
Similarly, freeing your budgie daily for at least an hour will stimulate your mind through exercising and spending quality time.
Is It Cruel to Keep a Budgie in a Cage All the Time?
It is cruel to keep a budgie in a cage all the time. Budgies must exercise their wings and bones by freely walking and flying in a spacious room.
In addition, a cage is confined, and a budgie will feel more restricted from many things and hence become aggressive.
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