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Care Sheets:
Budgerigars
Cockatiels
Lovebirds
Articles:
Bird Articles
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Genus/Species: Melopsittacus
undulatus.
Common Name(s): Budgie,
Budgerigar, Parakeet, Keet, American Parakeet, English Parakeet.
Adult Size: Six Inches.
Life Span: Potentially up to 15
years.
Diet: Many companies make specific seed mixes
and pellets for budgies, these must be supplemented with fresh veggies
and fruits. A cuttlebone may also be necessary for calcium.
Housing: Medium-sized cages with bar spacing of
less than a half inch.
Male or Female?: Budgies are sexually dimorphic, males
have a blue cere while females have a brown to dark brownish coloured
cere.
Breeding: Budgies are easy to
breed. For obvious reasons, the first thing you need is a male and
female. Now we've gotten that out of the way, the next thing you need
is a nesting box. An external nesting box can be attached to the bird's
cage. The bottom of the box must have a concave bottom for the budgie
to lay its eggs on. Since budgies don't build a nest, the concave
bottom serves to stop the eggs from rolling around. Without the proper
housing, the budgies may not breed at all. In the wild, budgies nest in
holes in trees. 5 to 6 eggs are laid in a clutch. Eggs hatch in 18-21
days. Budgies reach sexual maturity in approximately 9 months.
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