Budgerigars as Pets
Budgerigar Health Programme  |  Lice, Mite & Worm Protection

The budgerigar originates from the arid centre of Australia and has become one of the most popular pet birds kept throughout the world. These small, hardy birds make excellent pets for anyone over the age of 6. They can be fantastic talkers and have a tremendous mimicking ability. When choosing a pet budgerigar it is best to select:

• A young weaned male budgie.
• The most intelligent budgie in the cage. These are the most lively and inquisitive ones.
• The bird with the best feathers. The young budgie must have a full tail and wings.

It is best to select a young weaned budgie as your pet because they tame more quickly to human kindness. You can tell a young budgie by the black horizontal bars which extend from the forehead to the beak. These bars are absent in the older budgerigar. Male budgies make the best pets but it is sometimes difficult to guarantee the sex of the very young budgie, especially if it is a lutino, albino or pied variety. Experienced bird shop staff should be able to pick a male for you. Select the most inquisitive budgie as these are the most intelligent and will respond best to training. Female budgerigars are prone to egg-laying problems, hernias and fat tumours. In order to avoid these problems it is recommended to select a male budgerigar.

It is best not to select large exhibition type budgerigars with "buffy" feathers as pets as these birds may sometimes have immune system problems that predispose them to sickness throughout their life.

Budgerigars are hardy birds and usually remain very healthy. In order to keep your pet budgerigar in the best physical condition it is recommended that you follow the Budgerigar Health Programme.

Ongoing Health Programme for Pet Budgies

The Ongoing Health Programme provides your pet bird with all of the vitamins and minerals necessary for top health. Within three weeks of starting the programme you will notice increased shine and feather vitality in your bird. These changes reflect a bird in top health.

The dosages and instructions described here are recommended for the ongoing health programme. The dosages on the labels of the products are used for birds with illness or nutritional deficiencies.

¹ A water cleanser is used to cleanse the bowel of harmful food and water related germs, promoting a stronger natural health. Dr Rob Marshall’s special water cleanser is available through Carlingford Animal Hospital.

² Dufoplus (5 drops) and Ioford (10 drops) are mixed together into 100mls of drinking water and safely left for two days, as they are sugar free. They provide the vitamins and trace elements necessary for good health. The signs of improved health are visible by the more intense green, blue and yellow color of the plumage, beak and feet, together with whiter whites in the feathers and an increased activity and talking ability. Note: For aviary birds, Dufoplus/Ioford and Turbobooster may be added to fruit or soft food mix. 5 drops of Dufoplus, 10 drops of Ioford and 6 drops of Turbobooster are added to 200 grams of fruit or food. NV Powder is a sugar-based vitamin alternative to Dufoplus and Ioford.

³ 6 drops of Turbobooster is mixed thoroughly into 100gm of seed, then a level white 1gm spoon of F-Vite is mixed into it. The F-Vite powder sticks to the Turbobooster oil-impregnated seed, providing your bird with the fatty acids, protein and minerals necessary for good health. Glossy strong feathers and increased vitality are the health changes you will notice within three weeks of using these products. In hot weather, when temperatures are above 25 degrees Celcius, it is necessary to prepare these fresh daily; otherwise, in winter, the seed can be left unchanged for the full three days. Note: For aviary birds, Turbobooster may be added to fruit or soft food mix. 1 white teaspoon (1/4 teaspoon measure) of F-Vite and Energy supplement are added to 100 grams of food.

This programme involves a three-day block of healthy therapy that can be given on any three consecutive days in the week. The heightened vitality and intense feather colour reflected the enhanced level of health within 2-3 weeks of starting this programme.

Lice, Mite and Worm Protection for Pet Budgies

Lice and Mite Protection
Lice and mites are an underestimated cause of ill health in budgerigars. They cause intense irritation preventing the birds from the rest they require to remain healthy. Red mite is another serious and deadly disease that must be controlled during summer.

The monthly administration of ivermectin into the drinking water for one day each three months concurrently with the application of Avian Liquidator Spray to the bird will help prevent lice and mite infestation.

Worm Protection
Internal parasites are a common cause of poor development and illness in juveniles and adult birds. Roundworms are particularly dangerous for budgerigars. Medicines that kill roundworms should be given each month during summer and autumn and every three months for the remainder of the year.

This combined treatment is by far the best approach for controlling lice, mite and worms.

Copyright © 2004 Rob Marshall, All Rights Reserved.