Budgie / Budgerigar

Most people search “budgie care” when they’re choosing a first bird, trying to fix a feeding routine that isn’t working, or worrying about small changes that can turn serious fast (quiet breathing, sitting fluffed, not eating). Budgerigars are tough little desert parrots, but in a home they depend on clean air, the right food, and a steady rhythm.

Below is a clear, practical guide to budgies in Australia: what they’re like, what they need day to day, and which warning signs mean it’s time to ring an avian vet.

Budgerigars at a glance

• Species: Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), native to Australia.¹
• Size: commonly around 18–20 cm long and 30–40 g in weight.¹
• Colours: wild birds are green/yellow with dark wing markings; captive breeding has produced many colour varieties.²
• Lifespan: often 3–6 years, though some live much longer (up to around 15 years) with excellent care and good luck.¹
• Temperament: active, social, and usually more settled when they have daily routine and companionship (human time, another budgie, or both).¹

Natural behaviour (what you’re seeing at home)

Budgies evolved in Australia’s drier inland, moving in flocks as food and water shift across the landscape.³ That background shows up in the living room. A healthy budgie spends a lot of time climbing, chewing, calling, preening, and scanning its surroundings from a perch.

They’re also good mimics. Some learn to copy sounds and human words, especially with frequent, gentle repetition, though not every bird will “talk”.¹

Diet and nutrition

Seed is familiar and easy to overdo. Many pet birds selectively eat their favourite bits from seed mixes, and long-term, a seed-heavy diet can contribute to nutritional disease (including low vitamin A and calcium problems, obesity, and reproductive issues).⁴

A sensible everyday diet

For small parrots such as budgerigars, a common veterinary approach is:

• Pellets as a base (often around 40–50%).⁴
• Seed mix (often around 30–40%), used thoughtfully rather than as the whole diet.⁴
• Vegetables daily (about 10–15%).⁴
• Fruit in smaller amounts (about 5–10%).⁴

Always provide fresh, clean water. Wash bowls daily; budgies are famous for dropping food into water and turning it cloudy.⁵

Calcium and safe chewing

Most budgies benefit from a reliable calcium source (often a cuttlebone or mineral block), and plenty of safe, chewable items to keep the beak and mind busy. If you’re already feeding a nutritionally complete pellet-based diet, don’t add supplements unless your vet recommends them.⁶

Foods to avoid

Some human foods are risky for birds. In particular, don’t feed avocado or chocolate, and be cautious with anything salty, fatty, mouldy, or spoiled. Store seed properly; mouldy feed can be dangerous.⁶

Housing and environment

A budgie’s cage is a base camp, not a prison. Even confident birds need room to hop, climb, and fully stretch their wings without striking bars or toys.

Space that meets welfare guidance

Animal Welfare Victoria’s code of practice provides minimum cage floor area and height by bird size. For a ~20 cm bird (including budgerigars), the indoor minimum listed is 1,600 cm² floor area and 34 cm height for one bird, with additional floor area for each extra bird.⁷ Bigger is better, especially in length (for short flights) and with time out of the cage in a safe room.

Set-up details that matter

• Perches: mix diameters and textures; avoid having only smooth plastic.
• Placement: bright but out of harsh direct sun; away from kitchen fumes, smoke, aerosols, and drafts.
• Enrichment: rotate toys, offer foraging opportunities, and give predictable quiet time at night.

Health concerns and early warning signs

Budgies hide illness. In the wild, a visibly sick bird becomes a target, so many problems look “minor” until they aren’t. If you’re unsure, treat it as time-sensitive and call an avian veterinarian.

Common problems seen in pet budgies

• Respiratory disease: tail bobbing, open-mouth breathing, clicking sounds, crust around the nostrils, voice change.
• Mites and skin/feather issues: scaly areas (especially around the cere and legs), excessive scratching, poor feather condition.
• Reproductive problems in females: egg binding can be life-threatening and needs urgent veterinary care; nutrition (especially calcium balance) is part of prevention.⁶
• Nutritional disease: often linked to seed-heavy diets and selective eating.⁴

When to get help urgently

• Breathing difficulty, sitting low and fluffed, or repeated falling off the perch
• Not eating, or a noticeable drop in droppings
• Sudden weakness, vomiting/regurgitation, or bleeding
• A female straining, swollen abdomen, or sitting at the cage floor (possible egg binding)

Communication and sound

Budgies are naturally vocal, using chirps, whistles, and contact calls. A steady background chatter is normal. A sudden change in voice, quieter-than-usual behaviour, or breathing sounds mixed into calling is not.

Training and taming (gentle, realistic expectations)

Taming is mostly about predictability. Move slowly, keep sessions short, and reward calm behaviour with a favourite treat. Some budgies enjoy learning simple cues such as “step up”, and a few become dedicated mimics, especially when they hear the same phrases often and in a quiet setting.¹

Breeding: a caution for pet homes

Budgies can breed readily in captivity, but breeding isn’t a casual add-on. It increases nutritional demands, raises the risk of reproductive emergencies (including egg binding), and can create long-term behavioural and housing challenges.

If you’re considering breeding, speak with an avian vet first and make sure you understand licensing requirements where you live.

One correction: remove the “worming your kitten” section

The original draft wandered into kitten worming, which isn’t relevant to budgies and can confuse care decisions. If you’re caring for multiple pets, focus on keeping budgie airspace clean and safe (no aerosols, smoke, or cooking fumes), and prevent direct contact that could cause injury or stress.

References

1. Australian Geographic – Budgerigar fact file
2. United Budgerigar Society Inc. – The Budgerigar: From Desert to Show Bench
3. Bush Heritage Australia – Budgerigars
4. Merck Veterinary Manual – Management of Pet Birds (Nutrition of pet birds)
5. Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet owner) – Feeding a Pet Bird
6. Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet owner) – Nutritional Disorders of Pet Birds
7. Agriculture Victoria – Code of Practice for the Housing of Caged Birds