Chirruping budgies' most iconic sound signals their busy contentment and acts as a non-stop reminder that all is safe within their flock.
Budgies require more than just a clean cage: they require enrichment, food, toys and exercise as well. Furthermore, companionship is vital; therefore requiring much interaction.
Cage
Budgies are highly social birds that enjoy being around people. When their owner isn't available, however, they require something else to keep them entertained - something other than their owner being present. Environment enrichment provides a simple solution to keeping budgies happy and healthy!
Moving the cage around in different rooms of your home and providing toys with various textures are great ways to enrich auditory stimulation for your cat. Also keeping radio or tv playing music or nature sounds can provide auditory stimulation.
Food-based enrichment can also provide the perfect way to keep budgies entertained and healthy by providing them with fresh foods such as millets, oats and canary, vegetables and fruits as well as perches for restful resting spaces in their cage. Budgies sleep as the sun sets and rises each day so keeping their cage environment in sync with this circadian rhythm is vitally important to their wellbeing - as is providing them with perches so they can rest in comfort.
Food
Budgies require a high quality diet. Their food should consist of dry seeds, nuts, and fresh vegetables with plenty of fibre and essential nutrients such as fresh leafy greens (such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard), carrots, peppers and cabbage to provide variety in texture, colors and smells for them to forage for.
Integrating different foods into their diet can also provide enrichment. You could try offering grated cheese or hard boiled egg as these provide great sources of protein.
If you want to transition your budgie from seed diets to healthier pellet-based ones gradually, do so gradually. Seed budgies don't recognise other things as food, and can become sick from sudden transitions. Begin by gradually decreasing their seed offerings each morning and evening before gradually offering 1 tsp of pellets instead.
Toys
Budgies are lively birds that love playing, so toys are great way to keep them active and stimulated. While their own toys may provide hours of amusement, swings, ladders, mirrors and bird-shaped toys can also keep them entertained for hours on end! For optimal results it is advisable to change out their toys at least every two weeks, in order to prevent boredom setting in.
When purchasing toys for your budgie, make sure they are non-toxic and safe. Some toys contain small crevices where their feet, head or wings could become caught, leading to stress and possible suffocation. Also ensure any perches you purchase don't contain narrow parts which could hurt their feet.
Note that every budgie has their own distinct personality, and toys that may delight one may not work for another. Experiment until you find the ones that your budgie enjoys the most!
Exercise
Budgies become bored easily when everything remains the same - their toys, environment, food or environment for feedings remain unchanged. That is why budgies require constant enrichment - physical, mental and auditory stimulation - in their lives.
Enrichment should focus on natural behaviors that budgies would normally display in their wild environments. Without adequate enrichment, budgies may become anxious and frustrated - this may manifest in form of loud squawks during the day or other forms of noise-making behaviours.
Begin finger training your budgie as soon as it is young, teaching it how to step onto various perches (finger or wooden dowel). Even though they might flit away at first, be patient and consistent as eventually they will understand. If your fearful of bites from the bird, try covering your hand with a towel for protection and start with smaller perches until your bird masters them all and can move up.