Beck's Budgies

20/01/2024

💛🩵

11/01/2024

Rainbow pair 😍

04/01/2024

If you are able to help, please do. There are so many birds living in terrible conditions and sanctuarys like this one need help to continue operating.

Hi everyone desperately needing help with transport and caging and medical treatme… Amanda De Freitas needs your support for Please help save these poor birds

03/01/2024

Some birds looking for a new 🏡. PM for details if interested.

27/12/2023

Last babies are out of the nest

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas from Beck's Budgies.

18/12/2023

Afternoon tea - fruit salad. Thanks we love it!

09/12/2023

Hot day calls for the sprinklers.

06/12/2023

Don't know about spare time...

05/12/2023

So often i have been asked to take budgies from the nest as people think this will make them more tame. Having a tame bird is based on trust and takes time. I also am not a fan of wing clipping for the same reason.

At what age can a budgie be safely removed from parents? At what age should they be sold, and be tamed most easily?

Three common questions I see all the time, with sometimes very sad responses.

- breeders who are keen for quick sales/turnaround often advertise and encourage customers to buy younger birds (around 6 weeks, sometimes a little younger). Often these birds aren't weaned properly. In some of the saddest cases, sellers have said hand raising can be a good learning experience for kids - rearing young birds is difficult, often with tragic results.

- according to Avian Welfare Coalition, forced weaning can result in malnutrition, starvation, and permanent behavior problems such as rigid eating habits, nervousness, and chronic begging.

- budgies are generally not completely weaned/independent until at least 7 weeks, 8 to be safer (some prefer to wait until 9 weeks to be sure). At 6-7 weeks their beaks are still quite black and their feathers are more ruffled. For their wellbeing, budgies should not be removed from their parents before this age. Other than feeding, parents also teach the young a number of skills they need as adults; as any wild animal would do with their young.

- 'hand reared' doesn't necessarily mean tame. And even if they have built trust with the person feeding them, this won't automatically transfer to another human.

- taming is a process involving building trust and being patient as the bird familiarises with their surroundings, people, and other animals. Taming should not involve forcing the bird to interact with humans. It’s all about positive reinforcement.

Sadly, while it is illegal to sell unweaned native birds in Australia, it still happens commonly. Hopefully this will change one day, but for now, it's up to us to educate others and try to put unethical breeders out of business.

Thank you to Budgie sanctuary rescue for allowing me to use this photo of a budgie they rescued.

Image Description: an 8 week old budgie, pictured in black and white, with text overlay 'tortured to be tamed: the dangers of forced weaning'

02/12/2023

Clearwings 🩵🤍💚💛 Yes, i know the 4th one has been plucked, it is living with a new family now.

02/12/2023

Love my green cheek conure family

25/11/2023

Last couple of nests before I wind up for the year

19/11/2023

Loving the fresh chop!

19/11/2023

Some of the babies I have kept are settling into the aviary

18/11/2023

These guys are so big, fluffy and sweet I can't pick a favourite

15/11/2023

❤️

15/11/2023

The conures are loving life in their outdoor set up.

15/11/2023

Clearwing siblings

15/11/2023

The WC Grey nest final verdict. Correct me if I am wrong. 1 sky blue normal, 2 x grey WC, 1 grey normal, 1 grey TCB?

15/11/2023

These are completely untamed aviary birds. Just proof that you don't have to hand raise or force it. The birds are mature and it's all about trust. They will preen me, give me kisses and 💩 on me. I am accepted as part of their flock. It takes time and patience but it's worth it.

14/11/2023

The lone pastel baby from my clearwing nest

12/11/2023

These guys 😍. Cleaned the box and Dad came and sat on my head while I did it. He is a lovely friendly boy.

11/11/2023

They have the whole cage and this is how they sit.

11/11/2023

Rainbow babies 🌈

09/11/2023

Six clearwing babies are almost all out of the nest

09/11/2023

Here we go again with these guys. Mum and Dad at the end.