Before you start
- A large, wide cage
- Perches, toys, food and water dishes
- Budgie pellets or seed mix, and fresh vegetables
- A cuttlebone or mineral block
- A vet who treats birds
Method 1 Set up the cage
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Step 1: Choose a big, wide cage
Budgies fly horizontally, so width matters more than height. Buy the biggest cage you can, with bar spacing no more than about 1.2 cm (½ inch) so heads can’t get stuck.
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Step 2: Add varied perches
Use natural wood perches of different thicknesses to exercise their feet. Avoid sandpaper perch covers.
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Step 3: Provide toys
Add bells, ladders, swings and shreddable toys, and rotate them weekly to prevent boredom.
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Step 4: Place the cage well
Put the cage in a bright, busy room where the family spends time, but away from the kitchen, draughts, direct sun and heaters, with one side against a wall for security.
Method 2 Feed a healthy diet
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Step 1: Base diet
Feed budgie pellets or a quality budgie seed mix. A seed-only diet is too fatty and lacks vitamins, so add other foods.
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Step 2: Fresh vegetables daily
Offer washed vegetables and leafy greens such as broccoli, carrot, spinach, kale, peppers and sweetcorn, plus small amounts of fruit like apple (no seeds).
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Step 3: Minerals
Provide a cuttlebone or mineral block for calcium and beak health.
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Step 4: Fresh water
Change water every day, and more often if it gets dirty.
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Step 5: Toxic foods
Never give avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, onion, garlic, salty or sugary foods, or apple seeds and fruit pits.
Method 3 Give company and exercise
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Step 1: Keep them in pairs
Budgies are flock birds and are happiest with another budgie. A single budgie needs a lot of daily attention from you.
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Step 2: Tame gently
Talk softly near the cage, then offer millet from your hand. Over days and weeks, offer a finger as a perch.
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Step 3: Daily flying time
Let them fly in a bird-safe room for at least an hour a day, if possible. Close windows and doors, cover mirrors and glass, switch off ceiling fans, and keep other pets out.
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Step 4: Give enough sleep
Budgies need 10–12 hours of darkness and quiet each night. Covering the cage can help.
Method 4 Keep it clean
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Step 1: Daily
Change food and water, remove uneaten fresh food, and wipe up droppings.
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Step 2: Weekly
Replace cage liners, wash dishes and perches with hot water and mild soap, rinse well, and dry.
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Step 3: Bathing
Offer a shallow dish of water or lightly mist them a few times a week; many budgies love to bathe.
Troubleshooting
My budgie is scared of me
Go slowly. Sit near the cage, talk quietly, and offer millet through the bars before trying hand-taming.
My budgie won’t eat vegetables
Offer them daily in different forms: chopped, grated, hanging from a clip, or mixed with seed. Eating in front of them can help.
My budgie is plucking feathers
This can be stress, boredom or illness. Provide company, toys and flying time, and see an avian vet.
Frequently asked questions
How long do budgies live?
Typically 5–10 years, and longer with excellent care.
Can budgies talk?
Many can learn words and phrases, especially males kept with lots of human interaction.
Is a male or female budgie better?
Both make good pets. Males (usually with a blue cere above the beak in adults) often chatter more; females can be more independent.
Summary
Give your budgie a large, wide cage, varied perches and toys, a diet of pellets or quality seed plus fresh vegetables, and clean water daily. Keep them in pairs or give lots of attention and daily safe flying time, protect them from fumes and toxic foods, and see an avian vet if they look fluffed up or unwell.
