My Budgie isn't eating! Is this normal???

Question

I bought my first budgie last week on Sunday which was August 3rd. I am a first time bird owner. It hasn't touched his food yet & he is still terribly scared of me :-( I don't even think he has drank any water either.

Although he does eat his spray millet, which he seems to love. He stands on one foot sometimes for long periods of time. I'm doing all I can to make this lil fellow to feel comfortable but he just isn't budging. I do not know what to do. I don't want him to get sick of anything. please please somebody help.

Answer 1

Are you certain he isn't eating?  Perhaps he's just eating when you aren't watching?

How are his droppings?  If they are medium to dark green with a cream-colored spot in the middle and if there is some liquid in them, they sound normal.  If they are few in number and are very dark and dry, you bird is NOT eating.

Please keep giving him millet until he settles in.  Millet is one of the first foods that a baby bird is weaned to and it's therefore "comfort food" to them.  It isn't unusual that a new baby will eat almost solely millet for the first week or so.  As he settles in, he *should* start eating his usual seed too.  Also be sure to offer him a variety of different healthy foods (like broccoli, corn, kale and carrots).  He may not eat them at first but be persistent and he'll eventually recognize them as food.

Check his seed dish every day and change it as needed.  He will leave the seed hulls in the dish so don't assume that just because there is something in the dish it is food.  It may be full of empty seed hulls.

Also be certain that you have clean, fresh water available to him at all times.  Change his water at least once a day, more often if it becomes soiled.  If you're offering him water from a tube and he doesn't seem to be drinking, offer him a water dish for awhile.

Spend time with your little bird, sitting by his cage reading, talking to him softly or watching television.  Remember that he's still very afraid in his new home with his new people and this fear is perfectly normal.

If his cage is in a busy part of the house, put a pillowcase or something similar over one corner so he has a place to retreat and "hide" if he's stressed.  Just make sure you don't use any material with fuzz or nap that he may either ingest or get tangled in a thread.

After your little bird has settled into his new home and is eating well and used to you then you'll have plenty of time to handle him.  One step at a time for now :-)

Colette

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Parro...

Answer 2

well ur parakeet in new enviorment n its gonna take time fo it to get used to it, he'll star eating within a week it probably did eat but u might hav not seen him doing it. its normal fo parakeets to stand on one leg that's how most of them sleep. n wen he is pickin on himself thats most likely him cleaning himself. n no i don't recomend u letting him out cuz since he don't realy trust u yet its gonna b hard to get him back in his cage n away from danger

Answer 3

Maybe he just doesn't like to eat or drink in front of people. It was like 2 weeks b4 I saw mine eating after I got it, and I have only seen it drink like once since I got it in May. Eventually he will warm up to you. try to get it out of the cage frequently and leave the cage door open when you are in the room. That helps it be more social. Have fun!

Answer 4

you've got some good info so far. Try sitting next to him without looking directly at him and eat something. Birds are flock animals and eating together is one of their main activities. Give him lots of time before you even think about letting him out of the cage. If he's freaked out he will crash into things and get hurt. Budgies can live a long time so take it slow...

Answer 5

When your first get a new bird, it has to get used to its surroundings. It will take some time before eating and drinking in front of you because new birds are shy. When birds stand on one foot their letting it rest, because they have to stand on it all the time. So your bird is definitly normal, give it time to get used to its new surroundings.